昆士小學弦樂四重奏勇奪"BPS Got Talent"大獎

Boston Public Schools Announces Winner of ‘BPS Got Talent’ Digital Student Talent Show

F.I.R.E. String Quartet From the Josiah Quincy Elementary School Is Winning Entry

BOSTON — Friday, June 15, 2018 — The Boston Public Schools (BPS) is pleased to announce the winner of the district’s first-ever digital talent show, “BPS Got Talent.” The winning submission is a performance by the F.I.R.E. String Quartet from the Josiah Quincy Elementary School. “Congratulations to the members of the F.I.R.E. String Quartet for being selected as the winners of the district’s first-ever digital talent show,” said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. “This effort is a great way to showcase the unique and creative talents of our students, and offers them a platform to share their talent with our community, which was very engaged throughout the process. I thank all the students for their participation and for making this contest a great success.” The members of the F.I.R.E. String Quartet are third-graders Gisele Francisco and Bonnie Mai, both 9, first-grader Mika Liu, 7, and her brother, fourth-grader Noah Liu, 10. “I like playing music for my friends and family, it’s fun and they get to vote for us. I love it,” said quartet member Mika Liu. The four students are also members of the Boston String Academy, a nonprofit organization that promotes engagement in music making by providing string instrument instruction to city youth. The quartet’s winning performance is a rendition of the Chinese song “Ba luo bo,” meaning “pulling of the radish (or turnip).” The acronym in the group’s name represents the Josiah Quincy School’s values: “Focus. Integrity. Respect. Empathy.” “The students in this winning quartet should be celebrated not just for their wonderful music and vibrant spirit but also because they are great representatives of our community,” said Boston School Committee Chairperson Michael Loconto. “They uphold the principles valued both by their school and the district as a whole.” “We always encourage our students to shine as bright as can be,” added BPS Superintendent Tommy Chang. “Contests like BPS Got Talent give our young people the opportunity to showcase and build confidence in themselves and their abilities. Congratulations to the F.I.R.E. String Quartet for winning with such a wonderful performance.” The BPS Office of External Affairs launched BPS Got Talent after gaining inspiration from the many school talent shows in the district. Students were encouraged to submit entries via social media, using the hashtag #BPSGotTalent. The contest ran from April 23 through June 9, with voting ending on June 12. There were 76 contest entries, with over 15,300 total votes cast. "We started this contest as a way for students to showcase their talents on a district-wide level. As educators work to implement the ‘A’ in STEAM learning, it’s important to encourage students’ confidence in their artistic abilities,” said Makeeba McCreary, managing director and senior advisor of the BPS Office of External Affairs. “The entries went above and beyond what we expected, proving that our students are certainly not lacking in talent. And with over 15,000 total votes, it's safe to say the community agrees.” STEAM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math, and emphasizes using a student’s creative process to increase engagement in multiple school subjects. The submissions displayed a variety of students’ artistic talents, including drawing, painting, photography, singing, dancing, spoken word poetry, ice skating, gymnastics, musical instrumentation, karate, rapping, magic and more. The Office of External Affairs is looking forward to launching a second round of the competition soon, perhaps as early as this fall. In the meantime, the F.I.R.E. String Quartet will be featured in the July issue of the BPS Engage newsletter. To watch the winning performance and find out more about the quartet, please visit the Office of External Affairs blog.

玉山科協台灣生物論壇搭橋 台美專家分享扶持創業經驗

玉山科協台灣生物論壇主辦單位與嘉賓合影。駐波士頓經文處處長徐佑典(前左六起)，政務委員吳政忠，科技部次長蘇芳慶，經文處副處長陳銘俊等人。(周菊子攝)

科技部次長蘇芳慶表示台灣希望建生物科技孵化加速器。(周菊子攝)

         (Boston Orange 周菊子劍橋市報導) 新英格蘭玉山科技協會(MJNE)6月3日在哈佛大學醫學院Joseph B. Martin會議中心舉辦年會，同時和財團法人生物技術開發中心(DCB)合辦”台灣生物論壇”，談台灣生物產業現狀，介紹9家台灣精準醫療及數位健康領域公司，搭橋搓合國際交流。

 "麻州挑戰"董事長Michael  LaRhette在玉山年會中介紹該機構。(周菊子攝)

