Mayor Walsh Announces New Federal Funding to Assist Boston’s Homeless
HUD Continuum of Care Program awards Boston second round of funding
BOSTON—Mayor Martin J. Walsh, along with Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Deputy Regional Administrator Kristine Foye and Boston’s Department of Neighborhood Development Director Sheila Dillon, announced that the City of Boston has received an additional $1.2 million to provide permanent and transitional housing for 60 formerly homeless individuals and families. The new award is part of HUD’s Continuum of Care program, which awarded $140 million in grants yesterday to nearly 900 homeless assistance programs across the country.
"My administration is committed to ending chronic homelessness in Boston, and this funding will enable us to provide critical, additional services to this population," Mayor Walsh said. "I want to thank the HUD for providing us with these sorely needed and very much appreciated resources."
This award announcement also includes funding for a new permanent supportive housing project, to be managed by the Pine Street Inn, which will provide housing for 11 chronically homeless individuals, and a planning grant that will help the City coordinate housing and services to homeless individuals and families.
Yesterday's grant announcement was the second part of a two-phased award process that has granted more than $23 million to homelessness programs in Boston to provide housing and services to homeless individuals and families. In April, HUD awarded the City of Boston more than $22.3 million in the first round of funding for 49 local homeless housing and service programs. This funding ensured that local projects would remain operational, providing critically needed housing and support services to more than 2,000 people and families experiencing homelessness.
"Today homeless assistance programs in Boston will join the thousands of local programs across the country that are on the front lines ending homelessness as we know it," said Kristine Foye, HUD New England Deputy Regional Administrator.
For more information about the awards can be found on HUD’s website.
星期五, 6月 20, 2014
MIRA, ENB 徵聘 30 名 AmeriCorps 職工
Apply today for the AmeriCorps "New American Integration Program"
The MIRA Coalition is happy to invite interested individuals to apply to participate in this initiative. The Massachusetts AmeriCorps "New American Integration Program" (NAIP) is an opportunity to serve immigrants and refugees while building and utilizing your professional skills. NAIP is accepting applications from individuals wanting to serve as fulltime AmeriCorps members for the 2014-2015 year. The Massachusetts Office for Refugees and Immigrants (ORI), the MIRA Coalition, and English for New Bostonians (ENB) are partnered to place 30 AmeriCorps members at immigrant and refugee serving organizations throughout Massachusetts. A NAIP AmeriCorps member commits to a full-time, eleven-month service position while receiving a modest living allowance, health benefits, and training.
Click here to apply. Please feel free to forward this opportunity to your networks.
As an AmeriCorps NAIP member you will assist immigrants and refugees in their efforts to gain economic stability and fully integrate by improving their English skills, becoming US citizens, and connecting with community resources. Additionally, you will become a member of a capable AmeriCorps NAIP volunteers Corps, many of whom are from the immigrant and refugee community. Through high quality training and experience, NAIP AmeriCorps members will become skilled and passionate service providers, educators, interpreters and advocates. Lastly, by spearheading volunteer programs at each site, you will create a highly visible volunteer “brigade” to engage community volunteers on a large scale to address urgent educational and social needs.
Applications to become a NAIP AmeriCorps member will be reviewed on a rolling basis upon submission.
Click here to unsubscribe
美國醫療護理服務（Medicare, Medicaid）徵市場執行長，技術長
Secretary Burwell announces steps to bolster management and accountability ahead of the 2015 open enrollment period
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Today Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell announced a series of management changes designed to strengthen the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. This new management structure comes in response to lessons learned from the rollout of HealthCare.gov and recommendations put forth to the Secretary. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will have a new operations-focused Principal Deputy Administrator for agency-wide policy and operational program coordination. CMS will also have a single Marketplace Chief Executive Officer (CEO). In addition to the Marketplace CEO, CMS is announcing and actively recruiting a Marketplace Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
“These actions will bolster our team and further instill ongoing accountability for reaching milestones, measuring results and delivering results for the American people,” said Secretary Burwell. “Under this new structure, we bring additional operational and technological fire power and have a clear single point of contact in the Marketplace CEO to streamline decision-making.”
