MAYOR MICHELLE WU, OFFICE OF CIVIC ORGANIZING ANNOUNCE 2023 LOVE YOUR BLOCK SPRING CLEANUPS

MAYOR MICHELLE WU, OFFICE OF CIVIC ORGANIZING ANNOUNCE 2023 LOVE YOUR BLOCK SPRING CLEANUPS

BOSTON - Friday, March 24, 2023 - Mayor Michelle Wu and the Office of Civic Organizing (OCO) today announced the Love Your Block spring 2023 cleanups will take place on April 22nd and 29th. Love Your Block is a Citywide community service event that invites community organizations, local businesses, and neighborhood groups to host a spring cleanup in their neighborhood. Groups interested in hosting a cleanup can now sign up here. Additionally the City is seeking volunteers to participate in scheduled cleanups. “Love Your Block has become a beloved tradition in our neighborhoods to come together and beautify corners across Boston,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Our Office of Civic Organizing is ready to help connect volunteers and provide cleanup tools, so I encourage any interested community groups to identify a spot that could benefit from some care and sign up!” Cleanups will take place in every neighborhood of Boston over the course of two weekends. The dates are as follows: Saturday, April 22: Allston-Brighton, Charlestown, Chinatown, Dorchester, Downtown, Fenway-Kenmore, Fields Corner, Leather District, Mattapan, Mid-Dorchester, Mission Hill, Roslindale, Roxbury, West Roxbury.  Saturday, April 29: Back Bay, Bay Village, Beacon Hill, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, North End, South End, South Boston, St. Botolph (Back Bay), West End, Wharf District.  Some neighborhoods have already had local organizations volunteer to host a cleanup. These partners are listed on boston.gov/love-your-block. Multiple cleanups in each neighborhood are encouraged, so local organizations can still sign up to host in any neighborhood. This year the Love Your Block cleanups fall on Earth Day (4/22) and Arbor Day (4/29). The Love Your Block program was first created in 2015 with a three-year grant awarded to the City of Boston by Cities of Service. After the grant's expiration in 2018, Love Your Block became a permanent City program under the Mayor’s Community Engagement Cabinet.  “Love Your Block is an exciting opportunity for residents to come together, take ownership of our neighborhoods, and exercise our civic power,” said Director of Civic Organizing Henry Santana. “We look forward to working with neighbors and community partners to keep Boston clean and green.”  “Love Your Block is an event that the Cabinet of Community Engagement’s Office of Civic Organizing leads each year. It’s our civil responsibility to keep our communities beautiful, so residents and their families can continue to take pride in their neighborhoods,” said Chief of Community Engagement Brianna Millor.  In past Love Your Block cleanups, neighborhood groups have picked up litter from streets and sidewalks, beautified local parks, cleaned up vacant lots, urban wilds, and more. For tips on how to plan and host a cleanup in your neighborhood, OCO has created a helpful guide. "Chinatown Main Street has participated with ‘Love Your Block’ for many years,” said Debbie Ho, the Executive Director of Chinatown Main Street, one of the organizations that has already committed to hosting a Love Your Block cleanup. “We all want to be sure we have a clean Chinatown and it's important that we involve volunteers within and outside of the Chinatown community to create a unified Boston!”  Those interested in hosting a neighborhood cleanup can sign up here to request support, volunteer t-shirts, and tools such as trash bags, gloves, brooms, rakes, and trash pickers. Requests will be accepted until Wednesday, April 5 at 5:00 p.m.  Those interested in signing up as a volunteer can also do so here. OCO will connect you with a cleanup site in your neighborhood once all sites are finalized.  ABOUT THE OFFICE OF CIVIC ORGANIZING The Office of Civic Organizing is committed to collaborative partnerships and programs that promote engagement, awareness, and service in communities throughout the City of Boston.

