波士頓司徒宗達當選第12屆世界鳳倫公所會長

世界鳳倫公所在波士頓召開第11界懇親大會。 (黃定國攝)

駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處處長孫儉元 (前排左一)應邀出席世界鳳倫
公所懇親大會公宴，和波士頓鳳倫主席司徒宗達(後左三起) ，世界鳳倫
永遠榮譽會長司徒家成，紐英倫中華公所主席雷國輝，第十一屆
世界鳳倫懇親大會會長司徒國雄(前右二)等人合影。 (周菊子攝)

             (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 波士頓宗親包括司徒和薛2姓的鳳倫公所，23日迎來喜訊，甫落幕的第十一屆世界鳳倫懇親大會，推選出波士頓鳳倫主席司徒宗達接任成為世界鳳倫公所第十二屆會長，也是波士頓的第一位世界鳳倫會長。

第十一屆世界鳳倫公所懇親大會在波士頓舉行，宗親們在會所前合影。

              包括星加坡、香港、開平圖書館、溫哥華、多倫多、西雅圖、羅省、三藩市和芝加哥等地，這場世界鳳倫懇親大會，一共有35名宗親出席，從4月21日到波士頓華埠乞臣街公所會址祭祖開始，22日借中華公所會議廳一連開3場會議，報告各埠族務，當晚再在帝苑大酒樓舉行公宴，邀波士頓僑團參加，23日再接受波士頓僑社回請午宴後，在大波士頓內旅遊一日後，圓滿結束懇親活動。

            在懇親會議中，鳳倫宗親們主要討論的是修改章程，設計會徽。由於宗親們仍未達成共識，彼此同意繼續研議，並期望在未來半年內能拿出一個再次修改的會徽草圖。

駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處處長孫儉元 (後右一) ，波士頓僑教中心
主任潘昭榮(後左一)和鳳倫宗親及超武館醒獅隊留影。(周菊子攝)

              22日晚的公宴，在包括司徒宗親父子檔的超武館醒獅隊舞獅獻瑞後，由波士頓鳳倫最年輕的宗親，美國退伍軍人會華埠328分會會長司徒文信，以及司徒真明擔任司儀，展開晚宴。駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處處長孫儉元，僑教中心主任潘昭榮，紐英倫中華公所主席雷國輝都應邀出席，均全程以廣東話致詞，祝賀。麻州眾議員黃子安，陳德基也應邀到會，並送上表揚狀。

麻州眾議員黃子安(右) ，陳德基(左)送上表揚狀，波士頓鳳倫主席
司徒宗達代表接受。 (周菊子攝)

              第十屆世界鳳倫懇親大會會長司徒國雄，以及世界鳳倫永遠榮譽會長司徒家成也在致詞時送上滿滿祝福，稱許司徒宗達的另一半，關麗莎打點，招呼得很周到。

              當晚還有甄若茅率領的星樂隊，率同駐隊歌星趙寶玲，曾燕琴等人穿著華麗禮服現場表演，增添許多氣氛。

右起，陳建立，司徒國雄，司徒家成和黃官羨向司徒宗達及觀麗莎
表達祝賀，恭喜司徒宗達當選世界鳳倫公所第12屆會長。 (周菊子攝)

23日中午，在紐英倫中華公所和僑界各團體回請鳳倫公所的午宴中，中華公所主席雷國輝代為宣佈了司徒宗達當選世界鳳倫會長的喜訊。來自新加坡的第十屆世界鳳倫懇親大會會長司徒國雄，在會上代表鳳倫送給中華公所一個新加坡司徒氏教倫堂的「情系教倫」金盤，感謝中華公所借給開會場地等協助，也送給第十一屆世界鳳倫懇親大會籌備會一個「再創輝煌」的牌匾。三年後的下一屆世界鳳倫懇親大會將在溫哥華舉行。

世界鳳倫宗親在紐英崙中華公所會議廳內開會。(黃定國攝)

