8.3 Million More School Meals Being Served in Massachusetts

8.3 Million More School Meals Being Served in Massachusetts 

Wilmington Public Schools celebrated as Terrific Tray winner for their healthy, locally sourced meals

EVERETT – The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced today that participation in school meals continued to climb during the 2024-25 school year, the third year of state-supported universal free school meals. Preliminary data for the 2024-25 school year show an 11,000 increase in the number of students eating school lunch each day and a 20,000 increase in the number of students eating school breakfast compared to the prior year. Data for the most recent complete year available, the 2023-24 school year, show an increase of $8.3 million meals served compared to the 2022-23 school year.  With support from a combination of state and federal funding, 7 out of 10 students in Massachusetts eat a free and healthy breakfast or lunch at school.
 
As part of efforts to highlight the outstanding work happening in school cafeterias, Wilmington Public Schools has received the 2025 Massachusetts Terrific Tray of the Year award. This recognition from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and Massachusetts Farm to School celebrates the district’s rotisserie chicken meal, which featured locally sourced food from Massachusetts and other parts of New England.
 
“Congratulations to Wilmington Public Schools’ nutrition staff and to all the school nutrition workers and farmers who have collaborated to make sure Massachusetts students have healthy meals,” said Governor Maura Healey. “I’m proud of our state’s commitment to Universal Free School Meals, and we will continue to support schools with purchasing local foods.”
 
“Schools have made amazing meals with ingredients sourced from across New England,” said Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll. “These appealing and healthy meals help fuel students’ bodies and minds for learning.”
 
Total meals served and participation from the second year of universal free school meals in Massachusetts (2023-24): 

· 101.7 million total lunches served,

· 584,000 students ate lunch every school day,

· 48.6 million total breakfasts served, and

· 272,000 students ate breakfast every school day. 

The incorporation of local foods into school meals is one way that universal free school meals supports both the state’s students and its economy. One resource available to school districts’ nutrition programs has been local and regional distributors and food hubs, which can help districts identify local and affordable sourcing options for school meals. The Trump Administration's federal cuts to farm-to-school efforts and the Local Food for School program will make this more difficult in the future. The state budget Governor Healey signed last week includes $180 million to continue universal free school meals and $750,000 for Massachusetts FRESH grants, which help schools expand their capacity to grow or procure local food and educate students, teachers, school nutrition professionals and staff about the local food system. 
 
“Congratulations to Wilmington Public Schools on being recognized for the Terrific Tray of the Year and to all of this year’s honorees,” said Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. “The state’s Terrific Tray winners are great examples of what can happen when we prioritize child nutrition – promoting student food security and wellbeing and supporting our local farmers and businesses.”
 
“It’s a pleasure to see schools and local farms working together to feed both students and the regional economy,” said Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Pedro Martinez. “We know that our students learn best when they have access to healthy foods.”
 
Eight schools and districts were recognized as Terrific Tray monthly winners over the past school year, and Wilmington was announced as the overall winner during a ceremony at the Healthy Kids, Healthy Programs Annual Summit for school nutrition and wellness professionals. Thanks to the generosity and partnership of the Henry P. Kendall Foundation, each of the 2025-26 school year monthly Terrific Tray winners will receive $2,500 to invest in their school meal program.
 
"The recipe used in my Terrific Tray submission, rotisserie chicken, is a recipe I developed almost 30 years ago, using cut-up chicken available through the USDA Foods program. Who would have guessed, 29 years later, we would have the means to procure fresh Massachusetts-raised chicken to create the same recipe,” said Wilmington School Nutrition Director Mary Palen.
 
“Wilmington Public Schools is the only school I have worked with so far as a smaller farmer,” said farmer Steve Hall of Nallie Pastures. “But this has been a great opportunity for a small operation like mine to grow our business and provide high quality food to kids.”
 
Monthly Terrific Tray winners were chosen based on meal appeal and the use of locally grown ingredients. Winners were featured on social media with the #TerrificTray hashtag. Massachusetts Farm to School and DESE chose the monthly winners, but the annual winner was decided through public voting.
 
“Wilmington’s Terrific Tray is a great example of what is possible when schools have help connecting with local producers and a reliable funding stream to offer new, locally grown items in their cafeterias while investing in our local farms and fisheries,” said Simca Horwitz, co-director of Massachusetts Farm to School.
 