Andy Slavitt will join the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as the agency’s Principal Deputy Administrator, bringing a wealth of private sector experience to oversee day-to-day agency program operations. As Principal Deputy Administrator, Slavitt will be responsible for cross cutting policy and operational coordination for the agency’s Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP and Marketplace initiatives; combatting health care fraud; reforming health care delivery; and improving health outcomes.
Slavitt joins CMS after spending more than 20 years in the private sector. Most recently he served as Group Executive Vice President for Optum where he oversaw the delivery of clinical, technology and operational solutions to health care clients and consumers. Slavitt was the top day-to-day executive leading the systems integration work and tech surge to fix HealthCare.gov.
“Andy’s breadth of experience throughout the healthcare sector makes him the right person for this role, and I am excited for our partnership across all of the CMS programs. He will focus on managing day-to-day operational issues across all of our programs and be a key part of our leadership team,” said CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner.
CMS is also recruiting two leaders to fill key roles:
These individuals, who will also work directly with Secretary Burwell, and Administrator Tavenner will be accountable for policy development and technical operations of the federal Health Insurance Marketplace, working closely with a variety of stakeholders and states on ongoing implementation efforts.
Secretary Burwell and CMS Administrator Tavenner believe these steps will build on the implementation progress to date and best position CMS and HHS to carry out their mission of providing access to quality, affordable health coverage for millions of Americans in the months and years ahead.
These CMS personnel actions come at the same time as Kurt DelBene, who is the Secretary’s Senior Advisor on HealthCare.gov, transitions away from day-to-day management of the technical work with a strong CMS team in place. DelBene’s leadership played a pivotal role in making sure HealthCare.gov’s site performance supported the record-high consumer demand experienced through the close of the 2014 open enrollment period. His work was instrumental in instituting a disciplined approach to ongoing software development and conducting a thorough prioritization of work needed for the future. Designed as a temporary assignment since he began, DelBene will leave HHS at the end of the month as planned. In the remaining weeks, he will assist the Secretary as part of the leadership transition.
“I am grateful for Kurt’s expertise and commitment to our work. His efforts helped enable millions of Americans to successfully access quality, affordable health care coverage in this historic time period and put us on a path for continued success,” said Secretary Burwell.
Added CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner: “Secretary Burwell and I are excited to welcome Andy to our team and work in partnership to improve access to health care and improve the quality of care for so many Americans. He brings a wealth of experience to strengthen our team and is ready to hit the ground running. We are also deeply grateful for Dr. Mandy Cohen’s continued leadership as our Acting Director of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight as we recruit permanent leadership moving forward.”
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John Hancock MLK暑期工項目將聘650波市青少年
Mayor Walsh Kicks Off the John Hancock’s MLK Summer Scholars Jobs Program
Former
Celtic Chris Herren, and Corporate and Civic Leaders join Mayor Walsh
in launching one of the Largest Corporate-Based Teen Summer Jobs
Programs
BOSTON—Mayor
Martin J. Walsh today joined John Hancock President Craig Bromley and
former Celtics player and motivational speaker Chris Herren to kick off
the seventh year of the company’s MLK Summer Jobs Program, a major
component of the Mayor’s Summer Jobs Program and the City’s efforts to
employ Boston youth. John Hancock’s MLK Summer Jobs Program employs 650
Boston teens.
"John
Hancock's MLK Summer Scholars’ Program understands the critical need
for us, as business and community leaders, to take the lead in providing
our City youth with meaningful opportunities,” said Mayor Walsh. “I am
thankful for the collaborative efforts of all of our partners to shape
the future of Boston in this way."