甄若茅(前右一)創辦的星月隊，陣容越見壯大。 (周菊子攝)

波士頓鳳倫公所最年輕成員司徒文信(左)和司徒真明搭檔當司儀。

星樂隊演奏，還有主唱，伴唱。 (周菊子攝)

甄若茅組樂隊，夫唱婦隨。 (周菊子攝)

新民主聯盟 5/2 紀念MLK

 新民主聯盟 (New Democracy Coalition)和波士頓山頂委員會 (The Boston Mountaintop Committee) 將於 2023 年 5 月 2 日(週二)下午 4 點在波士頓市政府廣場舉辦第六屆波士頓馬丁·路德·金(MLK) 公共朗讀活動。今年的主題將專注於非暴力，邀106歲，波士頓年紀最長居民，以及10歲的多徹斯特四年級學生來朗讀。

這朗讀活動緣起於2018年紀念馬丁路德金遇刺50週年。Kevin Peterson牧師說，藉由人們朗讀馬丁路德金言詞，紀念其一生與傳奇的這活動，已成為每年一度，把馬丁路德金精神融入我們心中的一個機會。

6TH ANNUAL BOSTON MARTIN LUTHER KING JR PUBLIC READING WILL FOCUS ON NON-VIOLENCE, WILL FEATURE 100+ READERS FROM ACROSS ALL BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS BOSTON—The 6th Annual MLK Public Reading will feature a 106 year-old Boston resident (among the city’s oldest persons) and 10 year-old Dorchester fourth grader. The nationally-recognized event will be held Tuesday, May 2, 2023, 4 PM at the Boston City Hall Plaza. The event is led by the New Democracy Coalition and The Boston Mountaintop Committee. Sponsors include the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston, The Poor People's Campaign, NESN and El Mundo, Boston. “There nothing like this MLK Public Reading in the world and we are proud that it's a Boson tradition that is growing every year,” said the Rev. Dr. Kevin Peterson, who founded the event in 2018 at the 50th anniversary of Rev. King’s assassination. This event has become an opportunity where, yearly, we create a human memorial to Reverend King’s life and legacy by reciting his words and incorporating them into our spirit.”

AG CAMPBELL HOSTS TWELFTH ANNUAL NATIONAL CYBER CRIME CONFERENCE

 AG CAMPBELL HOSTS TWELFTH ANNUAL NATIONAL CYBER CRIME CONFERENCE

Approximately 1,200 Law Enforcement Officers, Prosecutors, and Investigators from Across the Country Will Participate in Largest of Its Kind Three-Day Hybrid Conference 

 

BOSTON — This week, Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell hosted the twelfth annual National Cyber Crime Conference, the largest conference of its kind and first under her administration. The conference is aimed at helping equip law enforcement and prosecutors with the tools and skills to effectively detect and combat cyber crime.

 

            During her opening remarks to kick off the conference on Tuesday, AG Campbell spoke about the importance of how staying up-to-date on the tools and skills required to tackle cyber crime is critical if we are to protect our young people from an industry that continues to rapidly evolve and expand. 

 

Approximately 1,200 law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and investigators have traveled from across the country to attend the three-day conference both virtually and in-person.

 

“The fact that law enforcement officials, prosecutors, investigators, and other forensic personnel come together for this conference each year demonstrates just how vital and helpful the techniques and lessons shared here are to our respective fields,” said AG Campbell. “I’m proud of the leadership and expertise in the office, and know that by learning the newest skills and trends in an ever-growing digital world, we are better able to protect the public from threats including cyber threats.”

 

Lam Nguyen, Director of the Cyber Forensics Laboratory at DC3; a DOD designated Center of Excellence and an accredited ISO: 17025 forensic laboratory, delivered the conference’s keynote address, and spoke about how digital forensics have evolved over the past twenty years and how law enforcement must adapt to an ever-changing environment. Recognized as an expert and leading figure in the field of Digital Forensics and E-Discovery, Nguyen has led large-scale international investigations in both criminal and civil cases, has testified as an expert witness on digital evidence numerous times and in multiple jurisdictions, and has previously served as an adjunct professor at both George Washington University and George Mason University.

