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…
‘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…
For the 24th year, low- and moderate-income residents in Boston will have access to free tax preparation services through Action for Boston Community Development. The tax preparation program, run by ABCD in collaboration with the Boston Tax Help Coalition, offers free state and federal tax preparation assistance to Boston residents who earn $64,000 per year or less. Sharon Scott-Chandler, ABCD president…
April 16, 2024 MEDIA ADVISORY CONTACT: Jamie McIver 857.488.5068Jamie.McIver@bostonabcd.org WHAT: ABCD Health Services hosts a free community screening of the award-winning film Birthing Justice during Black Maternal Health Week, followed by a panel discussion by top maternal health practitioners and advocates – with the goal of engaging, empowering and equipping women and those who care for them to advocate for…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJanuary 4, 2022 CONTACT: Susan Koopersteinskooperstein@comcast.net617.875.3619 Lee Phennerlee.phenner@bostonabcd.org339.368.1140 MA Fuel Assistance Top Benefit Now $1,650 ABCD urges residents to apply for fuel aid NOW as bitter winter weather, COVID surge, hit New England Action for Boston Community Development announces that households at or below the federal poverty level can now receive $1,650 in fuel assistance, while those with slightly…
A Legacy of Leadership: Donna Coard Donna Coard knows more about community action work than just about anyone. After moving from New Jersey to Boston in 1964, she signed on to work at the new nonprofit organization, ABCD, whose employees at the time totaled fewer than ten. Operating without the institutional knowledge or resources we have today, Coard and her…