Mayor
Walsh has made youth summer employment a priority, challenging
businesses to partner with the City to increase employment opportunities
for Boston's youth. John Hancock continues to be a top supporter in
directly hiring youth and also placing youth in meaningful job
opportunities throughout the community. In conjunction with the Mayor’s
Summer Jobs Program, John Hancock works in close partnership with the
Boston Globe, Boston University, and Partners HealthCare to offer the
unique Summer Scholars program.
Mayor
Walsh addressed young scholars at a kick-off event today at John
Hancock’s headquarters in South Boston. The event also included a
motivational appearance by former Celtics player Chris Herren, who urged
the participants to take full advantage of the opportunity. Following
the speaking program, the teens participated in an interactive exercise,
engaging one-on-one with the Mayor, Herren, other business and civic
leaders, and each other.
This
summer, the million-dollar plus program will employ 650 Scholars who
will work at 79 non-profit agencies in neighborhoods throughout the
City. Along with gaining valuable paid work experience, the Scholars
also attend a series of life skills workshops. Today’s kick-off served
as the first workshop of the summer.
“As
a company headquartered in Boston, it is important to our community and
our business that young people get a chance to learn how to work and
build skills at an early age, " said Hancock’s Bromley. “With school
letting out and teen unemployment rates at historically high levels,
John Hancock is proud to once again offer 650 teens meaningful
employment this summer at non-profit organizations throughout our city."
“At
Partners HealthCare and our hospitals, our work includes addressing the
social factors that influence people’s health,” said Gary Gottlieb,
M.D., President and CEO, Partners HealthCare. “John Hancock’s MLK
Scholars program addresses two of these very important factors:
education and jobs. This collaboration is an opportunity to nurture our
young people and encourage them to explore pathways in both of these
areas of their lives and we are honored to be a part of this
experience.”
"The
Boston Globe has sponsored the MLK Summer Scholars program since it
started because it effectively addresses urban youth unemployment and
job training," said Mike Sheehan, CEO of The Boston Globe. "We wish all
the young people who will be working for nonprofits this summer the
best of experiences."
"The
Martin Luther King Summer Scholars Program is a wonderful opportunity
for young people to gain experience and develop skills they will use in
both their careers and academic pursuits. We are proud to continue our
tradition of supporting this great program," said Dr. Robert A. Brown,
President, Boston University.
紅襪小聯盟開季 7/13放映“夢田（Field of Dreams)
FUTURES AT FENWAY
AND “FIELD OF DREAMS” SCREENING
PRESENTED BY MITSUBISHI TO TAKE PLACE
SUNDAY, JULY 13, AT FENWAY PARK
BOSTON, MA – The Red Sox will host the 9th annual “Futures at Fenway” minor league game and screen the popular movie “Field of Dreams” at Fenway Park on Sunday, July 13. The day-long event is presented by Mitsubishi.
This
year’s minor league game features Boston’s short-season Single-A
affiliate, the Lowell Spinners, who will make their sixth appearance at
Futures at Fenway taking on the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, affiliate of
the Cleveland Indians. The minor league game is presented by Minuteman
Health.
For
the second straight year, fans are welcome to bring their dogs to the
ballpark for the game. A dog parade and “Best in Show” competition
judging the best dog in the parade will precede the game.
Approximately
30 minutes after the conclusion of the game, fans can enjoy “Field of
Dreams” on the video board. This year marks the 25th
anniversary of the 1989 story that stars Kevin Costner and James Earl
Jones, features Amy Madigan, Ray Liotta, Burt Lancaster, and Dwier
Brown, and includes a memorable scene filmed at Fenway Park.
