Healey-Driscoll Administration Launches New Partnership with Resettlement Agencies to Help Families Find Housing, Jobs

Healey-Driscoll Administration Launches New Partnership with Resettlement Agencies to Help Families Find Housing, Jobs 

BOSTON - Today the Healey-Driscoll administration is launching a new partnership with eight resettlement agencies to expand efforts to connect families living in Emergency Assistance shelters with stable housing and jobs.  

The funding for this new initiative was included in the supplemental budget passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor Maura Healey in December 2023. Resettlement agencies will use this funding to support exit efforts from emergency assistance shelter by providing rehousing, employment search, and connecting families to other social services like ESOL and basic needs. The funding will allow the resettlement agencies to place migrant families into permanent housing statewide, helping them to exit shelter or the waitlist for shelter.  

“Resettlement agencies have long played a critical role in helping families in Massachusetts get connected with housing, jobs and other critical resources,” said Governor Healey. “We’re grateful to the Legislature for providing this funding to expand their efforts so that we can meet the needs of families in our Emergency Assistance shelter system. Our communities and our economy will be stronger because of this partnership.” 

“Resettlement agencies bring years of experience to the table of integrating families into towns and neighborhoods across Massachusetts,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “They understand what it takes to get a family settled and supported so they can feel at home here, and I look forward to seeing them work with the newest residents of our state.” 

“I appreciate the work these resettlement agencies continue to do for new families in Massachusetts,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh. “As these families look to begin the next chapter of their lives here, we will continue to welcome them and integrate them into our communities through the work of partners like the resettlement agencies, community organizations, non-profits and countless others who have shown such generosity toward our new neighbors.” 

“New arrivals have fled violence and instability in their home countries, seeking safety and security in Massachusetts,” said Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus. “The partnership announced today between the state and resettlement agencies will support the unique needs of new arrivals, setting them up for long term success.” 

“The Office for Refugee and Immigrants is proud to expand our decades long partnership with Massachusetts resettlement agencies to rehouse newly arrived immigrants” said Office for Refugees and Immigrants Executive Director Cristina Aguilera Sandoval. “We have witnessed the impact of their culturally strategic and dedicated approach to refugee resettlement all across our state. Their staff is uniquely qualified to meet the needs of immigrants who recently chose Massachusetts as their new home and are eager to work and be a part of our communities. We look forward to working in collaboration with them in this new program and building strong pathways to housing stability.” 

Resettlement agencies receiving contracts are Ascentria Community Services, Inc., Catholic Charitable Bureau of the Archdiocese of Boston, Inc., Jewish Family Service of Metrowest Massachusetts, Inc., Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts, Inc., Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success, Inc., Refugee and Immigrant Assistance Center, Inc., The Catholic Charities Agency of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, MA, Inc., and The International Institute of New England, Inc. 

“The resettlement agencies are looking forward to partnering with the Healey-Driscoll administration to help exit immigrant families from shelters,” said Jeff Thielman, President and CEO of the International Institute of New England. “We have decades of experience resettling refugees in the Commonwealth and look forward to applying that experience to these new arrivals. We applaud the Governor for reaching out to partners like resettlement agencies to develop creative solutions to the challenges faced by the emergency shelter system. The families we have met through the legal services and case management support we have provided are eager to find apartments and become part of communities in our state.” 

Resettlement Agencies also have contracts with the Office for Refugees and Immigrants to provide legal services for obtaining work authorization and case management for families who are new arrivals to the US who are in emergency assistance shelter.

麻州Healey州長率經濟發展廳廳長郝伊平宣導10年10億元"麻州領先"計畫

Governor Healey Highlights Life Sciences Investments from Mass Leads Act in Worcester and Hopkinton 

HOPKINTON – Today, Governor Maura T. Healey launched her Mass Leads Road Show, during which she will travel to communities across the state to highlight the ways in which her Mass Leads Act will grow the Massachusetts economy, support businesses and attract talent to the state. 

She visited life sciences companies in Worcester and Hopkinton to focus on her proposed $1 billion, 10-year reauthorization of the Life Sciences Initiative, which will position Massachusetts to lengthen its lead as the global leader in this cutting-edge industry. 