The monthly Terrific Tray recipients were as follows:

· Springfield Public Schools (September)

· Wilmington Public Schools (October – also awarded Terrific Tray of the Year)

· Seekonk Public Schools (November)

· Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District (December)

· Falmouth Public Schools (January)

· Everett Public Schools (February)

· Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School (in Northampton) (March)

· Brookline Public Schools (April)

In Massachusetts, nutrition support for students continues over the summer. While school is out, students can find free meals through Summer Eats, and many families will receive additional food assistance for their children through SUN Bucks.

昆士市長 Tom Koch 切蛋糕 昆士市400週年慶祝活動多

昆士市長Tom Koch為慶祝昆市400週年海洋節致詞。（黎雯提供）

             (Boston Orange 編譯) 昆士市的400週年慶，從今年3月啟動後，過去這週末，在7月4日至6日間，一連3日舉行的昆士市海洋節 （Quincy 400 Maritime Festival）是這將持續一年慶祝活動的亮點之一。

            昆士市長柯奇（Tom Koch）4日下午3點在鐘樓主持了這慶祝昆士市400週年的海洋節揭幕，還切了大蛋糕。

            這天還有勒星頓鎮民兵重演，氣球魔術，Orchid Reed樂隊等的表演。在3天的慶祝活動中，還有遊行，The Sultans樂隊表演，燈光船隻展示（Light Up Your Boat Display），和TEN31製作公司所創作的美國前總統Abigail和John Adams「活雕像」合影等等。

昆士市長Tom Koch切蛋糕，慶祝昆市400週年。（黎雯提供）

            昆士市從1625年起，有英國殖民者定居，當年這地方的名稱是華勒斯頓山（Mount Wollaston），這兒也是昆士市慶祝400週年的起點。

            1972年時，昆士市政是從碧樹市（Braintree）分離建鎮，也為紀念John Quincy上校，也是Abigail Adams的外祖父，從Mount Wollaston改名為Quincy。1888年時，昆士才從鎮升格為市。

            在早年定居昆士市的人中，最出名的是美國第2任總統John Adams和他與Abigail的長子，第6任總統John Quincy Adams，以及第一個簽署美國「獨立宣言」的約翰漢考克 （John Hancock）。

            昆士市也因為John Adams和John Quincy Adams這美國第一對父子檔總統，成為全美唯一誕生過兩名總統的城市。美國還有另外一對父子檔總統，第41任的喬治H. W.布殊 (George H. W. Bush)，和第43任的喬治W. 布殊(George W. Bush)。

            美國有好幾個州，誕生過兩名總統，包括北卡羅來納州的James K. Polk和Andrew Johnson：賓夕法尼亞州的James Buchanan和Joe Biden： 德克薩斯州Dwight D. Eisenhower和Lyndon B. Johnson，以及佛蒙特州的Chester A. Arthur）和Calvin Coolidge。

            7月6日這天慶祝活動的另一重點是以美國歷史為主題的音樂劇歌曲，包括《1776》中的「坐下，約翰」、《漢密爾頓》中的「你會回來」，以及《爵士時代》中的「回到從前」，每首歌曲之前都會介紹昆士市的歷史事實。

            昆士市400週年慶祝是3月6日在亞當斯學校（Adams Academy）舉辦的作家Wayne Miller的演講「波士頓港上空的鳥人：1910 年哈佛-波士頓航空會議」，以及簽書會拉開序幕。

            接著的大型慶祝活動，預定有7月12日（週六）在昆士市中心的Dropkick Murphys免費音樂會，8月2日（週六），3日（週日），在退伍軍人紀念舞台上的Darius Rucker，John Fogerty表演。另外8月16日有迪斯可舞會，9月20日有熱氣球秀。

波士頓華商會攜手新節奏樂隊、廣州聯誼會歌舞團 夏日獻歌舞

波士頓華商會財政余麗媖（前左四）感謝新節奏樂隊創辦人陳秀華（前左五）
率團隊表演。（周菊子攝）

          （Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導）2025年7月6日下午，豔陽高照，氣溫高達華氏90度，波士頓華埠商會 (CBA)請來新節奏樂隊和廣州聯誼會歌舞團，一連表演2小時，讓華埠牌樓公園的過往路人，台前觀眾，聽悅耳歌聲，看曼妙舞姿，心情油然大好。