             這場會議的主題為「跨界醫療創新(Healthcare Innovation Beyond Borders)」，科技部次長蘇芳慶，生技中心執行長吳忠勳博士，台灣生物產業協會理事長李鍾熙博士等人分別為大會開場，主持，發表講談。政務委員吳政忠也中午時特地趕到，和相關機構、組織要員座談，打氣。華藥醫藥董事長詹青柳，執行長林國鐘等多人參加了座談。

             科技部次長蘇芳慶在開幕致詞中強調，台灣正積極與國際鍊接，已加強軟硬體設施，要在吸引資金，進行研發，市場行銷，商業化等方面都趕上國際腳步。台灣在醫療，科技，創新上的成就，已獲國際認可，2012年時，就在醫療健保上排名世界第二，僅次於瑞典。這次在波士頓舉辦”台灣生物論壇”，希望促成進一步合作。

生技中心執行長吳忠勳(左起)，波士頓經文處處長徐佑典，
科技部次長蘇芳慶和外國友人合影。(周菊子攝)

             蘇芳慶會後透露，台灣和”麻州挑戰”簽屬合作協議，目前只是”搭橋”，要求”麻州挑戰”派員進駐竹北科學園區，幫助台灣新創企業更快速和國際天使，國際市場連線，得到更有經驗的輔導。台灣也正在和禮來(Eli Lily)集團合作，將來希望爭取更多生物製藥大公司到台灣，在台灣建創業加速器。

政務委員吳政忠(右二)和經文處副處長陳銘俊(右起)衛福部局長何啟功，
駐紐約經貿投資處主任孫良輔等人在玉山科協年會中合影。(周菊子攝)

            "麻州挑戰"董事長Michael  LaRhette在會中介紹該機構，其特色是非牟利機構，不拿初創公司的產權(equity)，反而每年拿出200萬美元獎勵初創企業，成立約9年以來，如今在全世界各地已輔導了1500多家公司，為世界創造了8萬多工作機會。申請參加，來自台灣的公司還非常少，Mobio是最新的例子。他也指出，”麻州挑戰”近年開始針對產業提供加速服務，繼麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Bkaer)發起，名為”Pulse”的數位健康產業後，5月28日他們還推出了”金融科技(FinTech)”產業項目。

             Michael LaRhette特地以Mobio為例。他說Mobio的其中兩名創辦人是中學同學，後來分別就讀MIT，哈佛，希望在台灣創業，可是在台灣找不到支持初創公司的資金，結果參加”麻州挑戰”在瑞士的活動，獲得240萬歐元投資，如今在同時波士頓及台灣做全球化營運。

台灣生物產業協會理事長李鍾熙(左)和華藥醫藥執行長林國鐘(右)認識
多年。(周菊子攝)

            臺灣人體生物資料庫(Taiwan Biobank)執行長沈志陽博士在會中暢談的是”為未來世代醫療而設的台灣人體生物資料庫”，指出該機構的基因全面研究，為個人化精準醫療這未來趨勢，提供了更多資源與方法。

台灣生物產業協會理事長李鍾熙博士和麻州生物產業協會(MassBio)執行長大衛．魯奇諾(David Lucchino)在生技中心執行長吳忠勳博士主持中，暢談推動產業創新關鍵、以及如何打造創新生態系。李鍾熙指出，生物科技初創企業在台灣還是個很新的概念，如今又衍進到要增加人工智能元素，要在台灣找到同時具備兩種能力的人才，還不容易。大衛魯奇諾本人同時Frequenct製藥公司執行長，有台灣資金支持。他也表示，未來的人才，既得懂生物，還得會編程(coding)，

生技中心執行長吳忠勳(左)頒感謝狀給MassBio執行長大衛．
魯奇諾(David Lucchino)(周菊子攝)

                     在15家隨同台灣團來波士頓參加BIO國際大會的公司中，有行動基因、茂英基因科技、華碩健康、肯狄科研、睿科影像、新穎生醫、昱星生物科技、基因體先驅、安立璽榮等9家公司，也在”波士頓台灣論壇”中介紹各自的產品、技術。

下午的論壇，由玉山理事弘勵創投投資經理張劭聿主持，強生公司(Johnson & Johnson)紐約及波士頓JLabs負責人凱特．莫頓博士(Kate Merton)，分享該公司在全球各地與夥伴合作，推動創新，讓小公司也得到大公司在管理，營運，設備，儲存等方面的資源。5年來已有1002家企業接受JLabs輔導，其中10家已上市，9家被收購，88%仍然在營運中。