“The Mass Leads Act will strengthen Massachusetts’ global leadership and expand opportunity in our state now and for a generation to come. One key way we’ll do this is by reauthorizing the Life Sciences Initiative for another decade,” said Governor Healey. “ 

“Mass Biomedical Initiatives and RoslinCT are excellent examples of what happens when we invest in the world-class talent and innovation happening right here in Massachusetts. We want to build on their success and welcome more companies to move, start and grow here in our state.” 

“Our visits to MBI and RoslinCT proved the transformative power of the Mass Life Sciences Initiative, particularly through the support that the Mass Life Sciences Center is able to provide to companies,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “We are proud to propose another infusion of resources to enable to MLSC to continue to do this important work and support our current, incredible companies while also attracting new businesses and talent to our state.” 

“Our state is the global epicenter for the life sciences industry. With the Mass Leads Act, we are committed to strengthening our leadership by reauthorizing our Life Sciences Initiative,” said Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao. “This initiative supports an ecosystem that enables MBI and RoslinCT to advance their R&D efforts, bolster their workforce, and generate meaningful economic output. Our economic development bill will foster an environment that continuously fuels innovation, attracting new talent and businesses to Massachusetts.”  

“The life sciences sector serves as a powerful, regional catalyst for economic and workforce development,” said MLSC Acting Chief Executive Officer and Vice President of Economic Development and Partnerships Jeanne LeClair. “We are incredibly proud of the continued growth being experienced in Central Massachusetts and the MetroWest. Both regions still have a great deal of untapped potential to further advance as life sciences clusters. Moreover, these regions serve as a model for other parts of our Commonwealth as we look to accelerate our efforts to grow out the benefits of the Life Sciences Initiative.” 

The Governor’s first stop was at MA Biomedical Initiatives (MBI) in Worcester. MBI is the longest-running life sciences incubator in the state, helping emerging life sciences companies advance from concept to clinical trials. It is estimated that since 2000, MBI has assisted over 188 companies that have created over 1,800 jobs and had over $1.9 billion in economic impact. 

MBI has been supported by the MA Life Sciences Center (MLSC), which enabled the company to triple the capacity of the incubator’s facility, expand its workforce programming, and advance its cluster building activities. MBI’s most recent expansion of its new Pilot Biomanufacturing Centr was supported through $3.5 million in MLSC funding, adding 10 new biomanufacturing labs to support startup companies in process development and early-stage manufacturing. 

The MLSC has supported several other Worcester institutions in recent years. UMass Chan Medical School received $2.8 million in 2021 from the MLSC for the purchase of an advanced Glacios cryo-electron microscope from Thermo Fisher Scientific. This investment has enabled UMass Chan’s capabilities to meet growing demand and continue to transform biomedical research in Massachusetts. The UMass Cryo-EM Core has supported data collection for dozens of companies and an even greater number of academic labs. Structural biology is the foundation of a significant portion of biomedical research, opening windows into biology and structure-based drug design. The Cryo-EM Core at UMass Chan was established in 2015, in part with $5 million in funding from the MLSC. 

Additionally, CERES (Cell Engineering Research Equipment Suite) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is a fee-for-use core lab designed to provide WPI researchers and regional industry and academic partners access to state-of-the-art instruments for quantitative analysis of engineered cells. It is located within the WPI Biomanufacturing Education and Training Center. CERES was made possible by $877,314 in capital funding from the MLSC in 2020. MLSC funds supported the purchase of key equipment to create a modular core facility focused on high throughput cell analytics, providing startups access to resources needed to bring cell-based products to market. The equipment capabilities were designed through partnership between WPI and Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives (MBI) given that a major indicator of success for CERES is the growth and maturation of the biotech discovery ecosystem in central Massachusetts. 

Beyond supporting research and innovation, the MLSC has also provided more than $13 million in workforce development and STEM-focused capital investments to Worcester colleges and schools.  

“Before other major cities voted to approve zoning for Research and Development, Worcester knew the potential of the life sciences,” said Worcester Mayor Joseph M. Petty. “Having Worcester be supported by our state leadership allows us to further the opportunities that come from our life sciences, and I look forward to our continued collaboration together.” 

“Central Massachusetts led the nation as the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution. Today, we are focused on leading the nation again as the world’s next global biomanufacturing hub”.  said MBI President and CEO Jon Weaver. "We are grateful for the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s vision and leadership represented in the Mass Leads bill, which includes the reauthorization of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center. The MLSC’s support is essential to our ability to compete on a global stage and create jobs for our region." 

