From his experiences growing up in public housing to his work as a Boston social worker, John McGonagle brings a wealth of knowledge about the needs of his community to his role as Director of Community Services at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.  Parker Hill/Fenway NSC recognizes him for bettering the Mission Hill neighborhood.  

In 1984, John saw a Harvard’s School of Public Health study about the lack of food pantries in Boston. Saddened by what he saw, he tapped into the network of area hospitals and established the Parker Hill/Fenway NSC food pantry, the first and only of its kind in the community.  For the past 23 years, John has organized the Longwood Medical community’s support of the pantry, raising funds and collecting food donations.

When a crisis loomed over summer jobs funding, John was again the first to offer support.  For the last four years he has secured $40,000 and 20 paid jobs for the youth in his community. John has also been a voice for other non-profits in the community, serving on the board of Mission Safe, Mission Hill Community Schools and Mission Hill Main Streets.  He is the chair of the Residency Commission for the City of Boston and is the past chairman of the Hyde Park YMCA. 

“As an active member of our community for more than 30 years, John’s name is well known in all of the local agencies,” said Milagros Arbaje-Thomas, director of the Parker Hill/Fenway NSC.  He’s that rare person that always makes himself available when you need him.  So many of us in Mission Hill are better off because of his efforts."