Artic air brought temperatures in the single digits and teens to most of Massachusetts on Tuesday. As people struggle to stay warm during the cold snap with space heaters, fire safety officials and anti-poverty advocates shared advice on how to stay safe. Massachusetts State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey said space heater safety should be foremost in people’s minds, especially in…
WASHINGTON—With a colder winter forecast and energy prices higher compared to last year, unpaid utility bills couldpile up in New England like the snow outside. So the Biden administration and members of Congress from the region on Friday alerted low-income households to a major boost in federal money to help them keep the heat on. The American Rescue Plan enacted…
ABCD sends its warmest thank you to the Boston Herald for its outstanding support of the ABCD Toy Drive. In particular, the heartwarming article by Marie Szaniszlo (“6,000 Toys Needed by Dec. 15,” Dec. 7, 2021) alerted hundreds of donors and helped kick off a widespread media campaign. In 10 days our toy drive climbed from 400 to 6,000 toys,…
What kept low- and moderate-income families with children afloat in 2021 as COVID-19 variants battered their world and soaring prices bore down on them? The Child Tax Credit. Throughout 2021 this lifesaving program based in the IRS provided families with a monthly payment of $300 per child under age 6 and $250 for each child ages 6 to 12 years…
Employees of East West Mortgage on Hallet Street participated in donating and assembling $5,000 in holiday gifts for children in the annual ABCD Christmas Toy Drive. “We went out and bought 26 bikes and 26 helmets, and over a few days we assembled them,” said company president Steve Borgerson. He said they purchased $700 worth of additional toys, and the…
‘Twas three weeks before Christmas and… The ABCD toy room was rather empty. About 400 toys rested on the distribution tables. Meanwhile requests for help were pouring in at an unprecedented rate. SIX THOUSAND toys were needed for families seeking to celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa, Channukah and Three Kings Day. “With the pandemic still impacting the families we serve in Boston…
‘Twas three weeks before Christmas and… The ABCD toy room was rather empty. About 400 toys rested on the distribution tables. Meanwhile requests for help were pouring in at an unprecedented rate. SIX THOUSAND toys were needed for families seeking to celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa, Channukah and Three Kings Day. “With the pandemic still impacting the families we serve in Boston…
In a bustling storefront in Coolidge Corner, Eureka! Puzzles & Games is home to bright blue and green walls. Miniature Earth models. Custom jigsaw puzzles. And lately, lots of customers. “Demand is certainly higher than pre-pandemic levels,” said owner David Leschinsky. “It’s holding strong.” Toy retailers — from big box stores to neighborhood shops — have accommodated growing crowds during…
‘Twas three weeks before Christmas and all through ABCD, several creatures were stirring, as worried as can be. Folks had been generous, donating 400 toys, but the need was far greater, for all local girls and boys. The call went out, for a bit more aid, and the community responded, spreading a joy that can’t be repaid. ABCD, or Action for…
“When I was working, I could make bills meet. But since I retired, it’s a little difficult right now,” said Arthur Cain of Mattapan. And with the rising cost of utilities, it’s not getting any easier for the 83-year-old who’s on a fixed income and was falling behind on his electric bill. “It has run up to $600,” Cain said….