The Governor also visited RoslinCT (formerly Lykan Bioscience) in Hopkinton, which develops and manufactures cell-based therapies. They’ve received nearly $1 million from MLSC for tax incentives around job creation. They also previously received $390,000 in funding through MLSC’s Massachusetts Transition and Growth Program (MassTAG), which is a recruitment tool designed to attract out-of-state, international, and newly formed companies that want to become part of the Massachusetts life sciences ecosystem. The company was able to create 26 jobs with this funding. RoslinCT has also utilized MSLC’s internship challenge program.  

When RoslinCT first engaged with MSLC in 2019, they had only six full time employees. Today, they have 115 full time employees. 

The MetroWest life sciences cluster is another example of the continued regionalization of the life sciences in Massachusetts. The MLSC has invested nearly $71 million in the region through various funding program and initiatives. This includes capital investments in colleges and universities located in the MetroWest, such as Framingham State University, and the region’s vocational technical schools. RoslinCT is one of nearly 30 MetroWest companies which have benefited from the MLSC’s Tax Incentive program. Nearly $30 million in tax incentive funding has helped create 1,685 jobs for MetroWest-based life sciences companies. 

“RoslinCT, a global cell and gene therapy contract development and manufacturing organization, applauds the proposal by the Healey administration to re-authorize the Life Sciences Initiative,” said President & CEO RoslinCT Patrick Lucy. “The proposed investment of $1 billion over 10 years will enable the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to continue our global leadership in life sciences to develop cutting edge technologies and therapies offering hope to individuals around the world impacted by disease. The cell therapy sector is advancing efforts against the most complex and rare diseases and in some cases these therapies are potentially curative after a single dose.” 

“We are honored to have Governor Healey and her team in Hopkinton to celebrate the reauthorization of the Life Science Initiative. The state-wide initiative can be an investment in our community's thriving biotech hub on South Street and its anchor companies, such as RoslinCT. The success of this industry in Hopkinton is made possible by the strength of our relationship with the state and the private industry, substantiated by partners at MassBio and the Hopkinton Chamber of Commerce,” said Hopkinton Town Manager Norman Khumalo. This partnership has led to Hopkinton’s most recent designation as a Platinum Community, marking Hopkinton's readiness and competitiveness for innovative biotechnology firms. We look forward to the future of Hopkinton’s Biotech Hub and the impact the Healey-Driscoll Administration will have on the economic vitality of our town."” 

Last year, Massachusetts was chosen by the federal Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), an agency within the National Institutes of Health, to host its Investor Catalyst Hub, demonstrating the effectiveness of the state’s investments in the life sciences.  

The Governor’s proposed long-term commitment will position Massachusetts to win more investment in the life sciences industry, develop more life-saving cures, and create more jobs. It will build on the success of prior authorizations while making adjustments to account for present-day challenges and opportunities. The initiative has three core parts:  

Capital: The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center will embrace a model that encourages multi-institution, cross-sector collaboration among key industries, such as biotechnology, manufacturing, medical technology, higher education, and healthcare. Through this realignment, the state will be better able to pursue health equity ventures, research and development, and capital eligible initiatives to support the ecosystem.  

Tax Incentives: The Life Sciences Tax Incentive Program has proven successful in incentivizing the creation of jobs in the industry. This bill proposes to increase the statutory cap for life sciences tax incentives to create more capacity in the future and extends the program to 2033 to demonstrate the state’s commitment for the next decade. This will further enhance a valuable business development tool to attract and retain companies in Massachusetts.    

Operating: This new strategy also projects annual appropriations for workforce development programming and other strategic initiatives, including support for early-stage companies. Notably, this component of the strategy incorporates an expansion of Pathmaker, a key component of the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s MassTalent Initiative, to scale career training programs for in-demand job opportunities within the industry.   

In addition to competitiveness and innovation, equity will be elevated as a priority for the Healey-Driscoll Administration under the new initiative, including creating better workforce pathways into careers in the industry and improving health outcomes for residents in Massachusetts.   

More information can be found in the Life Sciences issue brief.   