中華民俗藝術工作坊“龍鳳傳說”美不勝收
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| 中華民俗藝術工作坊團長張昆（後左一起），駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處處長洪慧珠，中華藝術協會藝術 總監陳玉律和民藝坊團員們在演出結束後合影。（周菊子攝） |
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| 中華民俗藝術工作坊團長張昆（左一起），迎接贊助商孔廣詩， 駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處處長洪慧珠，中華藝術協會藝術總監 陳玉律，波士頓華僑文教中心主任郭大文等人到會。（周菊子攝） |
中華民俗藝術工作坊是張昆，黃美晴夫婦創辦，以十二至十八歲青少年為對象，教他們舞蹈，擊鼓，扯鈴，舞獅等中國傳統文化藝術的非牟利組織，2005年時得過美國總統義工服務獎的金級青少年組織表揚。
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| 中華民俗藝術工作坊女團員謝幕。（周菊子攝） |
該團目前共有團員42人，其中十八名男生，廿四名女生。團長張昆經常驕傲指出，和坊間同類團體相比，該團最大特色是男生很多，家長非常熱心。
在當天表演的舞目中，以台灣民謠“丟丟佟”配樂的“香甜的滋味”，以及男生一襲白色輕紗長袍，女生紫蘭裙裝的“平傘相歡”，金光閃閃的“龍鳳呈祥”這三場男女合舞，就最能展現該團男女生人數相當的特色。
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| 團員演出“黎鄉笠影”。（周菊子攝） |
不少觀眾訝異表示，想不到這些男生在陽剛的舞龍舞獅打鼓之外，跳這些要展現柔力的舞蹈，也一樣不遜色。
日前在瑞吉斯學院舉行的這場2014年度公演，由早已從工作坊畢業的張捷，張力這兩兄弟主持，共安排有十二項節目，包括“鼓舞奔騰”，“花開時節”，“功夫少年”，“醉舞紅扇”，“翔龍在天”，“彩蝶嬉春”，“香甜的滋味”，“平傘相歡”，“祥獅獻瑞”，“黎鄉笠影”，“活鈴活現”，““絹花飛舞”，“龍鳳呈祥”等。
演出服裝的姿彩亮麗程度，比去年更加豐富，尤其是呼應演出主題“龍鳳傳說”的最後一場“龍鳳呈祥”舞，十幾，廿名團員穿著金紅搭配的緊身舞衣，營造出頗令人震撼的現場氣氛。
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| “龍鳳呈祥”的舞服，十分現代化，顏色極為搶眼。（周菊子攝） |
團長張昆提及舞服時掩不住喜悅地表示，那都是他的另一半，黃美晴設計，分別在台灣，中國大陸定做的。其中一，二套以前用過，但經家長協助，拆掉袖子，加繡裝飾，又成新的了。
當晚出席的觀眾，有社區人士，團員的家人，老師，同學。駐波士頓臺北經濟文化辦事處處長洪慧珠，副處長陳銘俊，波士頓華僑文教中心主任郭大文，以及贊助商，豐田汽車代理公司的柯麟，孔廣詩等人，也應邀在座。
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| “功夫少年“是全男生的舞蹈，讓人見到中華民俗藝術工作坊團裏男生 真不少。（周菊子攝） |
共同團長黃美晴透露，該團成立多年後，已小有名氣，演出邀約多到幾乎每個週末都得出勤，也去遍了麻州各私立學校，今年上半年就演出不下25場。不過日前這場公演，以團員們自己的老師，同學及親友為主要對象，對團員們來說，意義格外不同。
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| “平傘相歡“這舞蹈，連男舞者的服裝都很輕柔。（周菊子攝） |
女兒吳宇瑄也是團員，當晚在會場當帶位義工的吳興偉表示，他家住在麻州中部，每週五晚到屋本市接送女兒排練，週末再接送女兒去參加表演，的確很花時間，但看到女兒因此更接近中華傳統文化，結交到一群知心朋友，就覺得一切付出都很值得。
中華民俗藝術工作坊今年有三名男生畢業，刻正接受新團員報名。有意者可洽cfawboston@gmail.com。
六月, 台青商、Map for Health 談同志
六月是美國同性戀月，麻州在六月十六日舉行了同性戀遊行（Boston
Pride Parade）後，“健康地圖（MAP for Health）”將於六月廿七日（週五）放映陳偉健執導，拍攝的“承諾”一片來籌款，新英格蘭台灣青商會將於六月廿八日（週六）舉辦講座，說同志故事。
麻州是在2004年五月十七日時，成為全美第一個發出同性戀者結婚證書的州，比加州的腳步還快。一般美國人也大半支持婚姻平權，
新英格蘭台灣青商會（TYCCNE）表示，一份2012
年向亞裔美國人做的調查卻指出，亞裔只有
37% 支持婚姻平權，48% 反對。其中，第二代移民、教育程度較高、英文能力較好的亞裔，比較更能接受同性婚姻。凸顯出同志議題不只是社會問題，更有文化與世代的鴻溝。
該會因此決定在六月廿八日下午四點至六點半時，在麻省理工學院的Maclaurin大樓，4-231教室，舉辦
“我們會晤（WeMeet）“活動，以「摩登家庭：從親子教養、青年成長與醫療健康看亞裔同志生命故事」為主題，邀陳子良與思鐸 (Lance and Stuart Chen-Hayes) 這對台灣，美國男同志伴侶，分享他們相守 20 年、成家育子的故事。
該一講座還將邀請大波士頓同志家屬親友會執行長Pam Garramone 從同志家長與朋友的角度，討論大波士頓地區平權運動的展望。“健康地圖（MAP for Health ）“社群發展協調者Tina