強生公司JLabs負責人凱特．莫頓博士(Kate Merton)。(周菊子攝)

                      台灣櫃檯買賣中心主秘柯福榮接著介紹台灣資本市場的優勢，讓與會聽眾了解櫃買中心投資平均回報表現，與生物技術相關行業之能量。

另外三場座談，分別探討創投的跨地域合作、企業的跨行業合作、以及學術界與產業界如何攜手促成更蓬勃生態。

玉山科協會長宋晶晶(右)感謝哈佛大學教授許益祥(左)協助籌辦會議。
(周菊子攝)

第一場由Militia Hill風險投資管理合夥人Joan Lau主持，Artiman風險投資合夥人Akhil Saklecha、MPM Capital首席知識產權顧問Greg Sieczkiewicz、Novatio Ventures執行合夥人Christopher Kim以及F-Prime Capital Partners的Kevin Chu，共同討論如何通過盡職調查流程，知識產權評估和同行評審操作來評估新創公司。

第二場討論由Sanofi Genzyme全球醫療事務部首席項目經理Patrick DeCourcy主持，M創投的Daniel Franke，SR One的Vikas Goyal，LEO科技樞紐副總裁Michael Sierra，三星東岸創投負責人Hyuk-Jean Suh，談論了提供企業合併與收購的解決方案，審查標準。

玉山科協副會長陳立洋(左)感謝蘇信豪教授幫忙。(周菊子攝)

第三場由AB 生物科學首席科學長李政欣博士主持，Akrivis科技公司執行長Joel Berniac，麻州大學M2D2營運長Mary Ann Picard，MIT校友天使生命科學主任Patrick Rivelli，MRS創投醫療組負責人譚英權(Yim Tam)，分別科技轉移，政府政策，學校做法等等。

這場”台灣生物論壇”由新英格蘭玉山協會會長宋晶晶開場，副會長陳立洋做總結，哈佛教授許益祥，石山學院教授蘇信豪，以及玉山理事王志傑，康麗雪，康雅雰等全力支持。(圖片已於6/4發表)

EGI資本合夥人許恒源(右)，黃筑筠和資本家劉容西，Celtec創辦人
李冬陽。(周菊子攝)

會場。(周菊子攝)

台美專業人士協會前會長舒其馨(右)也和小夥伴們來參加會議。
(周菊子攝)

哈佛大學教授許益祥(右)向政務委員吳政忠等人介紹波士頓生醫界概況。
(周菊子攝)

吳政忠(左起)，蘇芳慶，徐佑典，陳銘俊等人和出席者座談。(周菊子攝)

政務委員吳政忠(中)和歐陽瑞琳(左)等人。(周菊子攝)

弘勵創投經理張劭聿頒發感謝狀給強生公司JLabs負責人。(周菊子攝)

下午第一場座談。(周菊子攝)

張劭聿(左一)，玉山副會長陳立洋(右二)感謝講者。(周菊子攝)

下午第二場座談。(周菊子攝)

第一場座談後合影。(周菊子攝)

李政欣(右)主持第三場座談。左二為譚英權。(周菊子攝)

李政欣博士對產學合作有自己的看法。(周菊子攝)

Boston Public Schools, Liberty Mutual Foundation Host Youth Homelessness Prevention Forum

Boston Public Schools, Liberty Mutual Foundation Host Youth Homelessness Prevention Forum

