East Boston Neighborhood Health Center is now testing 7 days a week!

The East Boston Neighborhood Health Center is now offering COVID-19 testing seven days a week to patients as well as community residents who have flu-like symptoms or have been in contact with someone who is COVID-19 positive. 

IMPORTANT: Community residents who are EBNHC patients must call EBNHC at 617-569-5800 to pre-register for screening and testing at our two new EBNHC patient testing sites. 

Patients who arrive at Suffolk Downs or 79 Paris Street without pre-registration will not be tested. 

Patients and non-patients can come to our 10 Gove Street Emergency Department and Influenza-Like Illness Clinic without pre-registering.

EBNHC Testing Locations:

New: 79 Paris Street, East Boston, walk-through location
8:00 am to noon daily
Pre-registration required: Call 617-569-5800

New: Suffolk Downs, Drive-thru location (by car only):
525 William F. McClellan Highway, Boston
1:00 pm to 5:00 pm daily
Pre-registration required: Call 617-569-5800

Emergency Department, open 24/7
Influenza Like Illness Clinic, open 7 days per week
10 Gove Street, East Boston 
Pre-registration not required

In addition to screening and testing, we are connecting community members to resources for food, housing, health, and safety. No one is asked about immigration status. 

East Boston Greenway Meeting (May 23) and Future Events

This just in from Candace Cook:

Friends of East Boston Greenway Meeting
Thursday, May 23, 2013, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
East Boston YMCA, 215 Bremen Street
All are welcome. Agenda attached.
*Please plan to attend, your input is essential! The BRA will be presenting a project update and conceptual design of the new Greenway section that will serve as the final connection to Constitution Beach.

Programs & Volunteers
Greenway Gardeners - Volunteers Needed
Saturday June 1, 9am - 12pm
East Boston Greenway – Meet at caboose at Bremen & Marginal Streets. MAP
Help lend a hand to maintain perennial beds on the East Boston Greenway! Tasks include weeding, mulching, and planting of beds with daylilies and native shrubs. We'll provide gloves and tools. Families welcome. To volunteer, contact Candice Cook candice@bostonnatural.org or 617.542.7696 x16

New Balance Foundation Let's Get Movin' Walk/Run for Fitness - Free Family Event by EBNHC
Route includes the East Boston Greenway!
Saturday June 1, 10am
Memorial Stadium Park, Logan Airport Service Drive MAP
The East Boston Neighborhood Health Center is organizing an event to celebrate all the accomplishments of our young participants in the Let’s Get Movin’ program. The New Balance Foundation Let’s Get Movin’ Walk/Run for Fitness will take place on June 1, 2013 at 10:00 on East Boston Memorial (Airport) Park. Free registration is available to the whole community online at www.racemenu.com/letsgetmovin or in person between 10am and 4pm, at the Let’s Get Movin’ office at 120 Liverpool Street, East Boston. The first 100 people to register will also receive a free t-shirt. They are going fast!  Awards will be given to both male and female first-place finishers for the following age groups: 8-11, 11-14, 14-18, and 18 and over. The run will be electronically chip-timed. Come to the Let’s Get Movin’ office on Thursday May 30, from 10am-7pm to pick up your race bib. You can also register on the day of the race at Memorial Park starting at 9:00. For more information, please call or email Joshua Hardester, at (617) 568-4701 or Hardestj@ebnhc.org We hope to see you and your whole family there! Flyer attached.

East Boston Greenway Walking Tour - Part of the Common Boston Series
Sunday June 9, 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Meet at Bremen Street Park gate at Brooks St, near Airport T station
Join BNAN and the Friends of East Boston Greenway on an excursion from Bremen Street Park to Maverick Square to discover the neighborhood’s historic railroad and maritime elements that are now transformed into treasured park spaces. Although the Greenway is the connecting thread of open space areas, it also provides a buffer between the Logan Airport edge and the city. This tour will highlight how this international transportation hub has significantly altered the face of the neighborhood and the greenway’s role in reclaiming East Boston’s splendor. Register online http://commonboston.org/2013/east-boston/east-boston-greenway-walking-tour/ or by phone 617.391.4017. This is part of a series of East Boston tours happening that day. Learn more on the Common Boston website.