Oza 將討論如何促進少數族裔同志年輕人照顧健康。中央研究院副研究員吳全峰博士將從法律觀點解析生育權益。報名可上網http://goo.gl/SkHtx3。
“健康地圖（MAP for Health ）“為籌措營運經費，推出的”眾籌(crowdfunding)“項目，也訂六月廿七日（週五）晚六至八點，在Make Shift Boston專場放映陳偉健（Albert
M. Chan）編劇，執導，演出，得過獎的“承諾（The Commitment）“一片。查詢可上網https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/map-crowdfunding-drive-and-film-screening.。
圖片說明：
陳子良，思鐸他們的孩子。（圖由新英格蘭台灣青年商會提供）
“承諾”一片劇照。（圖由陳偉健提供）
WASHINGTON—The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) joins the National Queer Asian Pacific American Alliance (NQAPIA) and other member organizations of the National Coalition for Asian Pacific Americans in celebrating Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month throughout June.
“Pride Month honors the LGBT communities’ historical struggles and accomplishments while also celebrating the nation’s continued efforts to secure equal rights for all,” said Kathy Ko Chin, president and CEO of APIAHF. “We are proud to honor the legacy of contributions and achievements by previous and current APIAHF staff who identify as LGBT.”
“LGBT Asians Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders still experience homophobia, racism, and gender identity-based discrimination when accessing public health and health care services,” said Ed Tepporn, vice president of community strategies at APIAHF. “This can lead to delays in accessing care or receiving less than quality care or treatment.”
For over 20 years, APIAHF has worked to address health challenges and disparities in LGBT communities, including HIV/AIDS, cancer, hepatitis, and tobacco cessation. APIAHF currently provides HIV prevention-related capacity building assistance to community-based organizations (CBOs) and health departments across the nation with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Learn more at www.apiahf.org.
APIAHF Celebrates LGBT Pride Month
WASHINGTON—The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) joins the National Queer Asian Pacific American Alliance (NQAPIA) and other member organizations of the National Coalition for Asian Pacific Americans in celebrating Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month throughout June.
“Pride Month honors the LGBT communities’ historical struggles and accomplishments while also celebrating the nation’s continued efforts to secure equal rights for all,” said Kathy Ko Chin, president and CEO of APIAHF. “We are proud to honor the legacy of contributions and achievements by previous and current APIAHF staff who identify as LGBT.”