杭亭頓劇院"誦詩"16名學生打入決賽

THE HUNTINGTON ANNOUNCES 16 STUDENT FINALISTS OF POETRY OUT LOUD MASSACHUSETTS CONTEST

 

The Huntington Education Department brings theatre and poetry – and the skills and inspiration those foster – into young lives once again this spring through Poetry Out Loud Massachusetts, run locally in partnership with the Mass Cultural Council.

 

(BOSTON) – The Huntington Education Department announces sixteen student finalists in the Massachusetts chapter of Poetry Out Loud, the national recitation contest run locally by The Huntington with the Mass Cultural Council and nationwide by The Poetry Foundation and National Endowment for the Arts. The state finals will take place at the Old South Meeting House on Sunday, March 10 at 10am. The state champion will advance to Nationals in Washington, DC April 30 – May 2, 2024.

 

The Huntington’s steadfast commitment to arts education is a core pillar of its mission and operations. Theatre education builds prosocial behavior in students, encourages empathy, improves public speaking, and develops both creative and critical thinking. These skills are particularly important for students who recently spent a significant amount of schooling time in total or partial isolation due to Covid-19. In particular, Poetry Out Loud is an incredible opportunity to empower students to find and use their voices and hone these skills that will propel them through their education and future endeavors as rising members of their community.

 

“Poetry Out Loud Massachusetts regularly attracts an incredibly talented and diverse population of high school students and this year was no exception,” says Huntington Director of Education Meg O’Brien. “This year’s poets changed us, inspired us, called us to action, and represented their respective schools and organizations better than ever. Sunday’s state finals will be epic and wonderful, and we are all very eager to see who claims the 2024 State Championship.”

 

One of the most extensive and admired programs in the country, The Huntington Education Department serves more than 30,000 students, teachers, and community organizations each year with student matinees, Poetry Out Loud Massachusetts, the national August Wilson New Voices Competition, the national True Colors’ Next Narrative Monologue Competition, school residencies in writing and performance, and other programs. Collaborators in this work include multiple Boston Public Schools, Codman Academy Charter Public School, the Goodman Theatre, the August Wilson Estate, National Endowment for the Arts, Mass Cultural Council, and many community organizations.

 

“Poetry Out Loud is a longstanding tradition in Massachusetts, providing students with a much-needed forum to connect with poetry and explore new avenues of creative expression,” said Michael J. Bobbitt, Executive Director, Mass Cultural Council. “I am grateful to our partners at The Huntington’s Education Department for their enduring leadership in this space and for organizing another successful Poetry Out Loud contest. This event is the culmination of hundreds of hours of preparation and hard work from students, parents, teachers, and creative mentors from all corners of the state and I’m excited to celebrate our finalists who will represent the Commonwealth at Nationals next month.”

 

Poetry Out Loud Massachusetts has been ranked in the top 5 states for participation statistics nationally for 14 of the 19 years POL has existed.

 

 

ABOUT POETRY OUT LOUD

 

Poetry Out Loud is a national recitation contest that celebrates the power of the spoken word and a mastery of public speaking skills while cultivating self-confidence and an appreciation of students’ literary heritage as they take poetry from the page to the stage. Poetry Out Loud has inspired hundreds of thousands of high school students to discover and appreciate both classic and contemporary poetry. Several students who have come up through The Huntington’s education program have gone on to rank in the top nine students in the national competition.

 

“Poetry Out Loud helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage,” says the National Endowment for the Arts and The Poetry Foundation. “By encouraging students to study, memorize, and perform some of the most influential and timeless poems of the English language, you immerse them in powerful expression and provocative ideas.”

 

Regional semi-finals were held on March 2-4 in Boston, Cape Cod, Hopkinton, Newburyport, and Springfield. The state finals will determine who will go on to compete at the national level. Massachusetts State Champions have been top-9 National Finalists in 2008, 2011, 2017, 2018, and 2019.

