funders air collaborative created specifically to address the unprecedented crisis in housing for very low-income families in massachusetts. the invasion fund competition is designed to spur new attention and solutions to increase the sly of housing for families with extremely low-income. eli. to give us more details about our next guests are sunny gupta, executive director for home fund funders collaborative and blake jordan, executive director for the high land street foundation. one of the funding philanthropis philanthropis. welcome to "urban update". thanks for coming in. so let's start with you by talking more about this i guess affordable crisis, housing cries would have going on, especially for extremely low-income families. this is why home fund was created, was it not? in 2003 there's way similar crisis for extremely low-income families and a group of address the need for housing. they wanted to be part of the solution and they decided that they were going to help create housing by working through the existing housing system giving below market rate, below market interest rate loans to housing developers and as you know the crisis hasn't eased in the last 13 years. you read about it in the papers every day. a family working minimum wage would have to work, there is a study out by the national housing low-income coalition, that says in the massachusetts area a family working the minimum wage would have to work 110 hours a week in order to afford the lowest rent two bedroom apartment so that's not physically feasible so we are having this competition as a way to encourage more ideas to in increase the supply of housing. need, the shelters are more than 4,500 families in shelter and there are more than 70,000 extremely low-income families who are struggling to keep a roof over their head in massachusetts. >> anchor: blake jordan, i guess talk to me about your thin flopic interest in the highland street foundation history and with the home funders collaborat collaborative . back 13 years ago, 2003, one of our trustees was particularly upset of continuing to hear the news and read in the papers about the issue with these families living in shelter and motels and so as a trustee, she went and discussed this with other foundations, the hymes foundation, the boston foundation, the firearm foundation, and this collaboration came together to do something that they thought was a little bit dip shall a little bit innovative of a way to try to make a difference and have an impact in the affordable housing. affordable housing invasion competition have you going on here. how do you describe it to folks? who can apply? deadline? prizes? home funders has been working on affordable housing for 13 years but we know that we don't have all of the answers and we also know that the need continues to grow so we have opened an invasion housing competition as a way of inviting the experts, people in the field housing field, policy tax, public world to propose ideas that they think will incrementally or in new ways in increase the supply of housing for the poorest families. so the competition is open to anyone who may be interested in applying. we strongly encourage calibrations because this is a complex system and it's a complex solution that will and the competition is open now. it was announced at the statehouse and we will accept submissions up until february 5 of 2016 . >> anchor: are there prizes? that always helps . we will award up to three prizes between $10,000 and $25 $25,000 each . >> anchor: you say you are talking about collaborative. what are you hoping people will come up with, models for finding more housing, creating more hous housing in what are you hoping for? we're hoping for innovative feasible and republic lickable solutions that will be proposed that can add to the range of solutions that are already in place in massachusetts. massachusetts is a leader in affordable housing. we have a number of programs and strategies that are in place but we're looking for people to come up with a new idea that are, and that can be a problemed in scale across the state . >> anchor: you made the official announcement on november 19 at the statehouse. what kind of response have you gotten so far? petraeus been trait great jetstream a few session that's have been well-attended. the phone calls and e-mail it's been great. a lot of interest and buzz around it and we've already started to get submissions and i know we'll be getting a lot more the next few weeks . >> anchor: what are you hoping that these folks come up with in the examination? i think one of the goals of this is to bring for the some new ideas, think there are wonderful things going on, but we're so farther natural to live in this pat of the country with these schools that we have and these leaders in the community and i think someone who might be thinking about something but hasn't really didn't know what to do with the idea and now is the time. this is an opportunity if you have been thinking about it, you had conversation was people this your field, a class over it, one thought this might have some legs to it and this is a way to . >> anchor: when winnipesaukee winnipesaukeeers be announced and what happened to their ideas ideas? winners will be announced in early spring of 2016. we're thinking april. so the hope as i said is that we will be able to get behind some implemented. if it's not home funders itself that we can attract the right kind of funders or donors or policy makers to an idea that really has some potential and have it implemented so we can . >> anchor: are you floating this idea with like, you know, people in legislature, the mayor's office? movers an shakers? developers and so forth saying we have this competition going, we hope to come up with some good ideas? absolutely. had key legislators. committee, representative honan and senator forey and we had key administrators at the table and the state, the department of housing act community development is very much a partner in this, in helping us advocate for new solutions and is excited so see what the solutions might be . >> anchor: blake i guess this whole issue in massachusetts, is this going to be one major areas of focus are philanthropic organizations in the city? i think for highland street it will be and for many others it will be. i think it's so relevant and we're all reading about it and i think coming from the non-profit world and foundation world, it all starts with having a solid home base, having a home and all of the other issues and challenge that people have can be worked on but if you don't have a safe place at night to go to sleep it, affects everything else . >> anchor: put up the so people can get, find out where they can get more information on this? that's right. www