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The Changing Face of Poverty
Poverty in Boston is changing, and as a result, the ways in which ABCD responds to poverty are evolving. ABCD’s mission remains the same — providing low-income households with the tools needed for economic success. But a deeper understanding of what poverty means today can make our work more effective.
Poverty is often defined by a single number: the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), as shown in this chart prepared by the Massachusetts Poverty Law Advocates. In the City of Boston today, there are about 115,600 people living at or below 100% of the poverty line, a rate of 17.9%. This shorthand way to talk about poverty doesn’t tell the whole story; far from it. For example, a minimum wage worker in Massachusetts earns $14.25 an hour; at 40 hours per week, he or she makes $29,640 annually. A single person with this income lives at about 200% of the FPL, but is certainly under great economic strain, as are many households at 300%, 400% and even 500% of FPL.
Some other ways that today’s poverty is much more complex than a single number and very different from what we have seen in the past include:
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MassHire Metro North Career Centers Win
Bronze Award
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In August, the ABCD-operated MassHire Metro North Career Centers (MNCC) won the Jobs for Veterans State Grants Program (JVSG) Bronze Award. In addition to the recognition, the award comes with a cash prize which will be spent on adding capacity to serve veterans. Each year, the Massachusetts Department of Career Services recognizes great work within the field including the JVSG. On July 1, 2020, ABCD won a four-year contract to operate the MNCC.
The JVSG Incentive Awards recognize the efforts of an entire Metro North Career Center that demonstrates:
- Improvement and modernization of employment
- Training and placement services for Veterans
- Reward and celebration of excellence in priority of service
- Development and delivery of best practice techniques
- Improved performance outcomes for Veterans.
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Cambridge Savings Bank Awards ABCD
$50,000 for Food Security
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In May, after an initial request of $10,000, Cambridge Savings Bank awarded ABCD $50,000 to support our food security programming for FY 2022. We are extremely grateful for this generous donation! Last year, ABCD provided clients with 206,481 meals. Funding from Cambridge Savings Bank will help improve the quantity, quality, choice and cultural relevance of food in our clients’ monthly food pantry baskets.
Quantity:
Food insecurity is a major concern for the vast majority of Massachusetts households living in poverty. The problem is more severe in Eastern Massachusetts. A May 2019 report by Feeding America revealed that Massachusetts has the highest food costs in the country, with residents of Eastern Massachusetts bearing the burden of the highest food costs in the Commonwealth.
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Cambridge Savings Bank President and CEO, Wayne Patenaude, and ABCD President and CEO Sharon Scott-Chandler. |
(L–R) ABCD Senior Grant Writer, Allie Richards, ABCD President and CEO, Sharon Scott-Chandler, Cambridge Savings Bank President and CEO, Wayne Patenaude, ABCD Director of Field Operations and Legislative Affairs, Josh Young, Cambridge Savings Bank Vice President of Community Relations and Foundation Officer, Jeri Foutter | |
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Welcome ABCD's New Director of Health Services,
Nancy Paladino
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Nancy Paladino, M.Ed., RD. recently joined ABCD as director of health services. In her new role, Nancy will support existing staff and programs while working to build the team. Health Services is renewing partnerships and enhancing ABCD Health Services presence in the field. Nancy is looking forward to working with the Health Services team to enhance and expand family planning services and reinvigorate ABCD’s community prevention programs.
Prior to ABCD, Nancy worked as a consultant for the Boston Public Health Commission. She functioned in various roles throughout the pandemic, such as overseeing COVID response grant programming supporting homeless services, and increasing access to COVID testing and vaccine clinics in underserved neighborhoods.
In 2016, Nancy became Practice Manager at Cambridge Health Alliance where she was responsible for the daily operation of a health clinic that offered primary care, integrated mental health and other ancillary services.
Prior to that, Nancy worked for the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program as director for the multi-disciplinary family team that provided outreach health care services to Boston-based families who were homeless.
She began her career at the South Boston Community Health Center as Women’s Infants and Children’s registered dietitian and then as a primary care dietitian.
In her free time, Nancy enjoys traveling locally and abroad with friends and family.
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ABCD Celebrates the 49th
Annual Women's Equality Day
Offers Early Voting Site
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In 1973, the U.S. Congress designated August 26th as Women’s Equality Day, to commemorate women being granted the right to vote in 1920, through the certification of the 19th Amendment which states that, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” In 2022, Women’s Equality Day not only commemorates passage of the 19th Amendment, but also calls attention to women’s continuing efforts toward full equality.
To highlight the importance and relevance of women’s right to vote, ABCD President and CEO Sharon Scott-Chandler cited a Knight Foundation study that found that 53% of non-voters are women; minorities comprise 34% of that group and tend to be lower income.
“In more than 100 years since our foremothers won the right to vote and have a say about their lives in this country, more than 50% of women aren’t voting. How can we change that?” Scott-Chandler said. “When you’re struggling to make ends meet or feeling left out of the system that is supposed to represent you, broader political issues can take a back seat. ABCD has always provided services that strengthen underserved and under-represented women and communities, and we’ll continue to do so. As a Community Action Agency, core to our mission is catering to and amplifying the voices of lower-income and marginalized communities. Their engagement and votes have meaningful impact,” she said.
As recent legislation and court decisions have highlighted, legislators vote on wide-ranging issues that substantially impact the lives of women, like maternity leave, universal pre-K, access to contraceptives, abortion and equal pay. As a result, a woman’s right to vote has never been more important.
On Thursday, September 1, 2022, ABCD hosted Early Voting at the Thelma D. Burns Building where nearly 200 voters cast their ballot. Boston residents’ votes will be tallied as part of the September 6th Massachusetts primary.
Last month, the City of Boston added 20 new voting precincts for the upcoming election to improve access and equity in voting. Local polling sites across the state can be found by visiting sec.state.ma.us/WhereDoIVoteMA/WhereDoIVote.
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Neighborhood Service Centers Distribute Over 400 School Supply Filled Backpacks | |
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Through a partnership with Volunteers of America Massachusetts,
Shipt and Greystar, the ABCD Dorchester Neighborhood Service Center provided students of all ages with much needed back to school items.
At the ABCD Fall Block Party, a combined event between the Dorchester Neighborhood Service Center and the Roxbury / North Dorchester Neighborhood Opportunity Center, 150 of those 400 supply-filled backpacks were distributed.
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ABCD in Action: Featured Videos
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ABCD Head Start is Hiring! "Head Start is more than a job, it's a privilege," says eacher Sherry Hall | |
ABCD Clothing Drive Helps Boston Residents Save During Inflation | |
Contact ABCD Connect for information about programs and services. | |
Insight Editor: Jamie McIver Layout: Darren Szeto | |
Action for Boston Community Development | 617.348.6000 | bostonabcd.org | | | | | |