 

 

ABOUT THE POL MASSACHUSETTS FINALISTS (in alphabetical order by school)

 

Finalist:                 Abigail Drumm               Agawam Senior High School

Finalist:                 Emma Jones                    Algonquin Regional High School

Finalist:                 Ailin Sha                            Boston Latin School

Finalist:                 Julia Tormena CATS     Academy Boston

Finalist:                 Charlotte French          Dartmouth High School

Finalist:                 Justa Emile                      Foxborough Regional Charter School

Finalist:                 Maria Zaki                        Franklin High School

Finalist:                 Samaris Harrigan         Hampden Charter School of Science West

Finalist:                 Emma Cervasio             Longmeadow High School

Finalist:                 Evan Hero                        Meridian Academy

Finalist:                 Calysa Alba                     Methuen High School

Finalist:                 Rim Badaoui                   Mystic Valley Regional Charter School

Finalist:                 Anna Popnikolova        Nantucket High School

Finalist:                 Ben Fogler                        Needham High School

Finalist:                 Madigan Chubb             Plymouth South High School

Finalist:                 Nicole Cedrone             Rockland High School

 

54 Schools and Organizations participated in Poetry Out Loud Massachusetts 2024, including: Agawam Senior High School; Algonquin Regional High School; Avon Middle High School; Barnstable High School; Boston Latin School; Burlington High School; CATS Academy Boston; Claremont Academy; Codman Academy Charter Public School; Concord Carlisle Regional High School; Dartmouth High School; Dennis Yarmouth Regional High School; Dexter Southfield School; Foxborough Regional Charter School; Framingham High School; Franklin High School; Hampden Charter School of Science West; Hopkinton Center for the Arts; Hull High School; International School of Boston; John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science; Lexington High School; LightHouse Holyoke; Longmeadow High School; Malden High School; Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School; Masconomet Regional High School; Melrose High School; Meridian Academy; Methuen High School; Minnechaug Regional High School; Montrose School; Mystic Valley Regional Charter School; Nantucket High School; Needham High School; New Heights Charter School of Brockton; Newburyport High School; Norwell High School; Plymouth North High School; Plymouth South High School; POETRY at the Care Center; Rockland High School; Roxbury Prep High School; Salem Academy Charter School; Sandwich Middle High School; South Hadley High School; South Shore Charter Public School; St. Sebastian’s School; Sutton Memorial High School; The Commonwealth School; The New England Innovation Academy; The Springfield Renaissance School; Whitman Hanson Regional High School; and Worcester Technical High School. *Formatted in alternating typeface for reading clarity.

 

Healey-Driscoll Administration Celebrates Read Across America Week

 Healey-Driscoll Administration Celebrates Read Across America Week 

Governor Healey Highlights Literacy Launch at Elementary School in Revere  

REVERE - Today the Healey-Driscoll administration celebrated Read Across America Week with students and educators at the A.C. Whelan Elementary School in Revere. Read Across America Week is celebrated beginning on March 2, which coincides with Dr. Seuss’s birthday, encouraging students to read and celebrating the power of literacy as a foundational skill. Members of the Healey-Driscoll administration have been celebrating Read Across America this week to uplift the importance of reading. 

In order to support young readers across Massachusetts, Governor Healey announced Literacy Launch: Reading Success from Age 3 through Grade 3

. This new, multi-year strategy aims to improve early literacy education by expanding access to high-quality, evidence-based reading instruction. Governor Healey has recommended $30 million in her fiscal year 2025 budget for the first year of Literacy Launch, on top of $5 million in continuing early literacy programming from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). “As we celebrate Read Across America this week, we're reminded of the importance of ensuring every student in Massachusetts can read and read well. With Literacy Launch, we are going to give students and educators the tools to do just that,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We are grateful to have the partnership of local districts, like Revere Public Schools, who are taking the right steps to strengthen literacy for their students.” “Learning to read well can set our students up for a lifetime of success – from school to career and beyond,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “That is why we are approaching literacy with urgency in our FY25 budget, so students have access to high quality early literacy curriculum that will set them up to be successful readers.”  Literacy Launch will make high quality early literacy professional development available for K-3 educators in all districts and provide broad scale support for early educators who support

literacy in preschool. The program will be implemented by the Executive Office of Education, in coordination with DESE and the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC). The proposed budget investment will also help approximately 45 school districts transition to a strong, evidence-based literacy program through a competitive grant program, including acquisition of high-quality materials and long-term technical support from DESE. Further, Literacy Launch will update approval criteria and accelerate review timelines for teacher education programs to require evidence-based early literacy training for future educators. 