         波士頓華埠商會今夏為蓬勃華埠商機，在州政府經費支持下，早從6月8日起，並將持續至8月24

華商會理事譚達兒打頭陣。（周菊子攝）

日的每週日安排表演活動，為華埠吸引更多人潮。

         7月6日的演出由麥澤衡主持，分上下兩場，新節奏樂隊安排了各12首歌，廣州聯誼會歌舞團安排了各5支舞蹈。

麥澤衡（左起），陳英國，楊巧儀在太極伴舞中演唱。（周菊子攝）

         上場演唱的麥澤衡，許文潔，楊巧儀，陳英國，李小紅等人都是新節奏樂隊歌唱比賽歷年來的冠軍與優勝者，譚達兒和陳文䮰則是社區內的資深唱家班，每個人的聲音都各有特色。

新節奏樂隊歌手，（周菊子攝）

新節奏樂隊歌手，（周菊子攝）

        這些冠軍及優秀歌手在陳秀華和曹勇於30多年前創辦的新節奏樂隊伴奏中，分別獨唱，合唱了許多首1980到2000年代，談愛情、友情，感懷人生，或勵志的流行粵語、國語歌曲，包括費玉清代表作之一的「一剪梅」，葉倩文經典名曲「瀟洒走一回」，陳百強的名曲「月半小夜曲」，Beyond 樂隊的熱門歌曲「喜歡你」，張國榮和許冠傑的著名合唱曲「沉默是金」，鄧麗君的「漫步人生路」，張國榮的「當年情」，關淑怡的」，「難得有情人」，許冠傑的「浪子心聲」，陳慧嫻的代表作「千千闕歌」，關正傑的「英雄出少年」，王菲的「愛與痛的邊緣」，溫兆倫的「投入生命」。

         「此生無憾」是手有多個同名版本的歌，一個是吳勇演唱版本，一個是張碧晨演唱的動畫電影《哪吒之魔童降世》主題曲。

              「舊歡如夢」則是首譚炳文原唱，李克勤翻唱版也十分受歡迎的歌。

陳秀華（左）和曹勇（右）是新節奏樂隊創辦人。（周菊子攝）

         他們這天還演唱了「從不想孤单一個」、「一樣的天空」、「I started a Joke」、「此生無憾」、「投入生命」、「擁抱妳離去、「San Francisco」、「晚風心裡吹」、「It's Now or Forever」、「南海姑娘」等歌曲。

    陳文䮰(Billy)是波士頓資深歌手。（周菊子攝）

         新節奏樂隊的靈魂人物是陳秀華。三十多年前她還是查理士城高中老師，但酷愛音樂，知道聞名世界小提琴家尹自重的音樂家兒子尹子方，尹子英為社區服務，免費執教，就去學了幾堂吉他課，之後自己苦練，還找來一群志同道合朋友，一起「玩音樂」。

        波士頓廣州聯誼會歌舞團團長周佩偵和太極老師一同示範太極。（周菊子攝）

         身為老師的她，那時看到學生們放學後在華埠遊蕩，擔心學生們惹事生非，索幸好召學生們一起「玩音樂。她還為了教學生，不得不自己學習更多音樂相關知識，當學生越來越多後，他們還組織了各音樂社，只是後來華埠屋租太貴，剛巧玩音樂的同好中有一名做糕餅師傅，又有餅舖正在出讓，於是因緣際會的，他和曹勇等人買下興國街（Hancock）412號，開糕餅店，同時把餅店地下室變成了樂隊練習場。

團扇旗袍舞江南情 。（周菊子攝）

         ˇ歷經30多年後，儘管隊員們來來去去，糕餅店老闆易主，店名也從新節奏變成Rubato，但是她和如今是店東的兒子雷朗然達成協議，地下室依然是他們樂隊的基地。

         這天的舞蹈表演由波士頓廣州聯誼會歌舞團擔綱。團長周佩貞（Mary)率隊，分2個段落的演出了「太極伴舞」，「團扇旗袍舞江南情」，「京腔戲曲梅賦」，「古典舞神話」，「帽子拉丁舞」，「形體舞對你還是愛不夠」等舞蹈。

京腔戲曲梅賦。（周菊子攝）

         根據波士頓華商會的安排，接下來的週日，預定7月13日、20日，8月10日，8月24日的早上9點半到中午，洪清體育會醒獅隊表演舞獅和太極訓練，7月20日下午1至4點，廣東音藝研究社表演，8月17日華埠中秋節聯歡會，9月3日舉辦波士頓華埠夜市。（更新版）