Brings Together Community, School Service Providers

BOSTON — Thursday, June 14, 2018 — Today, Boston Public Schools (BPS) and Liberty Mutual Insurance held the second-annual Youth Homelessness Prevention Forum to discuss how the district supports more than 3,000 students experiencing homelessness.   “As we work toward creating an action plan to end youth homelessness in Boston, I am proud to see the collaboration of schools and community service providers coming together to support students with housing instability," said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh. “Together, we will continue our important work to ensure every student has a stable home that allows them to work toward achieving their dreams.” In April, Mayor Walsh joined members of the City’s Youth Action Board to launch Rising to the Challenge: Ending Youth and Young Adult Homelessness in Boston, which is the City’s community planning process on strategies to prevent and end homelessness among youth and unaccompanied young adults. The BPS Office of External Affairs began the Youth Homelessness Prevention Forum last year as a way to bring together companies and partners supporting this work with schools. Also last year, BPS established the Opportunity Youth Department, which helps individual schools build internal capacity to support students with issues that require individualized attention, such as homelessness, attendance, and tutoring. “Liberty Mutual is proud to sponsor the Youth Homelessness Prevention Forum once again this year,” said Melissa M. MacDonnell, Liberty Mutual Foundation President. “The strength and spirit of the youth experiencing homelessness informs and inspires this work. We are honored to join forces with the City of Boston, Boston Public Schools, and numerous community partners to create long-lasting opportunities for young people in our city.” Youth homelessness is a complex problem that increasingly requires intervention from schools, particularly if the students are older than 18. Community organizations such as Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Youth Harbors, Y2Y, and others, work closely with BPS to create wrap-around supports to assist students with issues such as food, clothing, and college and career mentoring.   Mayor Walsh and BPS Superintendent Tommy Chang pledged funding in the fiscal 2019 school district budget to support students experiencing homelessness for the second year in a row. The amount will total $1.8 million, which is a $500,000 increase from fiscal 2018.   “This increased support not only helps our students, but our entire city,” said Boston School Committee Chairperson Michael Loconto. “Boston Public Schools has made a commitment to invest in the future of our youth, demonstrating that they are valued and have the opportunity to excel.”   In addition to this funding source, for the past several years BPS has assisted students experiencing homelessness through the Homeless Education Resource Network (HERN), which is part of the BPS Opportunity Youth Department and has staff and volunteers dedicated to connecting students to necessary resources. For example, HERN is supporting students through expanded summer programming, which will increase choice, opportunity and inclusivity. “We are committed to supporting our students experiencing homelessness not only because it helps with their academic success, but because it’s the right thing to do,” said Superintendent Chang. “We invest in our students because we believe in them. We know they will do amazing things in college, career, and life when we create environments that allow them to succeed.” The Liberty Mutual Foundation has contributed nearly $4 million over the past several years to 24 Boston-based community partners. The foundation has also underwritten research and hosted multiple gatherings — all with the goal of working in partnership to reduce the number of youth who are experiencing homelessness.   Makeeba McCreary, managing director and senior advisor of the BPS Office of External Affairs, said it was important to include youth voice in today’s forum. "It's not just about convening our partners to talk amongst themselves about an issue our young people are facing,” McCreary said. “It's important that our young people are present and heard so they can drive our programs and interventions.”

波士頓市長6/20約你喝咖啡

From the Mayor's office:

Please kindly share the attached bilingual flyer to your friends, family, and neighbors about Mayor Walsh's Coffee Hour in Eliot Norton Park next Wednesday from 9:30 - 10:30 AM. 

We'll have free coffee, tea, breakfast treats, and fresh fruit. Lion Dance will be performed by students from Josiah Quincy Elementary School. Each family will receive a flowering plant grown in the City's greenhouses as a gift from Mayor Walsh. Also, there will be a raffle with prizes from Dunkin' Donuts. 

We'll provide information on City programs from:

• the Boston Public Library
• Boston Public Schools
• the Boston Police Department, and
• Boston Centers for Youth & Families

This event is family friendly and is open to the public. No registration required. 

Look forward to seeing you there!

Best,

Danchen Xu

第二屆台灣盃壘球賽6/16日舉行

                       (Boston Orange) 第二屆臺灣盃壘球賽(Formosa Cup)，將於6月16日(週六)上午8點半，在牛頓市的奧本代爾海灣公園遊樂場(The Cove Auburndale Park Playground)舉行。

                       駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處，紐英崙中華公所，竹蜻蜓壘球俱樂部將各派一隊參賽，預定從早上8點半起到中午12點，輪流上場對陣，12點左右舉行頒獎典禮，然後野餐。

            竹蜻蜓壘球俱樂部創辦人王志維表示，這場球賽由駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處主辦，竹蜻蜓壘球俱樂部協辦，旨在以球會友，奪得冠軍者可把獎杯帶回家保存一年。

                     由於比賽場地旁有小河，同時是野餐區，遊樂場，老少咸宜，王志維籲請僑社各界踴躍出席觀戰，交流，聯誼。

BPDA Passes Smart Utilities Policy

BPDA Passes Smart Utilities Policy

Policy will incorporate five Smart Utility Technologies with the goal of building a more resilient city
 

