麻州公衛部推出首個WIC線上購物辦法

State Health Officials Launch First-Ever Online Grocery Ordering Program for Massachusetts WIC Participants 

Participants can now use their benefits to order WIC-approved foods online from Walmart stores across the state 

BOSTON (April 1, 2025) — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) today announced that Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Nutrition program participants in Massachusetts can, for the first time, use their benefits for online ordering through Walmart. Participants are now able to shop online for WIC-approved foods for in-store pickup or delivery from 48 Walmart stores across the state, providing a modern, convenient, and accessible option for the more than 125,000 residents served by the program in Massachusetts each year. 

This pilot program is part of an initiative by the Food and Nutrition Service at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to improve the WIC shopping experience by incorporating internet-based transactions. Under federal guidelines, WIC-approved items have only been possible to purchase in-person from participating stores. However, Massachusetts is among a handful of states that received federal grant funding and waivers to implement the WIC online ordering project.  

“The option to shop for groceries online makes nutritious food more accessible for WIC participants in the state,” said Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD. “It helps alleviate the challenges faced by many when in-person shopping is the only option – challenges like limited mobility, lack of transportation, language barriers, and time constraints.” 

Integrating online ordering into Massachusetts WIC services is part of Massachusetts’ ongoing commitment to equitable access to quality public health services, including by reducing food insecurity and barriers to healthy foods for families. Massachusetts WIC participants can now shop for WIC-approved food through the Walmart app or online by going to Walmart.com/wic. 

Funding for the Massachusetts WIC online ordering program comes from the WIC Online Shopping Cooperative Agreement Grant from the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service and the Center for Nutrition and Health Impact. Grant participation is in collaboration with the Washington State Department of Health’s WIC program, Walmart, and eWIC benefits processors Custom Data Processing Inc. and Fidelity Information Services. 

The Massachusetts WIC program has provided personalized nutrition care and benefits to income-eligible pregnant people and families with children under age 5 to purchase nutritious foods critical for growth and development. Administered within DPH’s Bureau of Family Health and Nutrition, Massachusetts WIC currently serves nearly half of all infants and over 125,000 individuals per month across the state. WIC families can redeem their benefits in-person at more than 850 approved retailers across Massachusetts. 

More information is available at mass.gov/wic.

川普政府停發聯邦教育穩定基金 麻州中小學失去1.06億元聯邦資助

 Trump Administration Terminates $106 Million in K-12 Education Funding for Massachusetts 

Funding supported student mental health supports, tutoring, school security and building upgrades  

BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration is condemning the Trump Administration’s illegal move to terminate $106 million in K-12 education grant funding for Massachusetts. On Friday evening at 5:03 pm, the U.S. Department of Education notified all states about its decision to end the federal Education Stabilization Fund liquidation period effective three minutes prior, at 5:00 pm. Nationally, it is estimated that this decision terminates over $2 billion across 41 states. In February 2025, the Trump Administration had just reaffirmed that Massachusetts had until March 2026 to spend the funds.  

“At a time when students are still struggling to recover from the pandemic, we need to be doing everything we can to address learning loss and the youth mental health crisis. Instead, President Trump suddenly ripped away more than $100 million in funding that is supposed to go right to Massachusetts students and schools,” said Governor Maura Healey. “This action is jeopardizing mental health care and math tutoring for our students, as well as projects that are already underway to enhance school security and ensure that the air in our school buildings is clean. Massachusetts has been making important progress helping students recover from the pandemic, but President Trump is trying to take us backwards.” 

“The federal government and states should be working together to invest in capital projects that improve the learning environments for our students and support their education and wellbeing,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Massachusetts does not have the resources to replace all of the funding that President Trump is terminating. These are more devastating terminations that impact our students and schools today and well into the future.” 

