Caregiver Council for DHSP

Who We Are

Council Goals

• Influence the City of Cambridge to support caregivers to collaborate, lead, and participate in decision-making.
• Build systems that support lasting change.
• Amplify voices that are often not heard or focused on to balance decision-making power.
• Collaborate with caregivers to improve programs and processes.

2023-2024 Caregiver Council

As the first Caregiver Council, our group of 14 caregivers began meeting with DHSP in November 2023. We worked together to improve and increase equitable access to the City’s afterschool programs.

As Council members, we attended community events, learned about different afterschool services, met with DHSP afterschool and Cambridge Public Schools (CPS) staff, and shared what we learned with other caregivers.

Our goals were to empower caregivers, share knowledge, and help DHSP understand the experiences of Cambridge families to shape after school policies and programs.

2023-2024 Caregiver Council Members:

Telesha Mervin
Kristala Smart
Phil McKenna
Joshua Preston
Anne Saini
Yin Zhou
Betsaida Vizcaino
Rayana Ferej
Khalida Griffin
Vanessa Bernard
Emie Michaud Weinstock
Rachel Grashow
Kate Benanti
Mark Goodridge

Learn more about the history of the Caregiver Council for DHSP.