ABCD assists low-income residents of Greater Boston to stabilize and improve their lives and move out of poverty by providing programs and services at its central offices and through a network of service centers. In 2016, these services reached 108,850 low-income individuals representing 87,570 households and included:
ASSET DEVELOPMENT: Helped 5,648 households with free tax assistance, returning
$8,904,833 to poor communities in refunds and the Earned Income Tax Credit.
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION & CARE: Reached 3,399 preschoolers, infants,
and toddlers with Head Start. Helped 9,274 families access child care through referral and voucher programs.
EDUCATION & CAREER DEVELOPMENT FOR ADULTS: Provided 719 individuals with ESOL courses. Enabled 170 students to graduate with Associate’s Degrees or certificates. Provided 458 individuals with job assistance and helped 345 adults obtain jobs.
ELDER SERVICES: Helped 351 seniors maintain independent lives through case management and other services. Provided 478 seniors with hot meals and snacks. Distributed food to 475 elders through the Senior Brown Bag Program.
ENERGY ASSISTANCE: Assisted 18,986 households obtain LIHEAP benefits, helped
1,148 lower their energy bills with weatherization services and heating system upgrades, and provided 2,261 single family households with appliance audits and product upgrades.
FOOD SECURITY: Prepared 508,893 meals for children in Head Start, reached 4,197 families through emergency food pantries, distributed 723,596 pounds of food, and
helped 104 households obtain SNAP benefits.
HEALTH SERVICES: Reached 25,227 individuals with disease prevention and reproductive health care. Administered 3,675 HIV tests to community members. Provided 2,240 vision tests, 2,048 hearing screenings and 2,186 dental exams to pre-schoolers, infants, and toddlers.
HOUSING & HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION SERVICES: Helped 65 families prevent foreclosure, provided housing assistance and stabilization services to 2,434 households, and helped 368 households obtain or maintain housing.
IMMIGRATION SERVICES: Helped 721 individuals complete US citizenship applications, assisted 423 individuals obtain US citizenship and 24 individuals obtain permanent residency.
VOLUNTEER SUPPORT: Recruited 1,957 volunteers who donated 172,063 hours to ABCD and our customers.
YOUTH PROGRAMS: Educated 246 youth in alternative high schools and connected 1,040 youth with summer employment and 207 youth with year-round employment.
HOLIDAY JOY: Distributed holiday toys to 6,500 children. Provided 692 families with 12,075 pounds of food for the holidays through the Holiday Meals Program, and secured 144 families for participation in the ABCD Adopt-a-Family program.
ABCD’S REACH
ABCD supports low-income residents as well as the economy in which they live by investing resources into communities:
ABCD serves residents of 126 cities and towns across the Commonwealth, with 20 cities and towns comprising our core service area.
ABCD invested $173 million dollars in the economy throughout the Commonwealth.
ABCD employed 978 individuals, making it one of the largest employers in the
City of Boston.