Category: ABCD History Timeline

ABCD establishes Massachusetts Immigration & Refugee Assistance (MIRA) to ensure immigrants’ rights are protected.

Ford Foundation gives ABCD a special award for its Summer Training & Education Program (STEP) to combat high school dropout problem.

President Reagan presents award to ABCD for exemplary public-private partnership in the ABCD / Shawmut bank training program.

Under President Gerald Ford, additional funding for Summer jobs results in ABCD putting 10,000 youth to work at community sites.

Fuel assistance program begins.

ABCD and three other community action programs file a successful class action lawsuit to prevent President Nixon from abolishing the Office of Economic Opportunity and destroying the community action network.

ABCD makes its legal services program an independent entity, thereby creating Greater Boston Legal Services.

ABCD holds first Community Awards Dinner. Dr. Paul Ylvisaker, former Ford Foundation officer in charge of the “Gray Areas” project that started ABCD, is keynote speaker. Photo: C-SPAN

Robert M. Coard becomes ABCD Executive Director.

Urban College Program begins.