“LGBT Asians Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders still experience homophobia, racism, and gender identity-based discrimination when accessing public health and health care services,” said Ed Tepporn, vice president of community strategies at APIAHF. “This can lead to delays in accessing care or receiving less than quality care or treatment.”
For over 20 years, APIAHF has worked to address health challenges and disparities in LGBT communities, including HIV/AIDS, cancer, hepatitis, and tobacco cessation. APIAHF currently provides HIV prevention-related capacity building assistance to community-based organizations (CBOs) and health departments across the nation with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Learn more at www.apiahf.org.
星期四, 6月 19, 2014
Massachusetts Minimum Wage Increase Leaves 120,000 Tipped Workers Behind
麻州眾議會十八日以124比24票，通過法案，同意在未來三年間，把最低時薪提高到十一元，增幅達31%。
上星期，麻州參議會以35票比4票，通過該案。該法案將在通過兩會的法規投票這額外程序後，交付麻州州長派區克（Deval
Patrick）簽署。
派區克表示，參眾兩會在這一法案上做了相當好的妥協。事實上，該法案的最低時薪增加到十一元的速度，比某些活躍分子藉選票問題所倡議的還快。
該一最低時薪調整法案，要求在2015年一月一日時，把最低時薪從現有的八元增加到九元，之後每年條漲一元，直到2007年調到十一元。小費工人的最低時薪，將從現有的二元六角三分，到2007年時調整為三元七角五分。
麻州眾議會勞工及人力發展委員會共同主席康若伊（Thomas Conroy）表示，這是從1999年以來，小費工人第一次調漲時薪。
餐館機會中心（Restaurant
Opportunities Centers)昨日表示，儘管麻州的把最低時薪從現在的八元，提高到2017年時的十一元，將使麻州成為美國最低時薪最高的一州，但麻州小費工人的最低薪資提到每小時3.65元，卻將仍是低得可憐。
該中心指出，麻州小費工人目前的2.63元最低時薪，僅比聯邦政府的額度高50分而已。一旦提高，將是十五年來的第一次調漲。
該中心還指出，麻州內的小費工人有66%是女性，各州侍應生也絕大部分是女性。小費工人的最低薪資調漲幅度太低，和沒調整沒太大差別，將讓這些從業人員繼續的極端仰賴顧客大方以維持生活，繼續忍受各種的顧客性騷擾。
Massachusetts Minimum Wage Increase Leaves 120,000 Tipped Workers Behind
Boston, MA -- Although Massachusetts is poised to have the highest state minimum wage in the country by raising its current $8 minimum wage to $11 per hour by 2017, the state’s tipped minimum wage would remain abysmally low at a proposed $3.65 an hour. Yesterday, the bill was approved by the State House of Representatives and Democratic Governor Deval Patrick is expected to sign.
The state’s current tipped minimum wage is $2.63 which is just $.50 cents more than the federal tipped minimum wage of $2.13 an hour. The proposed $1.02 increase would be the first raise in 15 years for Massachusetts’s tipped workers. Currently, their median wage (including tips) is $9 an hour.
“Sixty-six percent of tipped workers in Massachusetts are women. Servers are overwhelmingly women in every state. With a base wage as low as this bill’s proposed $3.65 an hour, women will remain dependent on the largesse of customers for their livelihood,” said Saru Jayaraman, co-founder and co-director of Restaurant Opportunities Centers (ROC) United. “In addition to low and unpredictable pay, servers across the country have told us about having to put up with all kinds of sexual harassment from customers because they are dependent on tips. When tipped workers get left out of minimum wage increases, or in Massachusetts’s case, the increase is so low it amounts to no difference on a server’s paycheck, it is women who suffer. It’s time for one fair minimum wage.”
The restaurant industry has been targeted by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission as the single-largest source of sexual harassment charges filed by women. Nationally, servers use food stamps at double the rate of the rest of the US workforce and are three-times as likely to live in poverty.
Find more information about Massachusetts’s tipped workforce here: http://rocunited.org/state-of-
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