hopefunders.org has information information about the competition including the submission portal . >> anchor: deadline february 5, 2016. come with your ideas . that's right . >> anchor: thanks for coming in and good luck with the competition. i hope you guys come one great ideas . thank you for having us. >> anchor: coming up next, the rg experience hits"urban update." right back. >> anchor: our next guest can only be described as a unique performer and artist. robert gould leads a dynamic group of diverse, all female berklee college of music student musicians who have world on national stages around the country including right at the house of blues in boston. robert is from atlanta, the women originate from all over the world stretching from texas to sweden providing a unique sound that is heavily driven by pop and soul. the robert gould experience as they are called has also recent recently launched a national cancer awareness campaign aimed at the millenial generation and dedicated to women across the globe. bravely facing cancer. through music and technology, robert hopes to captive eight and create awareness within the leaders of tomorrow. the rgx launched earlier this year at the rock and roll all of fame in cleveland and the tour will now continue in january with the performance at the ryan seacrest studios at boston tell us more about his lance we've invited the man himself, update." . thank you so much. . me about yourself. you originally from atlanta and now studying at the berklee . i'm soaks cited. ' originally from at plan that, georgia so i decided to bring . >> anchor: far out. okay. tell me, where do you see yourself in the next few years? it's been a long journey, sir. this is my last year at berklee college of music. i am so excited to be fin being strong as a senior and hopefully next i would love to continue to pursue with my band that you talked about. the robert gould experience, traveling and working with them and also i have a love and passion for media, so i guess you can say i want to become kind of the sinking or performing ryan seacrest. >> anchor: lofty goal there. how did you come up with the idea of the band members for the you have a wide variety of women there . right. well, you know, first thing is i always love being suffereded by beautiful women, so that is the first thing i have to have . >> anchor: nothing wrong with that . but truly to the core of why i have all female band, dynamic few commissions is a tribute to the strong women in my life. my mother, my grandmother were strong influential backboned pieces to my foundation and so i figure, why not have women be the background to my music? so it's been a phenomenal experience. they are great and from all across the country like you said all across the globe and the world . >> anchor: that's remy amazing. we have a video that you guys put to the performing and why don't we take a look at the video and talk about it on the other side. let's see the rgx . feel the rhythm of the deny it until you try it. come shake your body baby do the conga. i know you can't control yourself any longer. don't deny it, until you try it. everybody gather around now, let your body feel the heatdon't you worry, if you can't dance, let the music move your feet. come on shake your body baby, do the conga. feel the music getting stronger. don't deny it until you try it >> anchor: wow. that's a pretty powerful sound . do you like it, sir? >> anchor: it's fabulous . . a little bit. i guess the performance on video it's, this is pat of a longer tribute to several iconic women singers. is that what this is all about? this is the first product underneath the robert gould campaign. very fortunate to launch this summer in cincinnati at the children's hospital there. this is really aimed toward the millenial generation and figuring out creative ways to really adapt the importance of health and wellness. i'm not sure if you are familiar or not, but 60,000 young adults between the ages of 19 and 39 every year are diagnosed with cancer in the united states. with this astonishing number i really thought something has to be done to bridge that gap. so what better to cap captivate the millenial idea through two idioms we understand believe. music and also media. so i took those ideas together and really got together with my all female band, came up with an arrangement of iconic women recording artists everybody from beyonce to taylor swift and gloria estefan to kind of capture the message of what it means to really understand health and wellness and particularly cancer. i have all female band so it's to be a tribute to women who face cancer from all walks of life, all ages, and it's been amazing to see of we've had women that have been in chemotherapy that have said this is really helped them through their chemotime and also through families. it's been an encouraging thing to see . >> anchor: you have an upcoming performance at boston chin's hospital . that. as i said shall we got to launch the health and wellness campaign this summer in cincinnati and we did the children's hospital there and we had a great turn out there so they asked us continue a part of the children children's hospital, ryan seacrest studios here, so in january. i am aexcited about that . >> anchor: are taking this on the road? the goal of this of course is to bring awareness to those statistics of course of this health and wellness to millen millenials. we hope to continue to tour of course to different cities, and hopefully continue to get coverage of individuals like yourself whose having us on here today to "urban update" and hope hopefully even bigger. >> anchor: do you have personal experience that drives you a little bit with cancer in your family or someone close to you? of course. my grandmother actually who is a big part of the tribute to my all female band. >>passed away from lung cancer and it was astone iing to me because oftentimes we correlate women who have cancer to breast cancer, but the statistics, you know, state that it's such a ride of different ties of cancers, specifically to women, and so i knew that this was special to do for her but also to do what i know my whole life at the age of four i started my first non-profit organization at four years old of i wasn't color coloring with crayons, man. ways dealing with a serious things, serious issues at the age of four started my first so cancer and humanitarian efforts have definitely been a part of my life. i like to say that it chose me, i didn't choose it . >> anchor: robert work where can folks see you, get a hold of you? we have information we can put up on the screen here? of course. at the -- there i am. so please check us you oh at the robert gould experience.com of course at the rg experience and # the rgexp. we pray you