 

The conference also featured notable speakers and presenters, and consisted of 205 sessions that included labs, lectures, presentations and certification programs. Attendees were trained on a wide range of topics including cryptocurrency tracing, geolocation evidence, conducting dark web investigations, the history of ghost guns, the importance of social media in today’s cases, and search and seizure in the digital world.

 

The conference was hosted by the AG’s Office in partnership with the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), the National Criminal Justice Training Center (NCJTC), and SEARCH, the National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics, and our technology partner, Zoom.

 

The conference’s sponsors and exhibitors were Cellebrite, Black Rainbow, Magnet Forensics, Medex Forensics, Oxygen Forensics, ScanWriter, Teel Technologies, Berla Corporation, VSPL, Amped Software, Atola Technlogy, Cobwebs Technologies, CrimeLines, DATAPILOT, Forensic Analytics, Grayshift, iCrimeFighter, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, MOS Equipment, MSAB, NICE Public Safety, PenLink, Peregrine Technologies, SUMURI LLC, the Techno Security & Digital Forensics Conference, the University of New Haven, US DHHS-OIG Office of Investigations, and Waldorf University.

 

Attendees at this week’s event represented 46 states, as well as the United Kingdom, Canada, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Jordan, Estonia, Turks & Caicos, Norway, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Ukraine. Law enforcement, prosecutors, and investigators attended from federal, state, and local agencies across the country to attend training taught by 135 of the world’s top experts in cyber.  

 

The AG’s Office has long made the prevention and prosecution of cyber crime a top priority and has a state-of-the-art Digital Evidence Lab in Boston, which has statewide capacity to deal with cyber crime and more efficiently process the digital evidence that is used in essentially every investigation in the AG’s Office. Since 2008, the AG’s Office has provided cyber training for more than 20,000 state and local law enforcement personnel from across the state and the nation.

Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards Grants to Improve Water Quality in the Buzzards Bay Watershed

 Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards Grants to Improve Water Quality in the Buzzards Bay Watershed 

Over $800,000 in federal funds awarded to three municipalities

 

BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced $808,500 in federally funded grant awards for projects that will improve water quality in the Buzzards Bay watershed. These three grants will fund wastewater treatment plant upgrades that will reduce tens of thousands of pounds of nitrogen pollution to Buzzards Bay, a nature-based stormwater and geese management project at an urban park, and a stormwater management plan and treatment designs to address discharges to a freshwater pond with a public beach. Grants are awarded by the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program (NEP) through the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM), with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pursuant to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. The grants also leverage $484,000 in local cash and in-kind services. 

 

“The Healey-Driscoll Administration is focused on providing direct support to communities to improve local economies and the quality of life for the people that live there,” said Energy & Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “These three projects improve public health and safeguard the environment and ensure our residents can enjoy the coastal waters of Buzzards Bay.”  

 

“These critical investments will help us preserve the beautiful Buzzards Bay for generations to come,” said CZM Director Lisa Berry Engler. “Through these grants, the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program focuses funding resources on pragmatic projects that improve local water quality. We applaud the partnerships created and the on-the-ground results achieved.” 