“We are not back yet from the pandemic. We know that many students in Massachusetts and across the country are still experiencing pandemic-related learning loss and mental health challenges. The federal government had repeatedly reaffirmed these extensions in acknowledgement of continued supply chain issues, labor shortages and to ensure continuity in learning acceleration efforts. Projects funded by these grants are underway. The Trump Administration’s outrageous and cruel decision, in which we received notice of a new arbitrary deadline, will have real harm to our students and their learning and wellbeing,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Patrick Tutwiler.  

The funding was intended to support a multitude of statewide efforts to address pandemic-related learning loss, with a focus on literacy, math and science – areas where learning was particularly disrupted during the pandemic. Recent test scores show that, while Massachusetts students continue to lead the nation, they have still not fully recovered from the learning lost during the pandemic. This funding helped address those gaps by supporting mental health services, high-dosage math tutoring, purchasing of high-quality instructional material with a focus on science, and enhanced screenings to identify students’ risk of poor reading outcomes, including risk of dyslexia. 

This funding was supporting building upgrades across 20 school districts to improve air quality through HVAC installations and build outdoor learning spaces for students. Some projects were enhancing security in schools, including the purchasing of cameras, door alarm, and emergency response technology. As the federal government had committed to these funds, the projects are all currently underway but had been delayed due to continued supply chain issues and labor shortages. 

The funding was also supporting professional development for educators, such as DESE’s Learning Acceleration Network and five Regional Licensure Centers that help emergency teacher license holders get provisional or initial licensure to stay employed in Massachusetts public schools. 

“Trump's decision to cut off money already promised to school districts will have drastic negative effects on Massachusetts communities,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). "This administration clearly does not care about damaging our education system or hurting our children, leaving local officials scrambling to pick up the pieces when they should be fully focused on supporting our schools. It's all part of the federal administration's unconscionable hacksaw approach to governing. Trump is not only undermining Congress and our Constitution, he is making dangerous cuts that will undermine public education, the very engine of opportunity and economic vitality that has been a hallmark of this Commonwealth since Horace Mann.” 

“The Trump administration pretends to champion education by claiming it wants to empower states, but in reality, it is actively sabotaging states' ability to support our most vulnerable students,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “Canceling funds that schools have already built into their budgets is reckless, and shows a blatant disregard for the needs of our students and schools." 

“As a former member of the National Assessment Governing Board which oversees the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), I am acutely aware of the significant negative impact that COVID had on our K-12 students in Massachusetts and across the country from which many students have not fully recovered,” said State Representative Alice Peisch (D-Wellesley), House Assistant Majority Leader. These funds were given to the states to determine how to best ensure the negative impact of lost learning time is addressed. The fact that the Trump administration is taking the funds back gives lie to its claim that it is eliminating the DOE in order to give more authority to the states and not to cut funding. This action is unconscionable and cowardly.” 

“This is another example of outrageous and capricious behavior from the Trump administration, which will hurt Massachusetts schools that had already approved plans for use of these funds,” said State Senator Jason Lewis (D-Winchester), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Education. 

“This is a time when we should be supporting our students, especially those who are still struggling to emerge from challenges stemming from the pandemic,” said State Representative Ken Gordon (D-Bedford), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Education. “It is not the time to pull back. We in the House value every student, and we will stand up for our learners.” 

“Recalling this funding is further evidence of the Trump administration’s indifference toward public education and willingness to sacrifice students, families and communities in the name of delivering tax cuts to the wealthy,” said Massachusetts Teachers Association President Max Page and Vice President Deb McCarthy. “These are crucial federal investments communities are counting on. Without these funds, students stand to lose necessary tutoring and other academic support, and financially strapped cities and towns won’t be able to remedy health and safety vulnerabilities exposed during the pandemic. Donald Trump and Linda McMahon cannot be allowed to abandon our public schools.” 

“Withdrawing funding already in use in schools across the country is nothing short of a cruel attempt to cause chaos and destruction. Tens of thousands of children right here in Massachusetts rely on services and resources paid for by this funding. These cuts will disproportionately harm those most in need of services – students with disabilities, low-income students, and the districts serving at-risk students,” said Jessica Tang, President of the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts. The federal education agenda is nothing short of a dismantling of our ability to provide a fair and equal public education. We thank Secretary Tutwiler and Governor Healey for their commitment to supporting our students, our schools, and our educators and we will continue to use every tool in our arsenal to protect their future.” 

