MAYOR WALSH HIGHLIGHTS RESIDENTS' STORIES AS HE SHARES VISION FOR BOSTON

MAYOR WALSH HIGHLIGHTS RESIDENTS' STORIES AS HE SHARES VISION FOR BOSTON

BOSTON - Tuesday, January 7, 2020 - During his State of the City speech, Mayor Martin J. Walsh tonight welcomed four Bostonians to the stage to share their stories and begin his annual address to the people of Boston.  "The State of the City is not about me: it's about all of us - the people of our City," said Mayor Walsh. "I believe in Boston because this city made my immigrant family's dream come true. I'm so proud to serve as your mayor, and help lift up all voices in Boston. My vision, my passion, and what I work for every day, is for Boston to be that city of dreams for every child, every student, every worker, every senior and every single person who calls our city home." Below are the remarks given tonight by Yohan Almonte, Lamarana Bah, Smiler Haynes and Angel Castillo Pineda, four residents of Boston. This is the first State of the City speech where residents have taken the stage to share their stories of Boston, and introduce the Mayor of Boston.  "My name is Yohan Almonte, and I'm from Mattapan. As you can tell, I'm not Mayor Walsh. But we both know the power of second chances. After my mom passed away, I was homeless, and ended up behind bars. But the Mayor created a program called Operation Exit that changed my life. Now I'm a member of the Laborers Union, earning good pay and the respect of my community. Mayor Walsh believed in me and I believe in Boston." Operation Exit is a restorative justice program aimed at allowing Boston's population most vulnerable to gun violence and returning incarcerated citizens, greater opportunities to reenter and give back to their community. "My name is Lamarana Bah. I immigrated 15 years ago from Sierra Leone. My wife and I work hard, but we didn't think we could afford a home to raise our three sons and take care of my in-laws. Mayor Walsh's Neighborhood Homes Initiative helped us and hundreds of other families. We got help with our down payment and mortgage, and now we own our home in Dorchester. I want everyone to know about these opportunities. Our dream came true and that's why we believe in Boston." The Neighborhood Homes Initiative uses City-owned land to create affordable homeownership opportunities for Boston homebuyers. Under Mayor Walsh's leadership, Boston has set an overall housing goal of 69,000 new units by 2030, to meet Boston's expected population growth. These 69,000 new units include 15,820 new income-restricted units, which would elevate Boston's income-restricted inventory total to 70,000, or one in five of all housing units. In addition, the plan set a goal to preserve 85 percent of Boston's most at-risk privately-owned affordable units, and to purchase 1,000 units of rental housing stock from the speculative market and income-restrict them for perpetuity. To date the City has hit a milestone of over 32,000 new units of housing permitted. "Hello, I'm Smiler Haynes, and at 86, I'm aging strong. I love all the senior programs at the Grove Hall Community Center. I tell all my friends that the Mayor's Age Strong office is a great resource for all kinds of things: free shuttle rides, home repairs, volunteer opportunities, fitness classes-my favorite is tai chi! The City believes in our seniors, and we believe in Boston." In 2019, Boston rebranded its aging commission into Age Strong Commission, and in September launched its first-ever public awareness campaign, aimed at revealing implicit biases around aging and dispelling stereotypes about older adults to promote more positive messaging around aging. "My name is Angel Castillo Pineda. Four years ago, I immigrated to Boston from Guatemala. I enrolled at East Boston High School, where I felt accepted and inspired to follow my dreams. I joined the Mayor's High School to Teacher program. I'm planning to go to college, then come back and teach ESL to students like me in the Boston Public Schools. I believe in Boston because Boston embraced me." Boston Public Schools' workforce to pipeline development program is the Boston Public Schools (BPS) High School to Teacher Program. This program develops strategic partnerships to identify, cultivate, and support high school students. These high school students reflect the cultural, linguistic, and racial diversity of BPS, and with the support of the program successfully navigate high school, graduate from college and return to BPS as passionate, qualified teachers. For more information on State of the City, visit boston.gov. ###

Baker-Polito Administration Celebrates Enactment Of $1M In Security Funding For Religious, Community Institutions

Baker-Polito Administration Celebrates Enactment Of $1M In Security Funding For Religious, Community Institutions

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BOSTON — Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito today joined legislators, religious leaders and advocates for a ceremonial signing of key sections of the recently-enacted supplemental budget that will triple the funding available this year to help Massachusetts houses of worship and other nonprofit groups enhance their security against hate crimes and terrorist attacks.

“Massachusetts is a welcoming community that embraces people of all faiths, and it’s important that people across the Commonwealth have the opportunity to come together with neighbors and worship without fear,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “These funds will assist houses of worship and other community-based institutions across the state in preserving their safety from those who would do them harm.”

“Recent tragedies across the country reveal a growing need to protect the well-being of worshippers here in Massachusetts,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “The Commonwealth Nonprofit Security Grant Program helps provide religious institutions and other nonprofits with the resources that will let them fulfill their missions safely and securely.”

This funding from the recently-enacted FY19 close-out supplemental budget adds $1 million to the Commonwealth Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which provides funding for security enhancements to nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of terrorist attack or hate crimes but are ineligible for similar federal grants. Governor Baker initially proposed the $1 million in funding in his supplemental budget proposal filed in September 2019. The program was previously budgeted at $500,000.