 

The following municipalities were awarded grants: 

 

• The Town of Bourne will receive $183,500 to hire an engineering firm to address nutrient and bacteria loading to Queen Sewell Pond. The grant will fund stormwater treatment designs for a discharge near a freshwater bathing beach and develop an action plan for nine other stormwater discharges in the watershed. The pond has been impaired by harmful algal blooms and elevated bacteria levels, which have caused beach closures.  
• The Town of Dartmouth will receive $250,000 to make modifications to its wastewater treatment facility to better meet permitted discharge limits for certain pollutants and significantly reduce nitrogen discharges to Buzzards Bay. While the Town is not required to remove nitrogen from its discharge, adding aeration to certain tanks during this upgrade will cut nitrogen discharges in half, potentially removing more than 90,000 pounds of nitrogen pollution from the facility’s discharge to Buzzards Bay each year. The nitrogen removal upgrade costs are $475,000, and the Town will contribute the needed additional funds from their capital account. 
• The City of New Bedford will receive $375,000 to complete Phase II of the Buttonwood Park stormwater management project at the Buttonwood Senior Center. The project will address sediment erosion and pollutant discharges from the property and nearby neighborhoods. The site also has a large waterfowl population problem, notably Canada geese, whose wastes contribute to bacteria and nutrient pollution of the pond. The stormwater treatment system will consist of a biofilter raingarden, and the City will use habitat alteration techniques and barriers to exclude the waterfowl from the property. The Parks Department is working with the Conservation Commission to restore a vegetated buffer along the pond. The Senior Center also houses an adult with disabilities day care program, and Buttonwood Park abuts Environmental Justice populations and serves a diverse community in New Bedford and Dartmouth. New Bedford is providing $237,000 toward the cost of the project through other sources. 

 

“In my district of Southeastern Massachusetts, wastewater and stormwater runoff are major issues impacting not only the lives of those who live here but our tourism-based economy as well,” said Congressman Bill Keating. “The funding for these projects will go a long way toward improving our water quality overall.  I applaud the Healey-Driscoll Administration for directing these federal funds to address the needs of the Cape and South Coast.” 

 

“Reducing nutrient and pathogen pollution from public infrastructure is a top priority for our program,” said Buzzards Bay NEP Director, Dr. Joe Costa. “These grants will address local needs and make meaningful progress to improve water quality.” 

 

“Protecting the Buzzards Bay watershed is essential toward safeguarding public health, combatting climate change, supporting the essential commercial fishing industry, and preserving our excellent quality of life alongside one of the most beautiful waterfronts in the country,” said State Senator Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford). “Pollutant discharges, including nitrogen, have been an immense challenge for South Coast communities and these funds will provide significant assistance toward addressing the problem while minimizing the burden on local taxpayers.”  

 

“This financial assistance is huge for these communities. The Healey-Driscoll administration has rapidly responded to the needs of our area,” said State Representative Christopher Markey (D-Dartmouth). “They have listened to the boots on the ground and responded with funding for much needed wastewater infrastructure assistance.” 

 

The Office of Coastal Zone Management is the lead policy and planning agency on coastal and ocean issues within the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Created in 1985, the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program provides grants and technical assistance to Buzzards Bay watershed communities to protect and restore water quality and natural resources in Buzzards Bay and its surrounding watershed and is one of 28 similar programs designated by the EPA. 

波士頓市議會議長Ed Flynn報喜訊 地2區共得850萬元社區保存經費

              (Boston Orange 編譯) 社區保存委員會上週宣佈撥款 4000 萬美元給為 56個項目。波士頓市議會議長愛德華費連 (Ed Flynn)指出，其中有7個項目在他服務的第2區，類別包括可負擔住宅，保存歷史，開放空間，公園及娛樂，共得款850萬元。

              在南波士頓，有250 萬美元撥給了把 E 街上的 McDevitt Hall 改造成可負擔耆英出租房，其中包括 35 戶可負擔住宅的對象為 62 歲及以上人士，有39萬5500元給了歷史悠久的國會街消防局，做外牆整修，提高消防局旁邊和後面的水泥。

              在華埠，有420多萬元給了位於泰勒街 (Tyler)和乞臣街 (Hudson)之間的R1地段，用於建造44戶供出售，以及66戶供出租的可負擔住宅。聖沾士教堂也獲得40萬元維修歷史性的外牆結構，磚石，以及排水系統。

