James O. Taylor and John P. Cradock,
The city of Boston has long been a leader in providing world-class health care, but back in the early 1970s residents of East Boston hardly benefited from the city’s medical reputation.For those of us who remember the old relief station on Porter Street as the only place to get health care quickly, the EB Neighborhood Health Center was a great gift when it was established in 1970. Thank you Dr. Taylor and Mr. Cradock!
The neighborhood lacked primary care doctors, and its isolated location with limited access to the rest of Boston meant residents sometimes had to travel up to two hours via public transportation for treatment.
Community members wanted something better and envisioned a facility that would serve the area’s diverse population without sacrificing quality. Their efforts led to the creation in 1970 of the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center.
Dr. James O. Taylor worked with the first board of directors to help launch the center. John P. Cradock joined the center in 1978 as the administrative director. Their leadership has helped the EBNHC become a cornerstone of the East Boston community as well as a model for the delivery of health care services, all while providing a wide range of health-related services that have expanded dramatically during the past four decades.
Rita Sorrento, chairman of the center’s board of directors, dubs the pair the “dynamic duo.”
“It’s very appropriate, if you knew them personally. They complement each other,” Sorrento said. “And they’re both so compassionate and committed to our mission and to East Boston.”
Taylor and Cradock came to the health center with a passion for serving the underserved.
“What we share is a philosophy about how people should be cared for, and we both have a deep personal commitment to people who haven’t had a break in their lives, people who are underserved, or immigrants, the elderly,” Cradock said. “We both have the deepest commitment about making people’s lives better.”