Chamber to install new officers on Feb. 9 at Spinelli's

This just in from the Chamber of Commerce:


2012 INSTALLATION of the NEW OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS CEREMONY & DINNER

President Diane J. Modica
First Vice President  Pat Todisco, III

Second Vice President  Marisa DiPietro

Third Vice President Scott Heigelmann

Treasurer  Kim Altschul

Secretary Joanna Cataldo

New Board Members:  Phil Giffee, Michael Sulprizio and Bobby Martin.

Existing Board Members:  Sal Amico, Rodrigo Angulo, Robert Indresano, Christopher Pachios, Maureen Ferris

Outgoing Members: Joe Zirpolo, Franz Israel, Scott Warren and President Neffo Cappuccio

Thursday, February 9, 2012
Spinelli’s
282 Bennington Street, East Boston
6:00PM
$30

Reservations are required, please call 617-569-5000 or e-mail at Eden@eastbostonchamber.com
175 McClellan Highway (Rt. 1 A), Suite 1, East Boston, MA 02128  Tel: (617) 569 5000

www. EastBostonChamber.com

Local Big Sister celebrates one-year anniversary with Little Sister

East Boston (January 10, 2012) — East Boston resident, Big Sister Kim and her Little Sister Amanda, of Revere, recently celebrated their one year anniversary.   

Big Sister Association of Greater Boston asks for a minimum commitment of 12 months in their Community-Based Mentoring program, though many of our Big and Little Sister relationships last for several years, and even develop into lifelong friendships as the Little Sister becomes an adult. Research has shown that mentoring relationships lasting at least one year, particularly for girls, result in more positive outcomes in a girl’s social-emotional development, academic performance, and ability to make healthy decisions.  

 The success of the relationship is a direct result of the volunteer’s commitment and the professional assessment, training, and support the volunteers receive from the agency’s social work staff.  Big Sister wishes to congratulate Kim on making a difference in the life of her Little Sister as a caring, supportive friend and mentor.

About Big Sister Association of Greater Boston

Big Sister Association of Greater Boston, founded in 1951, is New England's leading advocate for the healthy development of girls. They are the only mentoring organization in Massachusetts that combines the established, research-based practices of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America with a gender-specific lens proven to increase positive outcomes for girls. In 2011, Big Sister mobilized 200,000 volunteer hours to mentor 2,956 girls in Boston and inspire them to excellence in school, at home, and in the community. For more information about Big Sister Association of Greater Boston, visit www.bigsister.org .

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News: East Boston Chamber of Commerce 2011 Election Results

The election results from the East Boston Chamber of Commerce are in.

East Boston High School to retire the numbers of Wiggins Coach Sousa

East Boston -- East Boston High School (EBHS) will retire the numbers of former NFL player Jermaine Wiggins (18) and retired football coach John Sousa (66) on Friday, November 4 at Sartori Stadium when the EBHS Jets host The English High School. 

More at eastboston.com.

Another success!

EBMS Kindergarten Parade a success! 

A couple of neighborhood assets! "Champions in Health Care," James O. Taylor and John P. Cradock of East Boston Neighborhood Health Center

The Boston Business Journal lauds as one of its "Champions in Health Care"
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.
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.”

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!

Red Sox coaches and players to appear at East Boston Stadium 7/26

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 18, 2011
CONTACT: Sandy Holden
617-635-4920 x2213

RED SOX TALKS/FENWAY CHALLENGE COME TO EAST BOSTON THE 26TH
Get Individual Hitting And Pitching Tips From Sox Players And Coaches

Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) invite Boston youth to meet players and coaches from the Boston Red Sox organization and compete in a baseball skills session at the annual Red Sox Talks/Fenway Challenge on Tuesday, July 26th at East Boston Stadium in East Boston.