              在市中心的Tremont Temple 浸信會教堂得到 75萬元的修復資金，用於砌築和修繕建築。 在 Beacon Hill，Peter Faneuil House 得到28萬元，用於修復籃球場和維修磚石。

              愛德華費連表示，感謝吳弭市長，不分區市議員Flaherty，以及社區保存委員會的領導力與社區及民間機構的努力。他很高興今年有2000萬元將用於資助全市各地的可負擔住宅，為市內中低收入居民，老人及工薪家庭提供可負擔住宅。

              查詢詳情可電洽 617-635-3203，或發電郵到 Ed.Flynn@Boston.gov 。

Council President Flynn Announces $8.5 million in Community Preservation Act Funding For District 2 

BOSTON - Last week, the Community Preservation Committee awarded a total of $40 million to 56 projects for this year’s round of Community Preservation funding. Seven projects in District 2 received funding in the categories of affordable housing, historic preservation and open space, parks and recreation, for a total of $8.5 million.

In South Boston, $2.5 million was awarded to repurpose the McDevitt Hall on E Street into affordable senior rental housing, which includes 35 units of affordable housing for neighbors ages 62 and over. In the Fort Point neighborhood, $395,500 was awarded to the historic Congress Street Fire Station for exterior restorations, which includes repair and repointing of masonry at the side and rear elevations of the Firehouse.

In Chinatown, a total of over $4.2 million was awarded to partially fund the creation of 44 units of affordable homeownership housing and 66 units of affordable rental housing at Parcel R-1 at Tyler and Hudson Street. St. James the Greater Church also received $400,000 in grants for restoration of the historic exterior structure of the Church and masonry and drainage system repairs. 

In Downtown, Tremont Temple Baptist Church received $750,000 in restoration funds for masonry and building repairs. On Beacon Hill, Peter Faneuil House received $280,000 in funds to rehabilitate the basketball court and to perform masonry repairs. 

“I would like to thank Mayor Wu, Councilor Flaherty, and the Community Preservation Committee for their steadfast leadership and the work of neighbors and civic organizations who continue to apply for this critical funding. Over the past five years, we have continued to enhance our neighborhoods and city through CPA funds,” said Council President Flynn. “I am excited that over $20 million will go towards funding affordable housing across the city this year, including over $4 million to create 110 units in Chinatown to support our immigrant neighbors and working families, and $2.5 million to create affordable housing for seniors at the McDevitt Homes in South Boston. CPA funding will continue to play a key role in helping our city to provide affordable housing for both low and middle income residents, our seniors and working families.”

For more information, please contact Council President Flynn’s office at 617-635-3203 and Ed.Flynn@Boston.gov

麥特潘車站135戶可負擔住宅 the Loop 啟用

MAYOR WU, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR DRISCOLL, THE PRESERVATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, NUESTRA COMUNIDAD AND MASSHOUSING CELEBRATE THE OPENING OF THE LOOP AT MATTAPAN STATION  A new transit-oriented 135-unit affordable mixed-use housing community in Mattapan Square