古典舞神話。（周菊子攝）

廣州聯誼會歌舞團在舞台邊做準備。（周菊子攝）

波士頓半馬拉松訂11月9日舉行。7月7日起受理報名

           (Boston Orange 編譯) 2025年波士頓半程馬拉松，由達納法伯（Dana-Farber）癌症研究所和吉米基金（Jimmy Fund）贊助，訂11月9日星期日早上8:00舉行。7月7日（週一）在Athletes' Village開放報名，限收9,000人，以先到先得方式登記，已於當天中午12點額滿。

達納法伯癌症研究機構從2003年以來，一直是波士頓體育會（BAA）半馬拉松的贊助機構和獨家慈善團隊，這些年來已籌款超過1000萬美元。

有意參加者，可以3種方式報名，一是自行組織一個籌款團隊，一是參加現有團隊，一是以個人身份參加。

已達納法伯慈善賽名額參賽，每隊繳費250元，並承諾籌款750元。以個人名義組隊或虛擬參賽，每隊繳費5元，另承諾籌款250元。若虛擬參賽，

有意參加達納法伯團隊的半馬拉松者，需繳交報名費100元，可獲得一件Adidas波士頓半馬T恤，使用比賽當天的設施，以及獨角獸完賽獎牌。

查詢詳情可上網https://danafarber.jimmyfund.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=reus_rundf_default_greeting_page。

波士頓榮光會紀念七七事變88週年 劉成、李先、張韻蘭講陸海空軍故事

波士頓榮光會比讚秀愛心。（周菊子攝）

         （Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導）波士頓榮光會7月5日中午在紐英崙中華公所舉辦紀念七七抗戰盧溝橋事變88週年大會暨新屆幹部就職典禮。第一次理監事及顧問聯席會議，議決第19屆會務重心為吸收新會員，找回失聯舊會員，7月12日將乘船出遊。

           駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處組長黃耀良在7月5

波士頓榮光會理事長鄭增壽連任，波士頓經文處組長黃耀良（右）遞交印信。
（周菊子攝）

日這天代表經文處處長廖朝宏，以及休假中的波士頓僑教中心主任高家富，把榮光會印信交給連任理事長的鄭增壽，簡單隆重的完成交接儀式。

          波士頓榮光會已於6月21日完成理監事改選，開票結果是當選第19屆理事的有鄭增壽、陳家驊、張韻蘭、張明燦、蘇麗萍、司徒榮新、楊思聖等7人，當選監事的有劉 成、梁匯川、池元真等3人。

波士頓榮光會理事長鄭增壽（中）、副理事長陳家驊（左二）
感謝張韻蘭（右起），劉成，李先為紀念大會講故事。（周菊子攝）

          各理事的職務分配為理事長鄭增壽，副理事長陳家驊，財務張明燦，活動楊思聖，會務組蘇麗萍，婦女組張韻蘭，出席中華公所司徒榮新。另敦聘退休未久的沈慶雲出任秘書長，

改選結果也選出候補理事3人，文長台、張偉林、池元山，以及候補監事，喬達翔、石家孝。

波士頓榮光會理事長鄭增壽主持大會。（周菊子攝）

             為紀念七七抗戰盧溝橋事變88週年，波士頓榮光會這天請2名年逾90老兵，曾任國防部聯絡局聯絡官的劉成；當年是海軍沱江艦雷達修護官的李先，講述參戰經歷。張韻蘭接著以她父親張松青的空軍飛行員故事，為榮光會締造首次同時講述陸海空三軍故事記錄。

李先憶述海軍故事。（周菊子攝）

            現年已95歲的李先，零零散散的講了些他的經歷，提到自己曾經好幾次差點死了，在左營長大時，鄰居有後來當上海軍總司令，參謀總長的宋長治。在江陰要塞炮台士兵被共產黨金條收買，叛變時，任何想要前往台灣的船隻，都會被卡住，時任高官的桂永清一度下令，讓官兵自行決定逃走，還是留下，這些當年經歷，如今都已是流落歷史之外的故事。