波士頓市選出20名黑人中學生參加第一屆6週領袖培訓

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES INAUGURAL COHORT OF YOUNG BLACK LEADERS BOSTON

 

BOSTON - Wednesday, March 22, 2023 - Mayor Michelle Wu today announced the first cohort of Young Black Leaders Boston, a new civic engagement program launched by the Mayor’s Office of Black Male Advancement (BMA). This program is designed to help young Black men and boys between the ages of 13 and 17 in Boston high schools become civically engaged leaders in their communities. Young Black Leaders will include a 6-week spring course for the 20 selected students.   "Young Black Leaders Boston will build on our work to empower young Black students in our city, expand civic leadership, and ensure Boston is truly a city for everyone," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "We are excited to launch our first high school cohort of this program as another step to wrap around our young people outside of the school day and connect them with opportunities. I'm grateful to all of our partners in supporting this program and looking forward to this cohort's incredible impact."  "We are excited to launch Young Black Leaders Boston," said Frank Farrow, Executive Director of Black Male Advancement. "It is important that we empower our young Black male students and help them to thrive and share in our City’s prosperity. This new program will support our young people, ensuring that they are equipped to access resources, build with their school community and lead in their neighborhoods.”  The spring 2023 course of Young Black Leaders Boston started on March 21 and will end on April 27. The participants in the cohort will gain skills, knowledge, and practical experience through weekly hour-long sessions designed to organize their communities for social change. They will also meet with City of Boston leaders, members of the Black Men and Boys Commission and Black Men Lead alumni to learn how to effectively navigate local government, access City services, and ways to make an impact in the City.  Young Black Leaders 2023 Spring Cohort   ·     Jamir Allen, Henderson Inclusion Upper School ·     Alex Bailey, Henderson Inclusion Upper School ·     Rahkim Brown, Henderson Inclusion Upper School ·     Charles Cloy, Boston Arts Academy  ·     Jeremiah Dellosantos, Henderson Inclusion Upper School ·     Derek Dolly, Henderson Inclusion Upper School ·     Jaiden Douglin, Buckingham Browne and Nichols  ·     JaVaughan Francis, TechBoston Academy ·     Ikon Germaine, Henderson Inclusion Upper School ·     Korey Gray, Henderson Inclusion Upper School ·     Ian Heurtelou, Arlington High School ·     Michael Jarret, Josiah Quincy Upper School ·     Daniel Joseph, Henderson Inclusion Upper School ·     Ayven Lewis, Henderson Inclusion Upper School ·     Marcus Lloyd, Henderson Inclusion Upper School  ·     Timothy Robinson, Jeremiah E. Burke High School ·     Jaiden Singletary, Boston Arts Academy ·     Erese Tejerakermeus, Boston Arts Academy ·     David Uzoma,  Henderson Inclusion Upper School ·     Anthony Williams, Henderson Inclusion Upper School  The participants in this cohort live in various neighborhoods in the City of Boston including but not limited to: Dorchester, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Roslindale, Roxbury, and the South End. Through the My Brother’s Keeper Boston partnership with Boston Public Schools (BPS), BMA focused on engaging and supporting young Black male students in a variety of schools across the district.  "I chose Young Black Leaders Boston because I wanted to be in a program that would enhance young Black males all over Boston,” said Jaiden Singletary, Young Black Leaders Boston cohort participant. “I look forward to learning how to improve my leadership skills not only as a Black youth, but also for my school community and neighborhood. I'm thankful to the Office of Black Male Advancement for creating this program and honored to participate in something like this."  The goal of this program is for each cohort participant to be in a better position to organize their communities for social change. Upon completion of this program, participants will share what they learned with others in their school communities and become more civically active in their neighborhoods on issues that matter to them. The program’s sessions will be developed and facilitated by The Davis System LLC, which provides grassroots organizing strategy to individuals, organizations, and communities in Boston.   “Society has had long standing stereotypes against young black men and how we show up in our society, but this cohort of young black men from across the city of Boston are examples of how those stereotypes are not exemplary of the young black male experience,” said Anthony Davis, Jr., Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Davis System, LLC. “These young men taking the initiative to learn skills to organize their communities for social change is the first step in ensuring that we are building a culture of civic engagement with our black men from across the city of Boston.  The Mayor’s Office of Black Male Advancement works to empower Black men & boys and to ensure they have equitable access to opportunities in the City. BMA also focuses on policies, programs, resources, and local and national partnerships. Additionally, the office directs and supports the efforts of the Black Men and Boys Commission and My Brother’s Keeper Boston.