BOSTON - Tuesday, April 25, 2023 -  Mayor Michelle Wu, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll,  the Preservation of Affordable Housing  (POAH), Nuestra Comunidad, MassHousing, and residents today celebrated the Grand Opening of the Loop at Mattapan Station. The Loop at Mattapan Station is a new transit-oriented 135-unit affordable mixed-use housing community in Mattapan Square. Mayor Wu also celebrated the opening of Daily Table in the Loop building, a community grocery store with a mission to provide nutritious, delicious food more affordably than other supermarkets. The Loop at Mattapan Station was developed on a vacant and underutilized MBTA parking lot adjacent to the Mattapan trolley line station.  “The Loop at Mattapan Station demonstrates what is possible when we work together across sectors to create more affordable housing for working families and build more connected neighborhoods,” said Mayor Michelle Wu.  “We have transformed this formerly underutilized asphalt lot into a mixed-use, mixed-income, transit-oriented development with 135 beautiful new rental homes that will connect residents to economic opportunity for many years to come.” The Loop at Mattapan Station builds on Mayor Wu’s commitment to create affordable housing and expand access to public transportation across Boston’s neighborhoods. The Loop at Mattapan Station created 135 units of housing next to an MBTA bus stop, the Mattapan Trolley stop, and a block from the Mattapan Commuter Rail Station. It is affordable to a range of incomes, with almost half of the units affordable to families making $70,100 or less. The income-restricted units and 10,000 square feet of first-floor retail space in this six-story building were built using the latest passive house energy efficiency standards. The Loop also boasts a gym, community rooms, a basketball court, a roof deck, a bike room, and an E-bike station. The development’s proximity to the Neponset River Greenway allows access to an important green space and community amenity. “We are eager to champion more projects like The Loop at Mattapan Station across Massachusetts, where public-private partnerships leverage state, federal, and local resources and produce transformative results on state-owned, underutilized sites,” said Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll. “There are opportunities in every region, and we are ready to invest. Our state has the tools with MassWorks, affordable housing tax credits, housing vouchers, planning grants, environmental remediation, and many more resources to jumpstart development. Congratulations to the MBTA, POAH, Nuestra Comunidad and the many other partners in making this project a reality.” The retail and commercial spaces complement the existing business community and will attract new merchants and patrons to the Mattapan Square neighborhood. The first tenant, Daily Table, is a nonprofit grocery chain dedicated to providing fresh, tasty, convenient and nutritious food to communities most in need at prices everyone can afford. By partnering with a network of growers, manufacturers, and other suppliers, they source high-quality food at low costs and make it available to everyone. They believe in creating livable wage jobs, with a strong preference for hiring directly from the neighborhoods they operate in.  “With food insecurity rates and inflation at or near an all-time high, access to affordable nutrition for all is more important than ever," said Doug Rauch, Daily Table Founder, and President. “We are thrilled to have opened our fourth location here in Mattapan, where we will continue to deliver on our mission to provide freshly prepared meals, a broad selection of fresh fruits, veggies, meats and seafood, and grocery staples all at prices that are truly affordable for any budget and SNAP eligible.” "I am pleased to celebrate the opening of The Loop at Mattapan Station, a remarkable transit-oriented development that exemplifies the City’s vision for more affordable and sustainable housing in Boston,” said Sheila Dillon, Chief of Housing. “The Loop's housing, located next to multiple transportation options, provides a crucial link between housing, transit, and economic opportunities. The building's passive house energy efficiency standards, along with its amenities such as a gym, community rooms, and bike room, make it a model for sustainable and healthy development." The Loop at Mattapan Station will contain six studio apartments, 38 one-bedroom apartments, 81 two-bedroom apartments, and 10 three-bedroom apartments. Eighteen apartments will be restricted to very low-income households earning at or below 30 percent of the area median income (AMI) and those units will be supported by project-based vouchers through both the federal Section 8 and the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Programs (MRVP). There will be forty-seven apartments restricted to households earning at or below 50 percent of AMI, twenty-eight apartments restricted to households earning at or below 60 percent of AMI, and forty-two apartments restricted to households earning at or below 80 percent of AMI.   “The Loop at Mattapan Station exemplifies the mission-driven work of MassHousing and all of our partners in creating affordable housing for working families and building stronger communities,” said Chrystal Kornegay, MassHousing Executive Director. “We are pleased to join POAH, the Commonwealth, and the City of Boston in celebrating the transformation of an underutilized parking lot into 135 new rental homes that will connect residents to economic opportunity for many years to come.”  “We are thrilled to welcome 135 low and moderate income households to The Loop at Mattapan Station,” said Aaron Gornstein, President and CEO of POAH.  “These residents will also benefit from energy efficient apartments, recreational opportunities, public transit, and a new grocery store.  We greatly appreciate the support of all our partners, funders, and neighborhood residents who helped make this happen.” The Loop at Mattapan Station was made possible in part by $3 million from the City of Boston’s Mayor’s Office of Housing,  $39.3 million in tax credit equity from an allocation of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), allocated by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). DHCD also provided $5.35 million in direct support for the project. The project also benefited from $1.8 million in public infrastructure funding from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and $540,000 in passive house funding from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. Bank of America provided construction financing and is the tax credit equity investor.   "Nuestra Comunidad is excited and proud to witness the fruits of our years-long labor and partnership with POAH,” said N. Paul TonThat, Nuestra Comunidad’s Executive Director. “Nuestra is confident that the "Loop" will significantly benefit the greater Mattapan community by providing transit oriented affordable housing opportunities and neighborhood centric retail." MassHousing also provided $36.5 million in affordable housing financing for the Loop, including $17.4 million in permanent financing, $16.1 million in tax-exempt bridge financing, and $3 million from the Agency’s Workforce Housing Initiative. In FY23, Mayor Wu invested $380 million in housing affordability through the City’s Operating budget, the Capital budget, and federal recovery funds. The $200 million Mayor Wu committed in ARPA funds to invest in housing includes $60 million for affordable homeownership development and financial assistance to first-generation homebuyers, $57M for strategic acquisitions to combat displacement and create deeply-affordable development on City-owned land, $20M for a nation-leading pilot for energy retrofits in triple-deckers and other multifamily homes while maintaining affordability, $20M to develop new permanent supportive housing with specialized services for people with substance use disorder, $16M to maintain low-threshold shelter sites in response to the Mass-Cass humanitarian crisis, and $33M for upgrades to Boston Housing Authority properties.  Mayor Wu’s initiatives to address Boston’s housing affordability issues also include filing a Home Rule Petition relative to rent stabilization, real estate transfer fees and senior property tax relief, signing an Executive Order relative to affirmatively furthering fair housing, and launching an action plan to best utilize the City-owned land called Welcome Home, Boston.