         劉成坦言自己當年加入了十萬青年十萬軍，在台灣鳳山接受過2年的嚴格訓練，本來是要被派往北平，再西行的，沒想到生病，被留在了醫院，所以基本上一直在大後方做後勤，親身經歷的故事少些。

劉成當年在陸軍做後勤。（周菊子攝）

           張韻蘭則是拿出一件Ｔ恤說道，她父親曾說，當年和他們一起的飛虎隊員們，夾克背後都縫有「來華助戰洋人，軍民一體救護，航空委員會」等字樣，和中華民國國旗的布塊，以便不會說中文的飛虎隊員們出任務發生狀況，老百姓一看就懂的能夠提供幫助。飛虎隊員出發前，口袋都會揣上一瓶雲南白藥，她父親有好幾次受傷，也都靠雲南白藥來緊急治療。

張韻蘭展示一件T恤，上面印的圖案，就是當年縫在
飛虎隊夾克背面的說明。（周菊子攝）

        她父親是在她唸小學時出任務，左半身嚴重灼傷，左臉毀容，耳朵都沒了，去醫院看望父親時，她自己忍住，妹妹卻被驚嚇得痛哭失聲，之後儘管父親經歷過很多次痛苦治療，面貌仍然非常嚇人，出門常面對不明事理的小孩子指手畫腳，生活得一直辛苦。

波士頓榮光會理監事們召開第一次理監事會議。（周菊子攝）

那時候她們家住在岡山醒村，全村都是空軍及眷屬，每天交通車載走一批人，回程經常就少了一，兩人，村裡就會傳出令人傷心欲絕的嗚噎哭聲。這些親身經歷讓她深覺做為軍人，真的很不容易，也所以一直認為，軍人絕對應該被敬重。

當選為理監事的波士頓榮光會會員們，這天在就職典禮和紀念大會結束後，立即日開新屆幹部第一次理監事會議，討論未來會務及方向，包括在7月12日舉辦乘船觀光半日遊之外，還可舉辦哪些戶外活動，為10月份的雙十國慶活動，預做規劃，另酌請會務組蘇麗萍全力聯繫失聯會員，重整會員資料，招募新會員，以延續該會支持軍人，鼓勵會員交流，互助的傳統。（修訂版）

波士頓榮光會理監事們召開第一次理監事會議。（周菊子攝）

Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll Release $16.6 Billion Capital Investment Plan for Fiscal Years 2026–2030

Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll Release $16.6 Billion Capital Investment Plan for Fiscal Years 2026–2030  

Five-Year Plan Funds Housing Production, Supports Municipal Infrastructure, Increases Economic Competitiveness    

BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration today released its Capital Investment Plan (CIP) for Fiscal Years 2026–2030, investing $16.6 billion in state resources over five years to increase housing affordability, fund economic development programs, and improve transportation and public infrastructure across the state.   

The CIP includes over $3.2 billion in spending during Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26), a $110 million increase over FY25, with new growth focused on production and lowering the cost of housing and implementing the Administration's landmark economic development legislation, the Mass Leads Act, to drive innovation, create jobs, and support rural and regional development initiatives.   

“Our capital plan focuses on smart, fiscally responsible investments to make Massachusetts more affordable, more competitive, and create more jobs,” said Governor Maura Healey. “These investments will help us build more housing to lower costs, fix our roads and bridges, and grow our lead in cutting edge industries like applied AI. Since taking office, our capital investment strategy has been to put every dollar toward making our state more affordable, equitable and competitive for everyone who lives and works here, and the targeted investments in this year’s plan build on our success and will have a real impact for our people.”   

“Over the last two fiscal years, our administration’s capital funding has enabled transformative projects and programs that equip municipalities to thrive in every region of Massachusetts,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “With support for over 70 community grant programs, totaling $750 million each year, and critical funds to improve municipal infrastructure, the FY26-FY30 CIP reinforces our ongoing commitment to partnering with cities and towns to ensure healthy and vibrant communities for residents.”     

Since taking office, the Healey-Driscoll Administration has increased capital funding for housing by 71 percent and created new programs including HousingWorks, the largest and most flexible capital source for public infrastructure projects that support and accelerate housing production, spur private development, and create jobs. The CIP further advances the Administration’s housing efforts with a $2.34 billion investment over five years, growing the overall portion of the CIP dedicated to housing from nine percent when the Healey-Driscoll administration took office to 14 percent today. The Administration’s FY26 CIP funding will drive down the cost of housing in Massachusetts by supporting the creation of over 6,000 new units.   