國家電網用戶電費5月1日起可降低約40%

        (Boston Orange編譯) 麻州公用設施局 (DPU) 今天 (21日) 宣佈，批准麻州電力公司和南塔基特 (Nantucket)電力公司降低基本電費費率。5月1日起，這2家公司的典型客戶，每月電費帳單約可降低40%。

           這兩家公司以國家電網名義營業，為大約 139 萬客戶提供服務。

          麻州公共設施局代理主席Cecile Fraser 表示，該局知道降低費率將為家庭和企業提供其所急需的救濟，他們將繼續和水電公司及利益相關者合作，來幫助該局以穩定及可負擔的成本把供應的能源轉變為清潔能源。”

         麻州依法在競爭激烈的市場中採購電力。麻州電力分銷公司必須和代表那些選擇不自己挑選供應商客戶的電力供應者簽訂合約。基本服務是經營具競爭力競標過程採購的。國家電網在不牟利狀況下把成本轉嫁給客戶。國家電網每年5月1日及11月1日變動基本服務費率。

Department of Public Utilities Approves Reductions to
National Grid’s Basic Service Rates

Approval will Result in Lower Electric Utility Bills for National Grid Customers Starting May 1st

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) today announced it approved reductions in electric basic service rates for Massachusetts Electric Company and Nantucket Electric Company, each d/b/a National Grid electric customers. On average, the decreases will result in a monthly bill decrease of about 40 percent for a typical residential customer. National Grid serves approximately 1.39 million electric distribution customers.

Beginning with usage after May 1, 2023, customers on the company’s basic service rate can expect lower electric bills.

 “The Department knows that these rate reductions will provide much-needed relief to families and businesses,” said Department of Public Utilities Acting Chair Cecile Fraser. “We continue to work with utilities and stakeholders to help transition our energy supply to clean energy sources at a stable and affordable cost.” 

 Under Massachusetts law, electricity is procured in a competitive market. The Massachusetts electric distribution companies are required to contract for an electric supplier on behalf of customers who choose not to select their own supplier. Basic service is procured through a competitive bidding process, and National Grid passes that cost on to their customers without profit to the company. National Grid’s basic service rates change each year on May 1 and November 1.

MAYOR WU, BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS ANNOUNCE STEPS TO INCREASE AVAILABILITY AND VARIETY OF PRESCHOOL SEATS FOR BOSTON FAMILIES

MAYOR WU, BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS ANNOUNCE STEPS TO INCREASE AVAILABILITY AND VARIETY OF PRESCHOOL SEATS FOR BOSTON FAMILIES  Boston UPK seeks additional community-based and family child care providers.

 BOSTON - Tuesday, March 21, 2023 - Mayor Michelle Wu today announced two opportunities to expand access to pre-kindergarten (UPK) for Boston’s 3- and 4- year-olds through the release of two applications, or invitations for bids (IFBs). Together, these funding opportunities will create more seats for Boston’s youngest learners and represent an expanded investment in universal, affordable, high-quality early education and care for all infants, toddlers, and children under five.  

“We’re determined to make Boston the first choice for families, and that includes closing gaps in access and availability of early education options," said Mayor Michele Wu. "I know all too well the stress of juggling work and family with very young kids—expanding universal Pre-K will not only give our littlest learners the foundation they deserve in life, but also empower working parents and caregivers in our workforce." 

“Providing our families with quality pre-kindergarten options for our 3- and 4-year-old children is critical to ensuring that learning gaps do not form and that students' academic, social-emotional, and physical needs are met holistically,” said Superintendent Mary Skipper. “We are so fortunate to have a Mayor who prioritizes the needs of our youngest students and their families and provides the necessary resources to meet such a critical need. Quality UPK is what we need as a foundation for our students of Boston.” 

“I have always been an advocate for our young people,” said Boston School Committee Chairperson Jeri Robinson. “Programs like Universal Pre-K are vital to the health and well-being of our communities and I applaud this incredibly positive and consequential program from Mayor Wu.” 

In Boston, the Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) model is a mixed delivery portfolio of programs funded by the City of Boston, offering high-quality choices for children ages three and four living in the city at no cost to families. UPK is a 6.5-hour school day for 180 days per year. The portfolio is made up of three settings: Boston Public Schools; community-based providers; and family child care providers. 

Applications to Open For New Providers to Become UPK Partners

Boston UPK is seeking applications from child care providers in the City of Boston to become UPK partners. UPK partners receive funding from the City of Boston to expand the number of high quality, free preschool opportunities accessible to families. The funding opportunity for community-based providers – nonprofit and for-profit organizations, early education providers, private schools, religious schools – is now open on the City of Boston supplier portal for providers to apply.  