Boston – Thursday, June 14, 2018 - The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) Board of Directors voted to approve a Smart Utilities Policy that will ensure that new large developments are taking steps to create a more resilient city. The new policy, launched as a two-year pilot program, incorporates five Smart Utility Technologies into Article 80 Development Review, and BPDA Development Review Guidelines. The pilot calls for the adoption of technologies aimed at preparing Boston’s utility infrastructure for the impacts of climate change, including increased flood risks, heat waves and stronger storms, reducing costs for end users, and reducing traffic congestion and roadway construction  

“We know in order to build a more resilient Boston, we must prepare our infrastructure today for a changing climate," said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. "The Smart Utilities Policy will move Boston closer to becoming a 'smart city' by working with the private sector to implement new technologies that will benefit our entire city."

"The Smart Utilities Policy, the first of its kind in the United States, aims to bring more coordinated, resilient infrastructure planning to the City of Boston," said Brian Golden, Director of the BPDA.  "We are proud to have crafted a policy that is reasonable and flexible while moving forward with the integration of new technologies that will prepare Boston for the future impacts of climate change." 

Two years ago, the BPDA and City of Boston launched the Smart Utilities Vision project, an interdepartmental initiative aimed toward developing strategies for more equitable, sustainable, affordable, resilient, and innovative utility services in the City of Boston. The Smart Utilities for Article 80 Development Review, which builds off of recently adopted citywide strategic plans Imagine Boston 2030 , Resilient Boston and Climate Ready Boston, is a result of this initiative.

The Smart Utilities Policy calls for the incorporation of five Smart Utility Technologies (SUTs) into new Article 80 developments based on each project’s ability to meet a variety of criteria. Each SUT is the result of an engineering and/or policy recommendation to:

• Promote utilities that are easier to build, maintain and upgrade
• Reduce energy/water/telecommunication costs for residents and businesses
• Harden infrastructure against flooding and heat waves
• Attract businesses through world-class utility services
• Integrate cutting edge technologies for innovation

The five SUTs, or technologies, selected for the policy were chosen based on stakeholder engagement with technical experts, developers, and City staff, as well as for each technologies’ financial feasibility. Each technology is detailed below, along with information on the types of developments they will apply to moving forward:

1. District Energy Microgrid - A centralized energy system buildings that has the ability to produce electricity on clustered development sites while using excess heat for energy to heat and cool buildings. The system normally operates via a connection to the main electric utility grid, but it can also be disconnected during power outages and continue providing electric, heating, and cooling needs. This technology will apply to Article 80 projects over 1.5 million square feet.
2. Green Infrastructure - Infrastructure that allows rainwater to filter into the ground in order to prevent storm runoff and change the course of excessive stormwater to flow into the water and sewer system. This technology will apply to Article 80 projects over 100,000 square feet.
3. Adaptive Signal Technology - Smart traffic signals and sensors that communicate with each other to make various types of travel (pedestrian, vehicle, bicycle) safer and more efficient. This technology will apply to all projects that require signal installation or upgrades.
4. Smart Street Lights - Traditional light poles will be designed with additional electrical and fiber optics connections at the pole for future deployment of smart sensors, Wi-Fi, and/or cameras. This technology will apply to all projects requiring street light installation or upgrades.
5. Telecom Utilidor - An underground tube used to consolidate the wiring installed for cable, internet, and other telecom services, with ample space to add more wiring over time Access to the wiring is available through manholes, reducing the need for street openings to install telecom services. This technology will apply to Article 80 projects over 1.5 million square feet or projects that cover over a half mile of roadway.

"Building owners understand that they play a big role in making our cities more sustainable and resilient,” said Dr. Sarah Slaughter, CEO and President Built Environment Coalition. “The upfront coordination of infrastructure planning being proposed by the BPDA will help these owners to implement high performance and cost effective solutions.”

The policy for District Energy Microgrids is crafted with an eye toward being reasonable and flexible.   Developers will only be asked to move forward with including District Energy if there is demonstrated economic feasibility and return on investment.     

The Smart Utilities Policy demonstrates progress toward the City’s climate goals to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and to prepare Boston for the impacts of climate change. Under Mayor Walsh, Boston is working to advance and accelerate progress toward its goals in many ways, including an analysis of the options to achieve carbon neutrality and the City’s ongoing work to identify climate resiliency measures in the Boston’s most vulnerable neighborhoods.