“We are committed to getting literacy right, because our students deserve the highest quality literacy curriculum and instruction that we can provide,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. “We want to ensure every student develops reading skills which are foundational not only to their education, but to their futures.” 

Literacy Launch builds on existing literacy programming at DESE that has been in high demand. In 2020, DESE released Mass Literacy, a guide with tools and supports for evidence-based early literacy instruction for all of our students. Additionally, under several programs, including Growing Literacy Equity Across Massachusetts (GLEAM) and Accelerating Literacy grants, DESE has been offering opportunities for districts to receive multi-year technical support and funding for improvements in literacy teaching and materials. Across GLEAM elementary schools, there was a 22 percent decrease in students at risk of reading difficulty in grades K-5 in the first 18 months of the program. 

“Literacy Launch is a welcome proposal in an area that’s foundational for student success: early literacy,” said Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley. “It’s critical for schools to get early literacy right, not only for future academic success, but so that students can know the freedom and joy of reading this week and throughout the year.” 

“Educators and families have been eager for additional support for literacy instruction, and we know that a strong start in the early grades sets students up for success,” said DESE Director of Literacy and Humanities Katherine Tarca. “The additional investments from Literacy Launch would bring that support to more schools and students.” 

Revere Public Schools has partnered with DESE in several of these literacy initiatives. This year, the district is participating in DESE’s Dyslexia Institute, which provides Massachusetts educators with best practices on early literacy screening, identification of students with reading challenges, and specialized interventions for students with dyslexia. Revere has also been awarded a GLEAM grant from DESE to support literacy instruction in the secondary grades. “Reading is fundamental to learning - it provides all of us the basic tool we need to choose our path in life,” said Mayor of Revere Patrick Keefe. “We are proud to celebrate reading and literacy today with Governor Healey and Lt Governor Driscoll and their leadership in advancing education for all students in our diverse community.  “The children of Revere have benefitted greatly from several of the literacy initiatives offered by the Governor’s office and DESE,” said Dr. Dianne Kelly, Superintendent of Revere Public Schools. “We are really excited to host Governor Healey this morning to read to our students and promote literacy. Even when I was a high school math teacher, I realized how essential literacy skills were to my students. Without proficient literacy, students can’t access any of the curriculum which is why Literacy Launch is so important – it is the gateway to every student’s success.” 

Members of the Healey-Driscoll administration have been celebrating Read Across America Week, emphasizing the power of literacy and importance of helping young readers succeed, including Secretary Patrick Tutwiler who kicked off this week reading to students in Dorchester, and Commissioner of Early Education and Care Amy Kershaw who read to students at the YMCA in Boston. 

麻州政府斥資2000萬元要讓所有退伍軍人有瓦遮頭

麻州州長Maura Healey要讓麻州在服務退伍軍人上領先全美。
(周菊子攝)

           ( Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 麻州州長奚莉 (Maura Healey) 今 (5)日和退伍軍人事務廳廳長Jon Santiago等政要聯袂宣佈，州政府將撥款2000萬元，推動”結束退伍軍人無家可歸計畫 (The End Veteran Homelessness campaign)”。

宣佈會現場。

奚莉州長和麻州退伍軍人服務廳廳長Jon Santiago，麻州住宅及宜居社區廳廳長Ed Augustus，麻州聯邦眾議員Steven Lynch，麻州參議員Lydia Edwards，波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu)，波士頓市議員Ed Flynn等人，5日下午在波士頓法院街的新英格蘭退伍軍人之家 (New England Center and Home for Veterans in Boston)，聯袂宣佈這訊息，要讓麻州達到”可行零 (functional zero)”的成為全美典範。

奚莉州長表示，麻州致力在退伍軍人服務上成為全美領袖。她很驕傲這天能宣佈推出麻州有史以來在服務退伍軍人上所做的最大筆投資，要讓麻州所有退伍軍人沒人無家可歸。

麻州退伍軍人服務廳廳長Jon Santiago。 (周菊子攝)

