Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) kicked off the annual Fuel Assistance Program at the ABCD’s APAC office on Meridian Street in East Boston in November. ABCD ABCD President/CEO John J. Drew is now urging Eastie residents to apply for fuel aid now as federal funding to the program has increased. Drew said with the new round of funding households…
Action for Boston Community Development says that while many are experiencing difficulty paying for heat this winter, there are resources to assist many people in need. Frigid temperatures and this weekend’s potential storm are concerning developments for people having a tough time heating their homes. “We haven’t maybe seen the snow accumulation that we’re used to, but everyone is still…
Rhondella Richardson: The struggle for civil rights boiled down is the fight for humanity and inclusion, both core to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s mission. Quincy Miller: In these times of great need, it’s upon each of us to do more even when we’ve done so much. Dr. Karl Reid: We start by building a more diverse and inclusive university….
Tuesday’s single digit temperatures and below zero wind chill made it clear: Winter has arrived in Boston. With the weather cold enough to shut down Boston Public Schools on Tuesday and slow the MBTA, even staying warm inside can be a challenge. However, there are options for anyone struggling to heat their home, whether the issue is an unresponsive landlord or costly heating bills. In…
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…