Impacted school districts: 

• Springfield ($47,357,654) 

• New Bedford ($15,603,433)  

• Fitchburg ($6,578,468) 

• Everett ($4,897,300) 

• Revere ($4,613,327) 

• Boston ($3,468,659) 

• Leominster ($1,868,215) 

• Stoughton ($1,512,470) 

• Worcester ($1,454,350) 

• Chelsea ($1,448,715) 

• Lawrence ($1,307,307) 

• Dracut ($648,702) 

• Holyoke ($395,863) 

• West Springfield ($354,868) 

• Lynn ($339,357) 

• Fairhaven ($250,802) 

• Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical ($115,465) 

• Ludlow ($83,334) 

• Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical ($21,461) 

• Mashpee ($2,481)  

Impacted Nonpublic Schools: 

• Mater Dolorosa Catholic School in Holyoke ($118,894) 

• Saint Stanislaus School in Chicopee ($172,692) 

World Class Professional Fields Announced for 2025 Boston 5K presented by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and B.A.A. Invitational Mile

World Class Professional Fields Announced for 2025 Boston 5K presented by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and B.A.A. Invitational Mile

Saturday, April 19 Racing Kicks off Patriots’ Day Weekend 

BOSTON – Global medalists, Boston champions, and U.S. stars are set to compete as part of the Boston 5K presented by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and B.A.A. Invitational Mile on Saturday, April 19, kicking off Boston Marathon weekend with racing through Boston’s Back Bay. More than 100 professional athletes from around the globe will compete across the two events.  

“This year’s Boston 5K presented by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and B.A.A. Invitational Mile will set the stage for a memorable weekend celebration of running, health, and fitness in the city,” said Jack Fleming, President and Chief Executive Officer of the B.A.A. “At the front of the field will be some of the fastest and most accomplished athletes across the Open, Wheelchair, and Para Athletics Divisions.” 

BOSTON 5K FIELD TO TACKLE NEW COURSE IN 2025 

On April 19, a field of more than 10,000 participants will take to a new race route for the Boston 5K presented by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. Starting adjacent to Boston Public Garden, athletes will run out on Commonwealth Avenue towards Boston University before reversing direction, passing through Kenmore Square, running right on Hereford Street and left on Boylston Street, ultimately finishing at the Boston Marathon finish line. The 3.1-mile course is a flat and fast tour of Back Bay. 

That’s music to Charles Philibert-Thiboutot’s ears, as the Canadian champion from 2022 returns looking to earn his second Boston 5K crown. Three years ago, ‘CPT’ won in 13:35, sprinting to the line just ahead of a large pack of challengers. Joining him on the line this year is fellow Canadian Olympian Thomas Fafard. 

Biya Simbassa, the No.1-ranked road racer nationally, will try to extend the American winning streak to three. Simbassa ran a 2:06:53 marathon in 2024 and was 9^th at the USA 5K National Championship, showing his range of abilities. Also toeing the line are Kenya’s Amon Kemboi, best known for his 3:53.57 mile speed, and Eritrea’s Dawit Seare, fourth at the 2023 World Road Running Championships 5K. Josh Kalapos represents the hometown B.A.A. High Performance Team in the professional field. Britain’s Patrick Dever, the NCAA Champion at 10,000m in 2021, is also entered, while fellow countryman Henry McLuckie, fourth in the B.A.A. Invitational Mile last year, moves up in distance to run the Boston 5K this year. 

The fastest woman in the field, Ethiopia’s Medina Eisa (14:16.54 5000m best), will be chased by Norah Jeruto, the 2022 World Champion in the 3000m steeplechase from Kazakhstan, Lemlem Hailu, the 2022 World Indoor 3000m gold medalist from Ethiopia, and Tsigie Gebreselama, the 2023 World Cross Country silver medalist from Ethiopia. 