麻州退伍軍人服務廳廳長Jon Santiago面帶難以掩蓋的笑容指出，根據統計數據，麻州約有500到600名退伍軍人，在麻州政府拿出有史以來最大筆投資的2000萬元經費下，要讓所有退伍軍人都有瓦遮頭的理想，真的可以達成。他還說明，這一計畫將由聯邦、州、市政府通力合作來實施，包括5種服務內容，要借助”希望 (HOPE)”行動來接觸無家可歸的退伍軍人，並安置他們；要以資金支持退伍軍人居屋，要以讓所有退伍軍人有屋可住為目標，提供相應的支援服務；要組織終結退伍軍人無家可歸顧問委員會；要賦能並支援退伍軍人服務供應者。

麻州退伍軍人服務廳廳長Jon Santiago強調，真的可以做到終結退伍軍人無家可歸。
 (周菊子攝)

波士頓市長Michelle Wu 強調波士頓市最近獲得聯邦政府大力資助，服務退伍軍人。
(周菊子攝)

根據麻州政府資料，在麻州的無家可歸人士中，退伍軍人約佔3%。以時間點 (Point-in-time)計算，約有5到600名退伍軍人無家可歸，這些人通常還面對精神健康，濫用藥物等挑戰。2021年十，麻州議會從”美國援救法 (ARPA)”中撥出2000萬元，支持在地理上公平的退伍軍人住宅。麻州的"終結退伍軍人無家可歸"計畫，將用這筆2000萬元經費來資助給無家可歸退伍軍人的服務，以及居屋等，並確保資源分配到全州各地有需要的是鎮。麻州目前正和Pennrose 建築公司合作，在雀喜市 (Chelsea)的麻州退伍軍人之家旁邊，蓋一棟有220個單位的綜合收入可負擔退伍軍人居屋。

波士頓市長吳弭在致詞時指出，波士頓市也一直都在致力為退伍軍人服務，最近並一連獲得多筆聯邦政府資助，加強這方面的努力。

麻州退伍軍人服務廳廳長Jon Santiago和麻州參議員Lydia Edwards兩人都曾從軍，具後備軍人身份，都強調軍人為保家衛國獻身，照顧他們，就是照顧國家。

亞馬遜及Baby2Baby捐出近7萬尿片2萬4濕紙巾給波士頓公衛局

 Amazon & Baby2Baby Continue Major Nationwide Initiative to Support Children in Need

Nearly one hundred thousand essentials are provided to Boston Public Health Commission 

DETAILS: Amazon and Baby2Baby are uniting to combat the ongoing shortages and soaring costs of essential family products nationwide. Leveraging their robust distribution networks, Baby2Baby is continuing its campaign collaborating with Boston Public Health Commission for a substantial donation of over 69,000 diapers and over 24,000 wipes. This initiative, aimed at easing the strain on thousands of local families, marks a significant stride towards ensuring vital necessities reach those children most in need. 

New shocking data reveals 47% (almost half) of families reported diaper insecurity in 2023. 

“Diapers are expensive and play an important role in a child’s health. But we know there are many young families in our community that are struggling to buy them because costs of living keep rising,” said Jerome Smith, Amazon’s Head of Community Engagement for New England. “At Amazon we’re proud to partner with the Boston Public Health Commission and Baby2Baby on this impactful work to fill the gap and provide diapers and wipes to families who need it most.” 

“The Boston Public Health Commission is immensely thankful for the generous donation of diapers and wipes from Amazon and Baby2Baby,” said Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Commissioner of Public Health of the City of Boston and Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission. “We will give them directly to families in need who are enrolled in our Healthy Baby Health Child program which works to improve the health and well-being of babies and families here in Boston.”

"We are so proud to continue our impactful partnership with Amazon and leverage their unmatched shipping capabilities to further our mission of providing the essentials that every child deserves," said Baby2Baby Co-CEOs, Norah Weinstein and Kelly Sawyer Patricof. "This year alone, we have requests for over one billion diapers for the families we serve. Amazon's generous contribution will help us to deliver millions of diapers and wipes to the most vulnerable communities across the country and ease this burden on parents."