“To have a great childcare center, we must have highly trained, skilled, creative, professional, and passionate teachers. We are facing difficult workforce challenges,” said Kathy Cheng, Director of the Acorn Center for Early Education and Care at Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center. “With this funding and the consistent support from the UPK team and our coach, we are able to retain teachers with competitive wages, build a strong professional development track, and provide rich learning classroom materials.” 

UPK Expansion to Integrate Family Child Care Providers

Boston UPK will further expand its options for families by including family child care (FCC) providers in the 2023-24 school year. Family child care providers offer families more flexible hours, multilingual or mixed-age settings, and sometimes more affordable services. This expansion will allow families to access UPK when and where it is most convenient for them. The expansion follows year-long engagement among BPS, the Office of Early Childhood, 20 FCC providers, members of the UPK Advisory Board, and other experts to create the new FCC model.  

“Integrating family child care into the portfolio of Universal Pre-K provides an additional high quality setting for families in Boston,” said TeeAra Dias, Director of Boston Universal Pre-K. “Most importantly, it ensures continuity of care and family choice.” 

This FCC application will be available on the city supplier portal on March 27. 

Instructions, a full timeline, and tips for applying for either of the bids through the City of Boston, including details on upcoming virtual information sessions, can be found here. 

“I‘m excited about the integration of UPK into FCC programs. This is the boost that FCC providers need to highlight that we are not babysitters but educators,” said Claudette White, a family child care educator. “We are business owners and educators that manage high-quality early education programs.” 

In partnership with community-based and family child care providers, Boston UPK will offer up to 1,475 seats, an increase of 350 seats. This is in addition to 3,621 K0 and K1 seats in Boston Public Schools classrooms. 

Boston families interested in learning more about applying for Pre-K can visit www.bostonpublicschools.org/upk.

麻州州長宣佈指派Quentin Palfrey 出任聯邦資金及架構主任

 Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll Name Quentin Palfrey as Director of Federal Funds and Infrastructure 

 

BOSTON – Massachusetts Governor Maura T. Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kimberley Driscoll today announced that they have named Quentin Palfrey as Director of Federal Funds and Infrastructure. Palfrey is charged with working across all secretariats to drive the administration’s competitive efforts around federal funding for key infrastructure, climate and economic development projects. As part of this, Palfrey will form an interagency task force dedicated to pursuing these funding opportunities. 

 

“Massachusetts has a unique opportunity to aggressively compete for billions of federal dollars to support crucial infrastructure, climate and economic development projects in our state – from the Inflation Reduction Act to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to the CHIPS and Science Act and beyond,” said Governor Healey. “Quentin Palfrey’s extensive federal and state government experience, combined with his passion for serving the people of Massachusetts, make him the perfect fit to take on this challenge and deliver results.” 

 

"There are currently billions of dollars in federal funding available to improve our roads, bridges and public transportation, move forward on our climate and clean energy goals, and support our efforts to break into the semiconductor manufacturing industry,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “We can’t let these opportunities pass us by – and we’re confident that Quentin Palfrey is the right person to drive our competitiveness and bring these dollars home to Massachusetts.” 

 

“I’m honored that Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll have placed their trust in me to take on this important position, which will have a direct role in driving Massachusetts’ economic competitiveness on the federal stage,” said Palfrey. “We have the finest talent, businesses, research and educational institutions in the world, but we need to secure federal funding to fully realize this potential and spur innovation and economic development across the state.” 

 

Palfrey served as a senior political appointee in the Administrations of President Obama and President Biden. Under President Obama, he was Senior Advisor for Jobs & Competitiveness in the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy, as well as Deputy General Counsel for Strategic Initiatives in the US Department of Commerce. On Day One of the Biden Administration, Palfrey served as Acting General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Commerce, managing a team of several hundred lawyers in a department with over 50,000 employees. 

 

Palfrey also has extensive experience in Massachusetts state government. He was the first Chief of the Health Care Division in the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office during the time when Massachusetts was implementing its landmark health reform law. Palfrey is an experienced lawyer who graduated from Harvard College in 1996 and from Harvard Law School in 2002. He lives in Weston with his wife Anna-Marie Tabor and their three children. 

 

The position of Director of Federal Funds and Infrastructure will be housed in the Executive Office for Administration and Finance to work in coordination with Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew J. Gorzkowicz and the existing Federal Funds Office team. Palfrey will report directly to Governor Healey and lead an interagency Federal Funds Task Force made up of members of the Cabinet and other relevant agency heads to guide decision making on federal grant opportunities. His first day is Monday, March 20th. 