波士頓慈濟、華埠主街，台山鄉親，黃氏婦女誌記地球日 攜手掃街

 

波士頓慈濟與華埠主街在地球日攜手清掃華埠。 (周菊子攝)

波士頓僑教中心主任潘昭榮 (右一) 加入慈濟的地球日清掃華埠行列。 (周菊子攝)

             4月22日是地球日，波士頓慈濟和波士頓華埠主街 (Main Street) 不約而同，選在這天進華埠掃街，2方人馬在「天下為公」牌坊下會師，拿起掃把，畚箕，垃圾袋，分頭踏進波士頓華埠街道，努力清掃，讓波士頓華埠又再「亮晶晶」的光潔可人。

台山鄉親聯誼會會長黃紹培(右三)率鄉親們參加地球日清掃華埠行動。 (周菊子攝)

            波士頓慈濟負責人長金滿和師伯齊明君，陳裕逢，以及蔬果發放小組的曲洋，這天一早把藏青色的慈濟背心，分發給參加掃街活動的義工。波士頓僑教中心主任潘昭榮和中心工作人員張小慧也特地趕來共襄盛舉。

華埠主街這邊，有主任何陳素貞和董事何遠光，黃光野，黃國威等人擺出一張登記桌，義工們簽到後，就派發給一件「愛你的街道 (Love your block)」藍色T恤，一個麵包。

波士頓市議會議長愛德華費連 (Ed Flynn)發照片上推特，稱許義工清潔華埠。
    (圖片來自Ed Flynn推特)

這天參加掃街，清潔華埠的，還有台山鄉親聯誼會會長黃紹培率隊，黃氏宗親會婦女組主任黃周麗桃與黃小仙等婦女組成員參加。每個人都滿臉帶笑，為有機會服務社區感到開心。

在塔芙茨大學上學，同時在塔醫工作的Rudy Neustadt，這天帶了25名義工來參加清潔華埠活動。他透露是他自己想要回饋社區，於是主動接觸華埠主街，獲悉有地球日清掃華埠活動，於是透過各種社交媒體發佈消息，吸引來20多名熱心人。

