Chinatown Afterschool Program (CHAP)

In-PersonAfterschoolChinatownMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday

Apr 2

Chinatown Afterschool (CHAP) was founded in 1984 to meet the need for a free afterschool program in Boston’s Chinatown. Our program was originally based in the Church of All Nations, and from 1984 through 2008 operated from the sites of community partners including College High School, Boston High School, and the Asian American Civic Association. Since 2008, CHAP has been based at the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA).

Today, CHAP supports 40-50 spirited kids, from kindergarten to 7th grade. Our dedicated counselors volunteer weekly, helping guide classrooms of 10 to 15 students through homework, enriching STEM activities, food competitions, soccer, and much much more—creating lasting memories and bright futures in the heart of Chinatown.

CHAP's counselor community is a vibrant and passionate group of students hailing from Harvard, Wellesley, Tufts, Boston University, MIT and local Boston High Schools. We’re a close-knit family that bonds over a shared commitment to our wonderful students, and we make time to celebrate that bond each semester with two lively counselor socials. The season’s highlight? Our “day dinners”: an all-expenses-paid meal in the heart of Chinatown, where we share delicious food and toast to the incredible work our counselors do.

Mission

PBHA's Chinatown Afterschool Program seeks to promote academic enrichment for children of low-income families in Boston’s Chinatown community.

We strive to provide a safe and supportive afterschool environment through tutoring, educational projects, and literacy activities.

We also aspire to build self-esteem and intellectual curiosity by fostering mentoring relationships with volunteers, both in and out of the classroom.

Ultimately, we aim to equip our students with life skills that will encourage them to be contributing members of their communities.

CHAP is a semester-long commitment
We welcome anyone currently enrolled in high school or undergrad.
If you are new, there is a short interview at the beginning of the semester for you to get to know our program better and for us to place you in a classroom.
In-person Kickoff at Harvard
Tutor training coordinated by PBHA