2023MIPIM會議強調房地產業的節能減碳設計 探討「共居」趨勢

美國經濟學家暨社會理論家傑米里里夫金 (Jeremy Rifkin)  在MIPIM會議中
強調，房地產業必須帶頭找出創新方法來節能減碳，以紓緩氣候環境
問題。  (周菊子攝)

             (Boston Orange 周菊子法國坎城報導) 世界最大房地產會議之一的MIPIM，今年以ESG，零碳能源及共居 (Co-living) 為主題，在法國坎城一連舉行4日會議，展現房地產界嚐試針對世界各地天候異常，能源短缺現象，尋求生態轉型的解決方案心意。

2023年的這場MIPIM會議，辦有250場以上講座，約來自90國的2萬3000多人出席，規模比去年大了15%，快回復到新冠病毒疫情前水平，其中約4分之一為投資人。全球100家最大投資機構中有76家在場。

英國企業及貿易投資部部長Dominic Johnson像發展商喊話，
強調政府提供配套資金鼓勵土地發展。 (周菊子攝)

法國領土生態過渡和凝聚力部長 (Ecological Transition and Cohesion of the Territories) Christophe Béchu和出版過「第三次工業革命」，最近又新發行「韌性時代 (The Age of Resilience) 的美國經濟學家暨社會理論家傑米里里夫金 (Jeremy Rifkin) 擔任主講人。

Hines 公司ESG總經理Daniel Chang 的祖父來自中國，定居祕魯。
(周菊子攝)

                     Christophe Béchu認為，現在是房地產業者解決氣候變遷這世界問題的最佳時機。他指出，世界各地都面對著氣溫、海平面上升，天氣不穩定，水資源缺乏等問題，人類的社會結構及食物安全備受威脅，市區計畫及樓宇建造必須以更創新途徑來面對這些挑戰。

MIPIM 2023的主題會議之一，請Nexity執行長Veronique Bedague
談未來城市。(周菊子攝)

                       Jeremy Rifkin也指出，最大多數的世界財富存在於房地產業，價值不下326兆元，而房地產在地球上使用了40%的能源，製造了三分之一的溫室排放，由房地產業來推動創新，改善能源使用效率，增加應用風力、太陽能等可再生能源的應用，人類社會就有希望翻轉現狀，更有彈性的因應環境變化，減少浪費。他還以「一切都和水有關 (Its all about water)」來強調，水，水蒸氣在大氣中循環不均所造成的乾旱與暴風雨，不但形成嚴重氣候問題，還連帶影響房地產業的建築，營運及資金等各方面成本，人類別無選擇地必須找出新生存方式。

MIPIM 2023請Commerz Real AG執行長 Henning Koch
談「為未來再造城市」。 (周菊子攝)

13日，MIPIM會議主辦方還和Co-Liv 合作，舉辦了一場「共居 (Co-Living)」高峰會，邀來目前數位住宅平台上最大，在16國40個城市中管理3萬居住單位的Habyt創辦人兼執行長Luca Bovone，申論「共居」這種居住形式的企業模型，市場概況，產業趨勢。

會議主辦方的RX法國董事長Michel Filzi也指出，房地產市場離不開人與社會，MIPIM會展辦理至今，城市計畫份量越來越重，民選官員論壇部分已吸引更多政要及城市市長參加。

英國企業及貿易投資部部長Dominic Johnson今年也特地出席MIPIM會議，從政府角度力邀投資者到英國，參與該國的各項土地發展計畫。

MIPIM會議中有場講座談節能減碳從材料起步。 (周菊子攝)

                       由於MIPIM今年的會議，有意強調房地產業需因應氣候變遷與環境變化，許多場講座都談到ESG，這企業界從環境、社會、管理角度訂定的一套評估標準，申論邁向減碳，要從選擇建築材料起步等等不同做法。MIPIM主辦方還特地闢出「零碳之路 (Road to Zero)」系列，把節能減碳領域的創新型服務供應商邀來展示產品，分享經驗。展場也有關於電動車，節約能源裝置，收集能源新創企業等的展區與攤位。

法國館內的一場講座，全程以法語進行，提供翻譯服務。
(周菊子攝)

