Latest Updates, Press Releases, and Innovations
Happy Pride Month!
ABCD is committed to equity and inclusion in all its forms and celebrates the legacy of the LGBTQIA+ community in Boston. This year, the month of June, known to many as Pride Month, kicked off less than two weeks after the 20th anniversary of same sex marriage in Massachusetts—a first in the nation. As we marked that important milestone, RAND…
Happy Juneteenth!
ABCD co-sponsored a Black Father’s Brunch with the Boston Commission on Black Men and Boys and the Mayor’s Office of Black Male Advancement at our Thelma Burns Building. Congratulations to the men who were selected to receive the 2024 Black Father Figure Community Award: Chimel Idiokitas; Noah Jones; Al Holland, Royce Veal; Frederick Johnson; Azell Martin; Stanley O’Brien; and Michael…
ABCD University High School Celebrates the Class of 2024
Keynote exhortation to graduates – use life’s challenges as a springboard to success Students from ABCD’s University High School (UHS) crossed the graduation stage with diplomas in hand and plans for the future. UHS, in partnership with the Boston Public Schools, is ABCD’s alternative high school for Boston students ages 16 to 22 whose needs aren’t met in traditional settings….
Juneteenth: A message from Sharon Scott-Chandler
Dear ABCD community, On Wednesday, June 19th, ABCD will be closed to celebrate Juneteenth, a holiday that marks a dream delayed, if not deferred, and inspiring a dream yet to be fully realized. Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, commemorates June 19, 1865 when 20,000 Union soldiers landed in Galveston, Texas to announce the end of the Civil War and…
Houghton’s Pond pavilion gets new look
Ever passed by the Houghton’s Pond concession stand in the summer and just wished you could get something to eat, especially on a hot summer day? Well, one Milton resident had the same exact thought whenever he looked at the concession stand. Joe Cain would walk by the Houghton’s Pond concession stand regularly in the warmer months and would think…
Joseph S. Slavet, ABCD’s First Executive Director, Helped to Launch the Organization and the Community Action Movement
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…
Joseph Slavet, ‘fearless’ and thoughtful watchdog of Boston government, dies at 104
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…
ABCD’s tax preparation program yields $7 million in state and federal refunds
Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) secured more than $7 million in state and federal tax returns for residents of Greater Boston and the Mystic Valley during the 2024 tax season that ended on April 17th. This is a $1.6M increase from last year. Of this $7 million, $685,000 was returned to filers via the Child Tax Credits (CTC), $186,529…
ABCD’s Walnut Grove Head Start takes part in ‘African Explosion’
ABCD’s Walnut Grove Head Start participated in the African Explosion that featured cultural dance by performer Sir Taylor, a self defined peacemaker and an original member of the Jesse White Tumblers in Chicago – a training program that provides a positive alternative for urban youth ages 6-16. The African Explosion closed out ABCD University High School’s ( UHS) Light Saver week, a component of their Commonwealth…