5年1億1110萬元工程 波士頓市William E. Carter學校新校舍封頂

MAYOR WU, SUPERINTENDENT SKIPPER, CITY OFFICIALS CELEBRATE CARTER SCHOOL TOPPING OFF CEREMONY  Topping off marks milestone in the construction of a state-of-the-art facility for BPS’s students with the highest needs

 

BOSTON - Tuesday, March 5, 2024 - Today Mayor Michelle Wu, BPS Superintendent Mary Skipper, the City’s Public Facilities Department, and the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) participated in a topping off ceremony for the new William E. Carter School. The Carter School serves students ages 12-22 with disabilities and complex learning needs. The transformation of the Carter marks a renewed commitment to better serve these students, with more classrooms, a new early childhood program and PreK-12 pathway, a ther apeutic pool, and sensory garden. The new Carter School, located on the site of the former building in the South End, is included in the five-year capital plan for $111 million, including design and construction costs. The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) will reimburse the City of Boston upwards of $30 million for this investment in the district’s students with the highest needs.  “Today’s topping off ceremony gets us one step closer to opening the Carter School that our students, families, and BPS staff deserve,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “This new facility will provide the Carter School community with the learning spaces needed for some of our students with the greatest needs. Together we’re ensuring every BPS student has the opportunities they need to thrive.”  "The topping off of the new Carter School represents a beacon of hope and progress for our students with disabilities and complex learning needs,” said BPS Superintendent Mary Skipper. “I'm proud of and grateful for the work School Leader Mark O’Connor and his dedicated team of educators have done in their current space, and the new facility will enable us to provide even more tailored, comprehensive support, ensuring every student has the resources and environment they need to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally."  "The Carter School's topping off ceremony is a testament to the collaborative efforts of our community, city officials, and educational leaders in prioritizing the needs of our most vulnerable students,” said Boston School Committee Chairperson Jeri Robinson. “This new facility will serve as a cornerstone for innovative education and empowerment for years to come."  Today’s topping off ceremony celebrates the placement of the last beam on the new building, marking the completion of the future school's steel structure. Mayor Wu, City leaders, and Carter School students and staff were at the event to sign the final beam. The design of the new facility will provide a safe, healthy, and inclusive school environment, unlocking each Carter School student’s full potential. The new facility is planned to open for the start of the 2025-2026 school year. Carter students have been using a portion of the Lilla Frederick School while their new space is under construction. Public Facilities, in partnership with BPS and the MSBA, began construction on the new facility in the summer of 2022.  At the Carter School, teachers and therapists work on learning objectives together to provide individualized, intensive education programming for students with the highest needs requiring total personal care. Due to these unique challenges, each classroom is composed of five students, one teacher, and two teaching assistants. The new building will better enable educators to provide an accessible, developmentally appropriate educational environment that includes data driven instruction and individualized services for all students. The new construction will:   ·       Increase the number of classrooms from 5 to 12 classrooms, (increasing the number of students from 25 to 60). ·       Establish a Carter School Early Childhood program and a Pre-K-12 pathway. ·       Include a therapeutic pool that is accessible to all students.  ·       Feature a rooftop outdoor classroom and sensory garden to connect students with the outdoors and provide an engaging environment to support communication development. ·       A literacy commons when students and visitors first enter the building to enforce the school’s mission of developing communication and literacy skills for all students, in alignment with the district goals of equitable literacy instruction for all. ·       Enforce a whole-school design that views every space from the lens of how it can best increase each student’s ability to communicate across all environments.  The Carter School was designed to be a zero net energy building with an emphasis on energy efficiency and green infrastructure to support the City of Boston’s carbon neutrality and sustainability goals. The school’s rooftop garden is designed to absorb rainwater and slow the burden of storm water surge in a city prone to coastal flooding. The garden also mitigates the urban heat island effect in a neighborhood that is unequally burdened by urban overheating. The building’s envelope is designed for increased thermal performance to enhance the energy efficiency of the property. “We are thrilled to have reached this construction milestone! The Carter community deserves a space that reflects its excellence,” said Kerrie Griffin, Director of Public Facilities. “Reaching this step brings us closer to fulfilling our commitment to delivering a contemporary, well-equipped learning environment tailored to the needs of all students.”   The MSBA has been a valued partner for the Carter School and BPS. The design process began in the winter of 2020, with participation from the Carter School students, staff, families, and other community partners. The design process allowed the team to partner with the Carter School community  to remove the facility barriers to Carter student’s education in a way that has never before been possible in the special education field.  “This is an exciting time for students and teachers at the Carter School, and the entire Boston community,” said State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, Chair of the Massachusetts School Building Authority. “The MSBA looks forward to our continued partnership and completing this project, not only meeting the needs and supporting the current student population but generations to come.”