About the Boston Planning & Development Agency

As the City of Boston’s urban planning and economic development agency, the BPDA works in partnership with the community to plan Boston's future while respecting its past. The agency’s passionate and knowledgeable staff guides physical, social, and economic change in Boston’s neighborhoods and its downtown to shape a more prosperous, resilient, and vibrant city for all. The BPDA also prepares residents for new opportunities through employment training, human services and job creation. Learn more at www.bostonplans.org, and follow us on Twitter @BostonPlans.

哈佛藝術博物館新館長李昭玲預定9月上任

(Boston Orange)哈佛藝術博物館(The Harvard Art Museums)宣佈，新聘李昭玲(Soyoung Lee)出任館長，預定9月24日上任。

根據哈佛藝術博物館發佈的新聞稿，李昭玲現年46歲，獲有哥倫比亞大學藝術史博士學位，2003年起擔任紐約大都會博物館的首名韓國藝術館長，承辦過幾次國際借展，包括””椅子:韓國的金色王國”，以及”鑽石山:在韓國藝術中懷舊，悠遊”。她目前還參與大都會博物館備受矚目的兩大跨部門展覽，將於今秋開展的”珠寶:身體轉化”，以及大都會博物館將於2020年慶祝150週年的展覽。(圖片來自哈佛藝術博物館網站)

Baker-Polito Administration Opens First DTA Office Specifically for Seniors

Baker-Polito Administration Opens First DTA Office Specifically for Seniors

Specially Trained Staff Help Older Adults Access Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program 

HOLYOKE – Today, the Baker-Polito Administration celebrated the official opening of the Department of Transitional Assistance’s (DTA) Senior Assistance Office in Holyoke, created to better serve older adults accessing benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Across the United States, SNAP serves nearly five million seniors, however only 42% of eligible elderly individuals participate in the program compared to 83% for all eligible individuals, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In Massachusetts, DTA assists over 153,000 individuals over age 60 through SNAP. 

“Many Massachusetts seniors are living very active lives well beyond their retirement age and providing them with pertinent information about available resources is important to us,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “DTA’s new office in Holyoke is geared specifically to seniors and provides an opportunity for specially trained Commonwealth staff to engage and help their clients live healthier and longer lives.”  

“Massachusetts has been a leader in the development and delivery of aging services and support for decades and as the population ages, our leadership is needed more than ever,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “SNAP provides a vital nutritional resource for older adults, many of whom live on fixed incomes and are faced with unique health, social and nutritional challenges which can serve as a barrier to applying for and maintaining benefits.” 

Located in the Holyoke Transitional Assistance Office, the new senior assistance office has specially trained staff available to provide a better experience for SNAP seniors. Staff are equipped to help seniors complete a simplified SNAP application — which is available in both English and Spanish — and to provide assistance to individuals who call the new SNAP senior assistance line — (833) 712-8027. This line is specifically tailored to ease the call-in experience for SNAP seniors, including direct access to a case manager without requiring the use of automated prompts.

“Food insecurity is one of the fastest growing public health threats facing seniors,”said Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders. “Massachusetts has taken great strides to improve how we deliver essential SNAP benefits to help seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income individuals and their families meet their basic needs, improve their quality of life and outcomes, and achieve economic stability.”

In 2017, DTA formed a Senior Working Group that included members from the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) and local advocates who met weekly to discuss how to best serve SNAP seniors and enhance access to benefits. The simplified application and dedicated phone line are a direct result of the group’s efforts. With these new tailored services in place, the DTA aims to best meet the needs of seniors who receive SNAP benefits.

“Our new Senior Assistance Office will help us ensure that seniors are better able to access their SNAP benefits, and that we are best serving them. Since the soft opening of the office, we’ve processed more than 2,400 applications from seniors across the state,” said DTA Commissioner Jeff McCue. “We are also working in partnership with the advocacy community to conduct targeted outreach to seniors to increase SNAP participation.”

In Massachusetts, one in every nine people receive SNAP benefits, including seniors, working families, children, and people with disabilities. Of all SNAP households in the state, 72% earn less than the federal poverty limit — or $24,300 for a household of four. Senior participation in SNAP is significantly lower than other demographics.