will help share the video with as many people as possible so that we can nationally and internationally get the message out . >> anchor: robert gould of the robert gould experience . yes! >> anchor: congratulations . thank you . >> anchor: keep up the great work . thank you. i know this won't be the last time. this is just the beginning, right? >> anchor: all right. thanks for coming in . thank you . >> anchor: when we come back an all ages, untraditional version of a choice massacre featuring a details we'll be right back. the cambridge youth dance program and director deborah mason keep the yule tide fresh with their seventh annual production of what the dickens? this is an all ages un untraditional version of a christmas carol that is now a tradition all its own. this original production re reimagines the 1843 dickens classic with a female briefcase toting ebenezer scrooge. in a present day urban musical dance setting that features tap, modern dance, hip-hop, ballet and i indian dance. we invited deborah mason, founder and director of the a amason school of dance and the cambridge youth dance program. also with us, alana logan, a student and cape bridge youth playing the ghost of the christmas future. ryan casey, boston based tap dancer, teach e, core will play bob crachet and a dancer with boston based kathak and guest core for what the dickens. what a cast we've got here. welcome to"urban update." thanks for coming in. deborah, let me start with you. let's get right to it. what the dickens back for its 7 7th year, what's in store for us this year? oh we have new scenery, new sets, new scenes, we added new scenes. the show is going to be a little over an hour long, lots of children in it and some professional adults. we have boston tap company performing, sean fielder, ryan casey, we have an indian dancer, it's going to be fantastic. it's so exciting and when you we are doing. >> anchor: okay. alana, talk to me about your role of guest as christmas future. what types of music will you be performing? so as the ghost of christmas future i am the one that is supposed to tell scrooge you know, if you don't pick up your act there will be a whole bunch of bad things that happen in the future. it's just very dark and gloomy so i dance to pretty dark classical music, but again it's with a twist of contemporary so, yeah . >> anchor: sounds like a lot of fun. you are the guest core for what the dickens. you can give your viewers a range of diverse dance and fewic that you have in store for the audience? so thanks to deborah we're able to bring north indian classical dance to what the dickens. local organization called chandi chandika which is pat of our broader global organization and we have students from very, very young to adults and we have one of our youth ensemble members who is performing the ghost of christmas present part and it's really amazing to be able to bring this style of dance because it is very much in line with our tradition as well, so just as scrooge as a classic story with timeless lessons, that's how it is in our traditional stories and the historical stories that we would tell stories about . >> anchor: ryan casey, talk to me about the performers i guess tell me about who are these kids and these adults? these are kids in deborah's cool and in the cambridge youth dance program who train the very passionate, dedicated kid. weekend. question had long rehearsal and they are trained in multiple for them is they get to work alongside professionals as well so they get to not only show their stage with them but also learn from all of us and really form this great family, this community on stage. >> anchor: cool. you have a little video clip you brought. let's take a look and you talk let's roll the video tape. >> anchor: wow. so deborah, tell me about what we were watching. those were your students? yes, they are. they are my students. some of them are from outside the studio as well, like marli who is going across the stage, he is a 14-year-old with the bean town lockers. lockers.. he is an extreme lethal ed young man. only of my students on point are ten to 12-year-olds, then you saw the office scene with ryan who is bob cratchett and there are students that tapping 13 and 14-year-olds they tap on boxes and briefcases and they do it to a typewriter song. it's incredible. a boston based tap dancer choreographed it . >> anchor: do you want to shout out to anybody out there? dance program? want to give you a shot to do that if you want to . of course. i guess from all of us, shout out to cambridge youth dance program. yeah. >> anchor: we can move right along here. i guess ryan, you got some other shows coming up, the details of the shows on the dance theater over on commonwealth avenue? this is where the shows are 20. evening shows on friday and saturday and matinee shows on saturday and sunday. tickets are still available . >> anchor: talk to me about your role. you were playing bob cratchett . he was a mistreated employee of scrooge and he has to suffer a little bit through the show through his longtime hours and doesn't get a christmas bonus, doesn't get to go home, but he gets, you will see. maybe he gets a reward and maybe he doesn't . teaser about something that maybe viewers can look ford to or the audience can look forward . i saw this myself last year for the first time and i was blend away to see the range of genre of dance and art that were presented and the talent that was on that stage and young talent and so i actually feel very proud that we are represent represented on that stage, but i was also very proud of such innovative thinking when it came to how to use the elements of the different dance forms so have you tap and representing typewriting and i don't want to give things away but very, very cool ways to use sound and rhythm. we're all speaking a universal language of rhythm and dance and music and through our bodies and our bodies are percussive in fabulous to be part of this. i think everyone is in for a . >> anchor: deborah, you must be really proud having kept this going for seven years now. you are really turning it into you bet. we started out the show was a half hour long and we had probably 30 people in the cast. now there is like 200 people in the cast. we have outgrown the boston university dance theater and we're trying to find a home and stage so we can grow more and . >> anchor: finally, let's put that up on the screen one more it? what the dickens? december 18 through 20. boston university dance theater. 9:15 commonwealth avenue. ww. cypd.org . its still available. please. >> anchor: thank you all for coming in. thank you all for coming in and beck a leg . thank you so much. >> anchor: that's it for this edition of "urban update" for the entire team here i'm byron barnett.