Virtual TPC Philanthropy Dialogue:
Removing Barriers, Expanding Possibilities
Tuesday October 6, 2026
6:30-7:30 pm
Featuring:
What does it take to remove the barriers that stand between people and opportunity? Join us for a conversation with three current TPC grantees tackling this question in very different ways. Second Chance Cars provides access to reliable transportation. Merrimack Valley Immigrant and Education Center connects immigrants to education, resources, and community support. Citizens for Juvenile Justice advocates for reforms to the juvenile justice system so that it can more equitably serve young people.
Hear directly from these nonprofit leaders about the barriers they see in their work, how their organizations are responding, and what they’ve learned from the communities they serve. Come away with a broader perspective on how philanthropy can translate into action: opening doors, building community bridges, and creating lasting change.
Citizens for Juvenile Justice (CfJJ)
Each year, thousands of Massachusetts children and teenagers become involved with the juvenile justice “system,” a collection of local, county and state agencies, all of whom are responsible for deciding how to respond to children who are accused of breaking the law. While in theory each child receives a consistent and fair response each time a decision is made about them, data suggests that young peoples’ zipcode, economic status, and the color of their skin all play a large role in determining whether they will be caught and arrested, as well as how they will be processed by the system.
CfJJ was founded in 1994 as the only independent, non-profit, statewide organization working exclusively to reform and reimagine the juvenile justice and other youth serving systems in Massachusetts. They advocate, convene through community engagement, conduct research, and educate the public on important juvenile and youth justice issues. Through these efforts CfJJ drives statewide systemic reform that achieves equitable youth justice.
Merrimack Valley Immigrant & Education Center (MVIEC)
MVIEC is one of the leading providers of education and social services to the ever-growing immigrant population in Greater Lawrence. Their work helps all immigrants and their families assimilate in their new community by providing opportunities to enrich their lives so that they can communicate, find employment, improve educational and communication skills, and ultimately achieve United States Citizenship. MVIEC is unique by providing services in a variety of program areas and serving many generations of immigrants. These areas include human services for elders, adult basic education, youth writing and immigration concerns.
Second Chance Cars (SCC)
Second Chance Cars provides affordable cars that enable people in need get to work. “Commuting time, not crime or schooling “has emerged as the single strongest factor in the odds of escaping poverty. The longer an average commute…the worse the chances of low-income families…moving up the ladder.” - NYT.
Simple in its concept, elegant in its execution, SCC distills the full lifecycle of a charitable act in a way that everyone participating along the way feels the magnitude of their impact. Donations of serviceable used cars take the journey into the hands of hard-working people who otherwise couldn’t afford them - veterans, returning citizens, single parents. Car donors, social service organizations that refer qualified candidates, technical schools that expertly fix donated cars at affordable rates, a supportive bank providing 0% interest car loans, and others all play key roles.
Leon Smith has served as Executive Director of Citizens for Juvenile Justice (CfJJ) since 2019 and has spent more than two decades advocating for young people. An attorney by training, he began his career as a juvenile court public defender in Rhode Island and Massachusetts before moving into national public policy work at the Vera Institute of Justice.
Throughout his career, Leon has focused on making juvenile justice and education systems more equitable for young people, particularly youth of color. He established the Racial Justice Project at Connecticut’s Center for Children’s Advocacy and has helped advance reforms addressing school discipline, racial disparities, and youth interactions with the justice system. In Massachusetts, Leon contributes his expertise to numerous statewide commissions and working groups focused on juvenile and emerging adult justice, while leading CfJJ’s efforts to create a fairer and more effective youth justice system.
Judy Chmielecki is Executive Director of the Merrimack Valley Immigrant and Education Center (MVIEC). A longtime educator, Judy taught English as a Second Language at Northern Essex Community College for more than 18 years and has devoted much of her career to helping adult learners develop language and communication skills.
At MVIEC, Judy leads programs that support immigrants across generations, including English language and workplace education, citizenship preparation, youth programs, elder outreach, and connections to community services. Her longstanding commitment to education and the Merrimack Valley community was recognized by the YWCA of Greater Lawrence, which honored her as a Tribute to Women award recipient.
Chiteara Thomas is a Board Member of Second Chance Cars and a Recovery Coach with the RenewHer program at North Suffolk Community Services. Drawing on her own experiences, she builds authentic connections with individuals navigating trauma, recovery, and systemic barriers.
Chiteara also serves as a consultant to Boston Medical Center and as a member of the INTERACT Community Advisory Board. She mentors through Tufts University’s TUPIT and MyTERN programs and advocates for greater access to higher education for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people. Across these roles, Chiteara is committed to helping others build pathways toward healing, stability, and lasting change.