Top-ten finishers from a year ago return in Erika Kemp (fifth), Bethany Hasz (sixth), and Vanessa Fraser (eighth), all from the USA. Hasz is a member of the B.A.A. High Performance Team along with her sister, Megan, who is also competing. Taylor Roe comes off a win at the U.S. Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta. 

Reigning wheelchair division champions Marcel Hug and Eden Rainbow-Cooper return, hoping to replicate their 2024 Boston Marathon weekends which saw both win the 5K on Saturday and marathon on Monday. Joining them is two-time Boston Marathon winner Daniel Romanchuk. 

In the Para Athletics Divisions, 2024 Boston 5K winners El Amin Chentouf (T11/12/13 vision impairment), Atsbha Gebremeskel (T45-47 upper-limb impairment), and Marko Cheseto Lemtukei (T42-T44, T61-T64 lower-limb impairment) all return. Making his Boston debut will be 2024 Paralympic gold medalists Wajdi Boukhili (T12, marathon) and Aminullah Tissaoui (T38, 1500m). 

Kelly Bruno (T64) Tatsiana Khvitsko-Trimborn (T61), and Sayers Grooms (T72) are among the women’s entrants in the Para Athletics Divisions. 

The Boston 5K starts at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 19. 

RETURNING CHAMPION COMBER LEADS B.A.A. INVITATIONAL MILE 

Casey Comber won the 2024 B.A.A. Invitational Mile thanks to a last lap kick in 4:07.31, and now looks to become the first man to win back-to-back years since Olympic medalist Nick Willis did so in 2013/2014. Luke Houser, the recently crowned 2025 World Indoor Championships bronze medalist at 1500m and two-time NCAA Indoor Mile champion, will try to play spoiler and win in his first race on the roads in Boston. 

Also toeing the line with Boston ties are B.A.A. High Performance Team member Isaac Basten, as well as Boston University’s Foster Malleck, who was third at the NCAA Indoor Championships mile in March.  

Japan’s Nozomi Tanaka, a prolific racer across the track and roads, makes her B.A.A. Invitational Mile debut and will go up against Micaela Degenero, fourth a year ago and the 2022 NCAA Indoor mile champion. From the Atlanta Track Club is Laurie Barton, a 4:27 miler.

Canadian Olympians Erin Teschuk and Julie-Anne Staehli and Kenya’s Dorcas Ewoi, a 1:58.19 800m runner, round out the international talent. 

In addition to the professionals, student-athletes from each of the eight cities and towns that make up the Boston Marathon route will compete in a Scholastic Mile and Middle School 1K. The B.A.A. Invitational Mile will begin at 11:00 a.m. at the Boston Marathon Finish Line on Saturday, April 19. 

Boston 5K presented by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Professional Fields 

WOMEN’S FIELD	COUNTRY	5,000m PB
Medina Eisa	ETH	14:16.54 (London, 2023)
Tsigie Gebreselama	ETH	14:18.76 (Eugene, 2024)
Lemlen Hailu	ETH	14:34.53 (Paris, 2023)
Grace Loibach	KEN	14:42.63 (Paris, 2023)
Laura Galvan	MEX	14:43.94 (Budapest, 2023)NR
Gela Hambese	ETH	14:47.74 (Doha, 2024)
Vanessa Fraser	USA	14:48.51i (Boston, 2020)
Norah Jeruto	KAZ	14:51.73 (Berlin, 2019)
Lemlem Nibret	ETH	14:56.00 (Montesson, 2023)
Bethany Hasz	USA	15:05.80 (Los Angeles, 2024)
Emily Lipari	USA	15:07.22 (San Juan Capistrano, 2022)
Erika Kemp	USA	15:10.10 (Boston, 2021)
Taylor Roe	USA	15:15.01i (Boston, 2024)
Hannah Steelman	USA	15:19.69 (Portland, 2024)
Dominique Scott	RSA	15:20.84i (Boston, 2020)
Gracelyn Larkin	CAN	15:21.68i (Boston, 2025)
Charlotte Prouse	CAN	15:26.01 (Boston, 2018)
Roisin Flanagan	IRL	15:26.32 (Walnut, 2023)
Eilish Flanagan	IRL	15:33.37i (Boston, 2023)
Megan Hasz	USA	15:33.48 (Lost Angeles, 2023)
Cleo Boyd	CAN	15:44.14 (Raleigh, 2024)
Alexandra Lucki	CAN	15:49.82 (Los Angeles)
Lilly Tuck	CAN	15:53.76 (Philadelphia, 2024)
Katie Kellner	USA	15:56.42 (Guelph, 2014)
Rachel Hyland	USA	16:06.42i (Boston 2021)
Erin Gregoire	USA	16:19.31 (NYC, 2025)
Ryann Helmers	USA	16:21.99 (Charlottesville, 2023)
Stevie Lawrence-Wrist	GBR	17:18.70 (Allendale, 2021)