In this capital plan the Administration continues making long-overdue investments in Massachusetts's transportation infrastructure, ensuring that residents in every region of the state have access to safe and efficient transit. The CIP provides funding to repair and replace critical infrastructure, improve public transit safety and reliability, and equip municipalities to meet local transportation needs. Over FY26-FY30, the state will provide $1 billion in Chapter 90 funds to municipalities to improve local roads and bridges. The CIP furthers the Administration's commitment to replacing the Cape Cod bridges, with $104.6 million in FY26 ($527.6 million in FY26-FY30). Specifically, in FY26 and FY27, MassDOT plans to conduct the design, permitting, right-of-way, and utility relocation processes for the Sagamore Bridge and to advance the design process for the Bourne Bridge. The capital plan also includes $61.2 million in reliability and modernization-oriented spending for the state-owned rail system, $59.0 million for pavement improvements on the National Highway System, and $52.8 million for regional transit authorities (RTAs) and local transportation providers. To improve connectivity, the Administration is also investing $31.5 million over FY26-FY30 in West-East Rail, and approximately $1.14 billion in the MBTA, which includes funding to improve station accessibility and support procurement of new Red Line, Orange Line, and commuter rail vehicles.    

The capital plan fosters opportunity and helps to sustain Massachusetts’s high-growth economy with $1.5 billion in funding for the Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED) over five years. The FY26–FY30 CIP provides $251 million to support implementation of the Mass Leads Act and expand initiatives that reinforce Massachusetts’s leadership in innovation. Included in these funds is $57.5 million for the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC)—promoting job creation and workforce development through deployment of climate technologies—and $28 million for the Mass Impact program, which invests in large-scale infrastructure improvements and initiatives that revitalize underserved communities. The FY26-FY30 CIP also unlocks new development in communities across the state through $657 million to support development and infrastructure improvements in municipalities.  

The Administration is continuing to prepare Massachusetts for increasing extreme weather  challenges. The FY26–FY30 CIP leverages federal partnerships via the Clean Water Trust to invest $671.5 million in clean water and clean drinking water. It also includes $129.5 million to Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program to prepare and towns for floods, extreme heat, and coastal erosion with grants for community-led infrastructure projects.   

The CIP also provides resources to maintain, modernize, and decarbonize Massachusetts’s capital assets, which include over 1,700 buildings, over 4,000 bridges and tunnels, and 450,000 acres of public space. It includes more than a $1.0 billion to address deferred maintenance that will extend asset life, minimize future costs, and maximize building efficiency so that government can better meet the needs of Massachusetts’ residents.   

The plan also continues to advance key projects, including new Veterans Homes in Chelsea and Holyoke, major court projects in Springfield, Framingham, Quincy and Lynn, and the rehabilitation of MCI-Framingham, the nation’s oldest operating women’s correctional facility.  

“This capital plan is responsible and sustainable while still making major investments in the state’s people, our economy, and our future,” said Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew J. Gorzkowicz. “There is a great need for capital resources across Massachusetts, and our FY26-FY30 CIP carefully balances the state’s financial constraints with strategic spending on projects and programs that make a real difference for communities.”   

“The Healey-Driscoll Administration’s five-year Capital Investment Plan is a roadmap to a stronger and more resilient Commonwealth,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “With $16.6 billion in strategic investments, we are laying the foundation for generational change—advancing affordable housing, modernizing our infrastructure, creating meaningful jobs, and fueling inclusive economic growth. Every corner of Massachusetts—rural, urban, and everywhere in between—will feel the impact of this transformative plan. No one is left behind, and every dollar moves us toward a more equitable future.”  

To view the full FY26-FY30 CIP, click the link here.  

