Action For Boston Community Development

ACTION FOR BOSTON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT'S (ABCD) MISSION IS TO BUILD PATHWAYS OUT OF POVERTY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES SO THAT EVERYONE CAN THRIVE.

ABCD'S CHILD CARE CHOICES OF BOSTON (CCCB) SERVES AS THE CHILD CARE RESOURCE AND REFERRAL AGENCY FOR BOSTON, BROOKLINE, CAMBRIDGE, CHELSEA, EVERETT, REVERE, SOMERVILLE AND WINTHROP. CCCB PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN MAKING CHILD CARE WORK FOR EVERYONE BY PROVIDING SUPPORT, RESOURCES, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TRAINING AND CHILD CARE EXPERTISE TO A VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY. IN 2022, CCCB DISTRIBUTED APPROXIMATELY $60 MILLION IN STATE-FUNDED CHILD CARE VOUCHERS TO NEARLY 5,000 FAMILIES WITH MORE THAN 7,200 CHILDREN. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O).

ABCD PROVIDES A VARIETY OF SERVICES TO LOW INCOME FAMILIES AT ITS CENTRAL OFFICES AND THROUGH A NETWORK OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTERS. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES INCLUDE HEALTH SERVICES, HOUSING AND HOMELESS PREVENTION, SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND EMPLOYMENT, FINANCIAL LITERACY, ELDER SERVICES, FOOD PANTRIES, ADULT EDUCATION, FORECLOSURE PREVENTION, TAX PREPARATION AND DROP-IN SERVICES.HEALTH SERVICES REACHED OVER 14,000 INDIVIDUALS WITH DISEASE PREVENTION AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE AND PROVIDED TRAINING AND SUPPORT FOR 35 CLINICS AND HEALTH CENTERS.HOUSING AND HOMELESS PREVENTION HELPS FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HOMELESS OR AT RISK OF LOSING THEIR HOMES TO MAINTAIN OR OBTAIN AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IN 2023, ABCD HELPED 414 FAMILIES HAVE A PLACE TO CALL HOME. ABCD TRAINED VOLUNTEER TAX PREPARERS HELPED 3,103 FAMILIES AND BROUGHT $5.4 MILLION INTO LOCAL HOUSEHOLDS THROUGH FEDERAL TAX REFUNDS AND TAX CREDITS.ON AVERAGE, FOSTER GRANDPARENTS SPEND 20 HOURS A WEEK SHARING THEIR COMPASSION AND WISDOM TO CHILDREN FACING EXTRAORDINARY CHALLENGES INCUDING POVERTY, LEARNING DISABILITIES, AND EVEN HOMELESSNESS.SUMMERWORKS, ABCD'S SUMMER JOBS PROGRAM, PLACES UNDER-RESOURCED BOSTON AREA YOUTH IN PAID POSITIONS AT NONPROFIT EMPLOYER SITES. IN 2023, 566 YOUTH WERE PLACED AT A WORKSITE OVER A SIX-WEEK PERIOD. IN ADDITION, ABCD HELD WORKSHOPS ON INTERVIEWING, BUDGETING, AND OTHER JOB READINESS SKILLS. ABCD OPERATES TWO ALTERNAIVE HIGH SCHOOLS. OSTIGUY HIGH IS A "RECOVERY HIGH SCHOOL" SERVING YOUNG PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE. UNIVERSITY HIGH IS AN ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS STRUGGLING IN TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS. BOTH SCHOOLS OFFER STUDENTS A CHALLENGING EDUCATION AND A CARING ENVIRONMENT WITH SMALL CLASSES AND INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTS.

ABCD'S HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START PROGRAMS HELPED NEARLY 2,300 YOUNG CHILDREN PREPARE FOR SUCCESS IN SCHOOL AND LIFE BY PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY EARLY EDUCATION AND CARE. HEAD START SERVES AS A MODEL FOR EARLY EDUCATION INITIATIVES NATIONALLY, PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES - EDUCATION, HEALTH, NUTRITION, FAMILY SERVICES AND INTENSIVE PARENT ENGAGEMENT, AND ADVOCATES FOR THE NEEDS OF YOUNG CHILDREN FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES.

ABCD'S ENERGY PROGRAM MADE PAYMENTS TO LOCAL VENDORS TO KEEP MORE THAN 15,000 HOUSEHOLDS WARM THIS YEAR. THE ABCD ENERGY CONSERVATION SERVICES PROVIDE VULNERABLE BOSTON HOUSEHOLDS WITH HEATING SYSTEM AND APPLIANCE REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS, WEATHERIZATION, LIGHTING, AND MORE. AS ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS OF LEAN (LOW-INCOME ENERGY AFFORDABILITY NETWORK) AND THE LEAD VENDOR FOR EVERSOURCE, ABCD HELPED TO DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT STATEWIDE PROGRAMS FOR 45,000 LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS UNDER THE MASSACHUSETTS GREEN COMMUNITIES ACT. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O).ABCD MANAGES ROUGHLY $50 MILLION OF SUPPORT FROM NATIONAL GRID, EVERSOURCE GAS, AND EVERSOURCE ELECTRIC TO IMPROVE THE HEATING SYSTEMS IN MULTI-FAMILY APARTMENT BUILDINGS AND COMPLEXES ACROSS THE STATE. ABCD ALSO PROVIDES REFERRAL AND ADVOCACY FOR ELIGIBLE CLIENTS INTERESTED IN REDUCING THEIR ARREARAGES. THE MAJOR UTILITES SERVING ABCD'S GEOGRAPHICAL AREA OFFER ARREARAGE MANAGEMENT PLANS AND ABCD ASSISTS ELIGIBLE CLIENTS TO HAVE A PORTION OF THEIR DEBT FORGIVEN WHILE ADHERRING TO A STRUCTURED PAYMENT PLAN.