Students at ABCD’s two alternative high schools, Ostiguy High and University High, come from an array of backgrounds, but they all share one trait in common: a desire to get their lives back on track and to enter adulthood with all of the tools they need to succeed. ABCD is proud to be there for these students as they work…
ABCD has recently been notified of a generous grant from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to expand the capacity of its English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program. The new DESE grant supports a 33% increase in capacity through the addition of five classes, enabling 72 additional students to enroll in classes. ABCD currently offers…
Ten years ago, the man who led ABCD for 41 of his 45 years with the organization passed away. Robert M. Coard, renowned as a builder of social institutions, was a catalyst in the national community action movement launched with the passage of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. Robert Coard “had ideas that the city could be better, that…
On Friday, November 8th, ABCD held its annual Community Heroes Celebration (CHC) at the Boston Marriott Copley Place. Over a thousand people from all sectors, including business, government and not for profit, and people from different communities gathered in the hotel’s Grand Ballroom for a night of celebration and comradery. Emceed by WCVB’s Karen Holmes Ward, the CHC highlighted the…
This summer’s Youth Engaged in Action (YEA!) graduation was part celebration and part conference as groups from each Boston, Malden, Medford and Everett neighborhood shared their “Photo Voice” projects. YEA! is all about direct experience, and these 13-year-olds conducted field research not only to identify critical issues affecting their communities but to recommend solutions. The 2019 YEA! class of 100…
In a room filled with excitement and anticipation for the start of another new school year, the ABCD Head Start & Children’s Services Summer Welcome Back Citywide event on August 14th successfully balanced business with pleasure. Among the business items covered at the large gathering at the Marriott Boston Copley Place hotel were a presentation on the program’s Five Year…
Do you crank up the tunes in your earbuds? Attend noisy sporting events? Work in a noise-polluted environment? A recent New Yorker article cautions that noise pollution may be the next big health crisis. Having anticipated that, ABCD Health Services and ABCD Board Vice Chair James A. Owens, Jr. created the “Lower the Sound, Save Your Hearing” public awareness campaign….
Recognizing the emotional value pets bring to people who struggle to get by, ABCD announced a groundbreaking partnership with the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) to bring high-quality, low-cost pet wellness care to residents of Dorchester, Roxbury and Mattapan. On July 10th a ribbon cutting ceremony took place for the new Wellness Waggin’, a mobile veterinary clinic equipped with…
ABCD continued to strike a productive balance between invaluable experience and fresh perspectives in electing new and returning board officers and new directors at our June 26th Board of Directors meeting. The organization also recognized Jean M. Babcock who joined the board 44 years ago and stepped down from the role of Treasurer after 20 years. She remains as an active board member….
For most young people, getting their first job—often a summer job—is a fundamental step as they move toward adulthood, laying the foundation on which they can build future careers. However, in many low-income neighborhoods, summer job opportunities are almost nonexistent. ABCD’s SummerWorks program responds to this problem, helping hundreds of low-income Boston teens every year to get a paid summer…