Notable investments in the FY26–FY30 CIP include:    

FY26 – FY30 Housing Production and Preservation   

• $622 million to support the suite of HousingWorks programs that offer flexible tools to support affordable housing development, preservation, and rehabilitation  

• $334 million to support the Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF) to accelerate development of affordable units for households whose incomes are not more than 110% AMI, with most projects supporting households at or below 60% AMI  

• $657 million to fund Public Housing investments that address critical repairs across the public housing portfolio through a combination of formula funding to local housing authorities (LHAs), targeted awards that address specific components, and ad hoc emergency repairs to mitigate health and safety issues $115 million to support the Public Housing Sustainability and Resiliency program, which funds projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions produced by the public housing portfolio, increase the portfolio’s resilience to the effects of climate change, and improve the indoor air quality within the buildings  

• $15 million in Public Housing Accessibility to create or retrofit 12 public housing units into accessible units per year. Prioritizing accessible housing is extremely important since two-thirds of the portfolio houses lower-income older adults  

• $50 million for the Momentum Fund, a pioneering initiative designed to leverage state resources to support large scale, mixed-income multifamily development in a time where rising construction costs and high interest rates challenge the financial viability of these critical projects   

• $90 million to support several capital programs formerly supported by federal relief funds, including the Middle Income Housing Fund which supports the development of rental and for-sale housing through new construction, rehabilitation, and adaptive reuse, the CommonWealth Builder Fund that aims to address the racial homeownership gap in Massachusetts, and the ONE+ Mortgage and MassDREAMS programs geared towards improving home ownership opportunities throughout the Commonwealth   

FY26- FY30 Advancing the Commonwealth’s Economic Development Agenda  

• $69 million for the new Massachusetts AI Hub to strengthen the state’s AI ecosystem  

• $57 million to support the Climatetech Program designed to promote job creation, economic development, and workforce development through deployment of climate technologies in the Massachusetts  

•  $34 million for the Massachusetts TechHub Program to support the advancement of emerging technology sectors in regions across the Commonwealth  

• $33 million for the Business Builds Program to support businesses in making sustainable investments  

• $32 million for EOED’s Robotics grant program which is designed to increase access to robotics tools for communities across Massachusetts  

• $75 million for Workforce Skills Capital grants to expand career technical education programs, upgrade school and instructional lab spaces, and increase capacity in workforce training programs  

• $57 million for the Early Education and Out of School Time grants to improve child care facilities and add seats and classrooms  

FY26-FY30 Investing in Sustainable Infrastructure, Protecting Land and Ensuring Clean Water    

• $672 million for the Clean Water Trust, via a combination of state funding and federal partnerships, to update and enhance water infrastructure  

• $182 million to the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to ensure parks, paths, and recreational locations are accessible to all residents  

• $225 million for land preservation, protection of nature and wildlife, and tree planting.  

• $158 million to replace, upgrade, and electrify Commonwealth vehicles.  

• $129.5 million in Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) funding to help municipalities strengthen, restore, and protect local infrastructure  

• $120 million for inter-agency Resilient Mass actions to adapt to future climate conditions and reduce the risks associate with flooding, heat, and sea level rise  

• $113 million for decarbonization efforts at State Universities and Community Colleges  

• $62 million in grants to municipalities for inland dam and seawall projects to improve safety and prevent waterway or precipitation-based flooding  

FY26–FY30 Improving Services and Efficiency   

• $711 million for IT initiatives that will improve healthcare systems, including $347 million for the Health Insurance Exchange (HIX) Integrated Eligibility System  

• $101 million to strengthen cybersecurity and IT infrastructure to help maintain a secure IT environment for daily operations across the Commonwealth   

• $82 million to continue supporting the Commonwealth’s Digital Roadmap initiative to scale and expand digital tools and services across agencies, with a focus on delivering accessible, user-friendly, and secure digital experiences for residents  

• $76 million to support Electronic Health Records (EHR) Modernization to consolidate EHRs for inpatient services delivered by the Department of Public Health and the Department of Mental Health  

• $30 million for IT investments in education, including $7 million to continue development of a new family portal and case management system for the state’s child care financial assistance programs  

FY26–FY30 Protecting and Preserving Our Assets   

• $1 billion for Chapter 90 municipal capital grants, along with an additional $25 million for the Rural Roadway Funding program  

• $488 million for the Sagamore Bridge Replacement Project over five years  

• $466 million to support the modernization of the state’s courts  

• $497 million for the renovation of the Department of Public Health’s Lemuel Shattuck Hospital  

• $275 million for DCR facility improvements and equipment, including repairs and maintenance for rinks, pools, parks, campgrounds and boat ramps  

• $91 million for new Veterans Homes in Chelsea and Holyoke   

• $61 million in reliability and modernization-oriented spending for the state-owned rail system  

• $53 million for regional transit authority (RTA) and local transportation provider vehicle and facility investments