波士頓市長的亞裔聯絡員黃楚嵐搭乘公共工程局車輛抵達華埠牌樓後，主辦單位簡短介紹，表達感謝後，義工們就分頭踏進乞臣街，好事福街，必珠街，夏利臣街，開始埋頭清掃。

波士頓市議會議長愛德華費連 (Ed Flynn)後來也趕到，還發照片上推特，稱許義工們清潔華埠。

波士頓慈濟人掃街後在華埠會所為陳裕逢師兄慶生。(周菊子攝)

            地球日的來由，其實很有趣。早在1969 年，聯合國教科文組織在舊金山開會時，一位名叫John McConnell的活躍人士，提出訂定一天來榮耀地球及和平這想法，次年3月21日，也是北半球春季第一天的這日子，就第一次舉辦了活動。一個月後，美國參議員Gaylord Nelson提出在的1970 年4 月 22 日舉行全國環境宣講會想法，還請了一名年輕的活動家Denis Hayes做全國協調員，並把這活動重新命名為「地球日」，結果吸引了2000

波士頓慈濟負責人長金滿 (左二起) 和陳裕逢，齊明君等師兄，邀波士頓
僑教中心主任潘昭榮 (左一)參加華埠掃街誌記地球日活動。
(周菊子攝)

萬人湧上街頭，也使得這第一次的地球日活動，成為人類歷史上迄今規模最大的單日抗議活動。

                         波士頓慈濟的義工們，這天從乞臣街(Hudson)轉尼倫街 (Kneeland) ，一路清掃到華盛頓街的帝苑大酒樓那兒，和多位從外地來參加世界鳳倫公所第十一屆懇親大會的鳳倫公所宗親們不期而遇。

波士頓慈濟掃街後在會所小聚，分享心得。 (

                   由於地球日這天，正好是慈濟師兄陳裕逢的生日，一眾慈濟人特地回到慈濟在波士頓華埠的會所為他慶祝生日，還分享各人參加慈濟的不同因緣，以及不為什麼，只是為別人，為社會做點事，就很開心。             

塔芙茨大學學生招募25名義工參加華埠地球日掃街服務。
(周菊子攝)

                    陳裕逢說，其實最重要的是一顆心，只要每天想，和做一件快樂的事就好。他透露自己19歲時第一次接觸慈濟。那時候他和一群滿身刺青，嘴刁香菸的兄弟們去到花蓮某個小廟舞龍，在空檔時間，請司機帶他們四處逛逛，由於當地沒啥觀光景點，於是被帶到附近一個慈濟精舍，司機還提醒他們要安靜一點，那時候精舍內正在打掃的師父邀他們進去喝茶，他們還自覺的還不太敢進去。他笑說，沒想到做慈濟，參加掃街，當年抽菸的自己，現在要在路上撿菸蒂，直覺這是當年抽菸的「現世報」。後來他到波士頓，竟然又遇到慈濟人，就這樣重新結緣，有時間就幫忙。

 
                  波士頓慈濟目前新增2項活動，一個是陪伴老人的「銀髮族快樂時光」，一個是邀小朋友出來，帶他們去做活動，譬如趣味數學，趣味英語，接觸一些和正式課堂不一樣的事物，也在機會許可時，帶他們參加義工活動，接觸社會服務工作。

                 波士頓慈濟負責人長金滿表示，慈濟還辦有蔬果發放，急難救助，醫療援助等許多活動，需要更多義工加入服務行列，希望有意願者和該會接洽，電話617-762-0569，或https://www.tzuchiboston.org/。          

第十一屆世界鳳倫公所懇親大會在波士頓盛大舉行 (黃定國圖片輯)