Joseph S. Slavet’s exemplary life came to a close at 104 years old. It is fitting to reflect on his considerable contributions to social and racial justice and economic mobility. Joe, who led ABCD from its inception in 1962 to 1966, was an architect of the organization’s mission and innovative programming, particularly in early childhood education, youth development, and community…
Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) kicked off the annual Fuel Assistance Program at the ABCD offices in Jamaica Plain. ABCD ABCD President/CEO John J. Drew is now urging Jamaica Plain residents to apply for fuel aid now as federal funding to the program has increased. Drew said with the new round of funding households at or below the federal…
John McGahan first entered the Gavin House in 1991 as a person who needed help. After a year in residence, he would re-enter as a volunteer. After becoming a licensed alcohol and drug counselor in ‘93, he joined the staff part-time and spent the next decade working diligently to help others obtain sobriety. When the Gavin merged with its sister…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDecember 11, 2020 CONTACT: Cherrelle Norris617.455.7212 Susan Kooperstein617.875.3619 Put a smile on a child’s face.Make a difference during a challenging holiday season. Join in the ABCD Winter Fund 2020 Emergency Heating AssistanceRental/Housing AssistanceToy Drive DonationsClothing/Food Drive Requests for help are out-pacing donations in this difficult time: WE NEED YOU!Call 617-348-6559 TODAY During a normal year, New England’s bitter cold…
The passing of Joseph S. Slavet this month brought an exemplary life of 104 years to a close, and it is fitting to reflect on his contributions to social and racial justice and economic mobility, especially as we mark the 60th anniversary of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 – President Johnson’s “War on Poverty.” Joe led Action for Boston…
Turning down a lucrative offer to become a professional saxophonist at the end of the Great Depression, Joseph S. Slavet decided to finish his studies at Boston University instead — only to trade classrooms for combat while serving in the Army during World War II. Determined to make a difference after the war, he worked at first in Philadelphia and…
Sharon Scott-Chandler has spent years trying to make change. “When I went to law school, I wanted to be a public defender. I wanted to represent my community. I grew up in Mattapan, and I wanted to provide people who couldn’t afford really good attorneys with a really good attorney,” Scott-Chandler says, recalling the days when she attended Northeastern University’s…
Imagine moving to a new country as a parent and trying to support your young children with their education in a new culture. Now imagine facing this challenge when you are not yet fluent in the local language. Thousands of immigrant parents in Boston face this challenge every year. Fortunately, ABCD offers ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) for…
Is this holiday season shaping up as a replay of Charles Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol” without the redemption and joy of that story’s ending? It looks that way from David Abel’s pre-Thanksgiving story of food pantries across Massachusetts (“ ‘I’ve never seen anything like this kind of need,’ ” Page A1, Nov. 25). We at Action for Boston Community Development are…
Kudos for means-tested T fares Although I respect the opinion that the costs of discounted MBTA fares for low-income riders would be high as expressed in the Feb.28, 2020 editorial “Lost revenue from low T fares must be recouped,” I applaud the T’s Fiscal Management and Control Board and other key stakeholders and advisers who are intently focused on solving…