                      MIPIM會議主任Nicolas Kozubek指出，由於新冠病毒疫情，以及天災人禍的衝擊，整個會展規模仍在恢復中。今年很可惜的，烏克蘭、土耳其未能參加，但很感謝法國、英國等的支持。

今年MIPIM會議天氣太好，戶外展館又多，有些室內
會議的出席者，人就比主辦方預期的少了些。(周菊子攝)

                     根據展方資料，法德英是參展人數最多的國家，，依序有8千多到5千多人。義大利，西班牙、比利時，盧森堡、丹麥、瑞士、瑞典、美國，波蘭、葡萄牙，等各有2、3千人；愛爾蘭、希臘，芬蘭，捷克，加拿大，沙烏地阿拉伯有1千多人，日本和韓國也依序分別有約9百，6百人。中國、香港各有800多人參加，就連台灣，今年都有3人出席。

                      參展企業的數目，和往年相比，就少了些，不少國家只有一家企業參展。第一次參加MIPIM會議的一家主要持股者為家族的墨西哥公司表示，第一天就收穫了約8名潛在投資合作者，讓他們覺得參展是很對的決定。

Secretary Santiago Visits Cape and Islands Veterans Outreach Center to Support Affordable Housing for Veterans

 Secretary Santiago Visits Cape and Islands Veterans Outreach Center to Support Affordable Housing for Veterans 

Santiago highlighted the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s FY24 budget proposal which increases veterans’ service funding  

  

HYANNIS, MA– Executive Office of Veterans’ Services Secretary Jon Santiago met with staff and veterans at the Cape and Islands Veterans Outreach Center (CIVOC) and toured the Center’s transitional supportive housing. Joined by the Center’s executive director James Seymour and State Senator Julian Cyr, Secretary Santiago expressed support for the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s FY24 H.1 budget proposal and for the Center’s work in providing comprehensive integrative care to the region’s veterans.  

Veterans living on the Cape and Islands make up 6% of the total veteran population of the Commonwealth. With almost 19,000 veterans, one in nine residents of the Cape and Islands is a veteran. The Cape and Islands hosts a disproportionate share of homeless veterans, with 21% of the total homeless veteran population. In FY23, CIVOC’s Food Pantry served 5,742 veterans, an increase of 117% over last year. CIVOC also provided 1,097 rides this year to veterans through its Veterans Transportation program.  

“Under Jim’s leadership, the Cape and Islands Veterans Outreach Center is instrumental for providing access to critical services that enable veterans to maintain independent, sustainable living. We are grateful for their continued partnership and creative approach to helping address veteran housing and food insecurity,” said Secretary Santiago. “With the proposed increased funding for veterans’ services proposed by Governor Maura Healey, we can better serve veterans and strengthen collaborative partnerships with veterans’ organizations here on the Cape and Islands, as well as across the Commonwealth.”  

“I'm thrilled that Secretary Santiago was able to visit Cape Cod so early in his tenure. This visit marks Secretary Santiago's commitment to understanding the needs of veterans in the Commonwealth, and I'm thankful for his partnership,” said Senator Julian Cyr.  

“We are honored to have Secretary Santiago visit the Cape and Islands Veterans Outreach Center so quickly after his appointment by Governor Healey. We are eager to share the promising results that our partnership with the Commonwealth has enabled. We are eager to continue and expand our partnership with the Executive Office of Veterans’ Services to serve our veteran clients each day here on the Cape & Islands,” said James Seymour, Executive Director of the Cape and Islands Veterans Outreach Center."  

On March 1^st, Governor Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll filed their FY2024 budget proposal,the first to reflect the new cabinet-level status of the Executive Office of Veterans’ Services (EOVS). The Healey-Driscoll administration budget recommendation proposed $185.6 million for the new secretariat. Since 2013, the Executive Office of Veterans’ Services has provided CIVOC with more than $2.5 million in funding.  

The Cape and Islands Veterans Outreach Center (CIVOC) is the only non-profit veterans outreach center on the Cape and Islands and the largest non-profit veteran service provider. Fulfilling this duty across four decades, CIVOC delivers service-enriched housing and all-inclusive supportive programs that empower veterans to achieve independence with dignity and respect.  

For more information about the Cape and Islands Veterans Outreach Center, visit capeveterans.com. For more information about the Executive Office of Veterans’ Services, visit mass.gov/veterans.