MEN’S FIELD	COUNTRY	5,000m PB
Patrick Dever	GBR	13:04.05i (Boston, 2024)
Thomas Fafard	CAN	13:05.07 (Bruxelles, 2024)
Amon Kemboi	KEN	13:06.30i (Boston, 2024)
Dawit Seare	ERI	13:07.77 (Wien, 2024)
Charles Philibert-Thiboutot	CAN	13:12.76 (San Juan Capistrano, 2022)
Sam Parsons	GER	13:12.78i (Boston, 2023) NR
Biya Simbassa	USA	13:19.12 (San Juan Capistrano, 2021)
Reid Buchanan	USA	13:27.03 (Los Angeles, 2023)
John Gay	CAN	13:29.82 (Birmingham, 2022)
Andrew Alexander	CAN	13:29.91i (Boston, 2023)
Jean Simon Desgagnes	CAN	13:33.38 (Azusa, 2024)
Henry McLuckie	GBR	13:36.26 (Walnut,2023)
Mitchell Ubene	CAN	13:36.71 (Langley, 2022)
Connor Black	CAN	13:38.09 (Langley, 2022)
Afewerki Zeru	USA	13:44.58 (Walnut, 2022)
Nicholas Bannon	CAN	13:45.56 (Langley, 2022)
Joey Berriatua	USA	13:49.16 (Sn Juan, Capistrano, 2020)
Oisín Ó Gailín	IRL	13:49.61i (Boston, 2023)
Max Turek	CAN	13:50.37i (Boston, 2022)
Mitchell Dervin	USA	13:57.58i (Boston, 2024)
Ben Connor	GBR	14:08.11 (Boston, 2014)
Ben Garner	USA	14:09.16 (Azusa, 2024)
Brian Harvey	USA	14:13.93 (Princeton, 2012)
Colin Cernik	USA	14:14.52 (Boston, 2024)
Daniel Johanning	CRI	14:16.79 (Azusa, 2024)
Josh Kalapos	USA	14:21.04 (NYC, 2024)
Aaron Willingham	USA	14:22.39 (Boston, 2024)

 

WOMEN’S WHEELCHAIR FIELD	COUNTRY
Hannah Babalola	NGR
Christie Dawes	AUS
Patricia Eachus	SUI
Eden Rainbow-Cooper	GBR
Michelle Wheeler	USA
MEN’S WHEELCHAIR FIELD	COUNTRY
Hermin Garic	USA
Marcel Hug	SUI
Jetze Plat	NED
Daniel Romanchuk	USA
Geert Schipper	NED
Brian Siemann	USA
Johnboy Smith	GBR
David Weir	GBR
Sho Watanabe	JPN

 

WOMEN’S PARA ATHLETICS DIVISION	COUNTRY	CLASSIFICATION
Tatsiana Khvitsko-Trimborn	USA	T61
Kelly  Bruno	USA	T64
Sayers Grooms	USA	T72