DTA administers SNAP on behalf of the USDA and serves as a critical first line of defense against hunger in the Commonwealth. Recently, DTA was awarded a $2.9 million high performance bonus from the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) for improving access to nutritional support and benefits for low-income individuals and their families to purchase healthy food. Every year, DTA issues approximately $1.2 billion in SNAP benefits across the Commonwealth, representing about $2.14 billion per year in economic activity as each dollar in SNAP benefits generates an equivalent of $1.79 billion in economic activity for the state.

For more information about DTA’s new Senior Assistance Office visit their website

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES NEW FUNDING FOR WORKPLACE SENSITIVITY TRAINING

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES NEW FUNDING FOR WORKPLACE SENSITIVITY TRAINING

BOSTON - Thursday, June 14, 2018 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced a new investment of $500,000 for workplace sensitivity training to be included in the Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) budget. This new funding will support expanded training on racial and gender bias, sexual harassment and employee awareness through initiatives such as workshops for employees and managers, hiring facilitators to lead discussions on these important issues, and updating policies and training manuals.   "It's incredibly important that we are providing managers with the tools necessary to lead a safe and welcoming workplace for all people, regardless of their gender, race or sexual orientation," said Mayor Walsh. "It is my priority to ensure that every manager at the City of Boston knows their responsibilities when it comes to harassment in the workplace and every employee knows their rights. We will not tolerate any behavior that goes against these values and this additional training will only help to ensure an inclusive workplace for all." Training will begin with the public safety departments at the City of Boston, which include Emergency Management Services, the Boston Fire Department and the Boston Police Department. "This commitment by Mayor Walsh will allow for the City of Boston to ensure it has the most up-to-date employment policies and providing the most effective training to its managers and employees," said Chief Financial Officer Emme Handy, whose responsibilities include oversight of the budget, as well as Human Resources and Labor Relations. "I look forward to working closely with public safety and all departments as we begin this important work."  "As we continue our focus on building a diverse workforce at the City of Boston, I am confident that anti-bias training with be an informative and helpful resource," said Danielson Tavares, Chief Diversity Officer. "I have worked in partnership with departments across the city, especially the diversity officers at Boston Police and Boston Fire, over the past few years to ensure we are attracting and supporting a diverse pool of candidates and I welcome Mayor Walsh's unwavering support in furthering our diversity goals."  In January, Mayor Walsh required cabinet and department heads at the City of Boston to attend sexual harassment training. Previously, a mandatory training for cabinet and department heads on sexual harassment, ethics and other employee policies was held in October 2015. In addition, all City of Boston employees sign an acknowledgment of harassment policies upon hire.  Consistent with Boston's annual budget process, the Mayor will resubmit the FY19 Operating Budget to the City Council on June 18, 2018.  For more information about the budget, visit Boston's budget website: budget.boston.gov

中華頤養院和邦克丘社區學院合作培訓員工英語

(Boston Orange)

中華頤養院與邦克丘社區學院合作，由該院基金會提供資助，培訓員工英語能力。

該院8名員工，Lalit Wu, Yanli Chen, Ruihua Kwan, Qingyin Lin, Shuyi Hu, Ling Lin, Yingzhong Xue, Xiuxie Ma等持證護士助理，一連15週，上課30小時後，圓滿結束課程。該院院長陳力(左一)特地出席結業儀式，和教師Celia Valada(右一)一起頒給證書。(圖由中華頤養院提供)

South Cove Manor at Quincy Point, a non-profit rehabilitation and care community, celebrates staff who successfully completed an English for Speakers of Other Languages course. The 15 week, 30 hour program was designed by faculty from Bunker Hill Community College, and generously funded by a grant from the South Cove Community Health Center Foundation.

Pictured are (l-r) Li Chen, Administrator, and ESOL graduates Lalit Wu, Yanli Chen, Ruihua Kwan, Qingyin Lin, Shuyi Hu, Ling Lin, Yingzhong Xue, Xiuxie Ma, all certified nursing assistants, and ESOL instructor Celia Valada.(From South Cove Manor)

市議會要嚴管AirB&B 波市長發聲明強調制衡

STATEMENT FROM MAYOR MARTIN J. WALSH

BOSTON - Wednesday, June 13, 2018 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today released the following statement on short-term rentals in Boston: "My goal in regulating short-term rentals has always been to responsibly incorporate the growth of the home-share industry into our work to create affordable housing for all by striking a fair balance between preserving housing while still allowing Bostonians to benefit from this new industry. I look forward to signing this legislation and I am committed to monitoring the impacts to ensure it serves its intended purpose in our neighborhoods."