“No American, no matter whom they pray to or where they gather, should be concerned for their safety in a house of worship,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “While it saddens me that these additional security measures are necessary, I am heartened to know we are making these investments today to better prepare our non-profit intuitions and protect our residents. I hope to see the Commonwealth join together to fight back against the hate crimes, anti-religious acts and violent rhetoric that is spreading across the country. In the meantime, I’d like to thank my partners in the Administration and the House for helping to make this funding a reality.”

“There has been an alarming uptick in racial and religious violence across the country – much of it shamefully directed at Jews in the form of anti-Semitic attacks,” said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop). “I was proud to work with my colleagues in the House, Senate President Spilka and Governor Baker to provide sadly-needed security funds. Massachusetts stands united against hatred.”

“As acts of aggression and hate have touched so many of our communities in recent months, these grants have become absolutely vital,” said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport). “I am proud of the Legislature’s commitment to providing this vital funding and thank the Administration for doing what it can to ensure our places of worship and community centers that are at-risk to violent threats are safe and secure.”

Governor Baker and Lt. Governor Polito were joined by a broad coalition of advocates and religious leaders at today’s event, including Jewish Community Relations Council Executive Director Jeremy Burton, Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston President and CEO Marc Baker, Reverend David Wright of the Black Ministerial Alliance, Jewish Federation of Central Mass Executive Director Steven Schimmel, Rabbi Elaine Zecher of Temple Israel Boston, Rabbi Dan Slipakoff of Temple Israel Boston, JCC Greater Boston Executive Director Mark Sokoll, Rabbi Laura Abrasley of Temple Shalom, Newton, and Rav Claudia Kreimen of Temple Beth Zion, Brookline.

“We congratulate Governor Baker, Senate President Spilka, Speaker DeLeo, and all of our legislative partners for recognizing and responding to the dire need for these vital security enhancements for the Jewish community and other targeted communities,” said Jeremy Burton, Executive Director, Jewish Community Relations Council. “The sobering reality is that violent antisemitism has come roaring back. We are gratified that our highest elected officials, the leaders of faith communities, and philanthropists who are leading the way in building the welfare of our civil society, are working to push antisemitism and other forms of hate back into the closets from which it has reemerged.”

The Commonwealth Nonprofit Safety Grant Program is overseen by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Office of Grants and Research and helps recipients acquire and install technology, equipment, and other resources to safeguard them from acts of violence. Funding is prioritized for applicants demonstrating the greatest need and cost-effective solutions to address their building safety and security.

“The modern public safety landscape means that we have to consider threats that once would have been unthinkable,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Security Thomas Turco. “The danger posed by extremists, terrorists and hate groups is one we have to be vigilant against even in the places we pray and come together with our neighbors.”

To apply for a 2020 Commonwealth Nonprofit Safety Grant, visit https://www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-a-commonwealth-nonprofit-security-grant. 

SAB Biotherapeutics Announces Research Collaboration with CSL Behring

SAB Biotherapeutics Announces Research Collaboration with CSL Behring

Sioux Falls, S.D., January 7, 2020 – SAB Biotherapeutics (SAB), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical development company advancing a new class of immunotherapies, today announced that it has entered into multiple collaboration and option agreements with global biotherapeutics leader CSL Behring. The collaborations will explore the possibility and the potential of new therapies to treat challenging autoimmune, infectious and idiopathic diseases by leveraging SAB’s DiversitAb™ platform.

SAB has developed a unique platform, through advanced genetic engineering, to naturally and rapidly produce large amounts of human antibodies without using human donors.

The agreement includes a research program which will investigate a potential new source for human immunoglobulin G (IgG). Human IgG is currently used for a number of immunological and neurological diseases including Primary Immunodeficiency, Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP), Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), and Multifocal Motor Neuropathy (MMN).

CSL Behring is a leader in the global immunoglobulins market, which has grown substantially over the last five years. Key factors fueling market growth include an aging population, increased emphasis on the diagnosis and treatment of immune diseases, and its increased use in new indications.

“SAB Biotherapeutics has developed a very interesting and novel platform for the production of human immunoglobulins,” said Dr. Andrew Nash, Senior Vice President, Research for CSL Behring. “CSL Behring is committed to the continuous development of innovative therapies that address unmet needs for patients with rare and serious diseases. This collaboration will provide both companies an opportunity to explore the potential of these new approaches to positively impact areas of need.” 

CSL Behring’s R&D footprint includes more than 1,700 scientists across the globe with an R&D investment exceeding $800 million in 2018 - 2019.

“We are excited that CSL Behring has chosen to work with SAB Biotherapeutics to explore new immunotherapies leveraging our technology platform,” said Dr. Eddie J. Sullivan, president, CEO and co-founder of SAB Biotherapeutics. “We believe combining our unique human antibody development and production capabilities with CSL Behring’s established immunoglobulin franchise and vast expertise in biopharmaceutical development will broaden therapeutic possibilities.”

CSL Behring and SAB will share research program and related costs and plan to complete the initial phase in 2020. The collaboration may lead to subsequent development and commercialization agreements.