Hosted by Boston Centers for Youth & Families in conjunction with the Boston Parks Department, the Sox Talks/Fenway Challenges are sponsored by the Boston Red Sox and the Boston Police Activities League. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. followed by the Fenway Challenge, a skills competition in running, hitting and throwing for boys and girls ages 7-14. At the completion of the Fenway Challenge around 12:30 p.m., members of the Red Sox organization will arrive and work one-on-one with each young person on their batting and pitching skills. It’s always a surprise who will show up, but there are usually several players, members of the coaching staff and others.

The winners of each Fenway Challenge competition will receive two tickets to a Red Sox game in September and will be recognized on the field before the game. Camps and summer programs are welcome to attend. Please contact mike.devlin@cityofbostongov to reserve a spot.

Source: Boston Centers for Youth & Families

Eastboston.com Guest Column: Setting the record straight on East Boston's waterfront development

Some commentary on recent coverage of East Boston's waterfront over at Eastboston.com

The end is near for Mt. Carmel

Breaking from the Boston Globe:

O’Malley, who had promised not to sell the buildings until the appeals to Rome were exhausted, is now asking vigil protesters to accept that it is finally time to move on.

“He would ask the faithful to respect his decision, and in areas where there are vigils that there would be a peaceful conclusion,” said the Very Rev. Arthur M. Coyle, the cardinal’s liaison on the long process to prepare the churches for sale.

Photograph: eastboston.com

The protesters, who had anticipated the move by the cardinal, promised today to continue their fight.

Photograph: eastboston.com

“Each of the six parish groups is ready to take this issue all the way to the Vatican’s highest court,” said Peter Borre of the Council of Parishes, a lay Catholic group that has contested church closings in the archdiocese.

In addition to St. Frances, the churches affected by the cardinal’s decree, effective Monday, are St. James the Great, in Wellesley; St. Jeanne D’Arc, in Lowell; Star of the Sea, in Quincy; Our Lady of Lourdes, in Revere; and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, in East Boston.

East Boston 2011 Farmers Market Opens

East Boston Farmers Market Opens

Freedom Foundation Annual Meeting and Installation of Officers

Freedom Foundation Annual Meeting and Installation

The officers and board members of the Bay State Chapter of Freedoms Foundation for the 2011-12 season are (seated, l-r) Lino Rullo, Francine D’Andrea, President Joseph Ferrino Jr., Marisa DiPietro and Past President Ed Coletta, and (standing, l-r) Richard Ferrino, Sal Bramante, Buddy Mangini, Ron Vecchia, Barbara Survillas, Philip Salois, and Riccardo Rullo.

More photographs at Eastboston.com

Transportation Update: Sumner Tunnel to close on selected nights

Read about it on Eastboston.com!

Local Veggies come to East Boston Corner Stores!

The Farm to Store project’s first delivery will be on Tuesday, June 21. Recipe collection, community workshops, volunteer work days, and healthy incentive programs are all components of the Healthy on the Block program. To get involved or just learn more, contact Cait at vandammc@ebnhc.org or call 617-568-4028. 

To read more about the Farm to Store project visit eastboston.com.

Eagle Hill Civic Association Meeting to discuss closure of Chelsea Street Bridge

If you want to know what it's going to be like when transportation officials close down the Chelsea Street Bridge for repairs on June 1 for six months you need to attend the next meeting of Eagle Hill Civic Association on Wed., May 25 at 7 p.m. (photo credit Eastboston.com)

Spring Cleanup Slated for April 30

Spring Cleanup at Belle Isle Marsh is scheduled for Saturday, April 30th 9:30 AM — noon
Volunteers are welcome. Met Bayou Street near Fort Banks School Athletic Field. Park at the Belle Isle Cemetery near the Gorman-Ft. Banks School.

EB Community Food Workshops “Stir a Memory” a huge success!

EAST BOSTON: Can you say “pupusa”!? Over 170 people gathered at the Harborside Community Center this past Thursday to celebrate food heritage at the “Stir a Memory” Community Food Series Workshop, sponsored by the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center.

An evening filled with art, food, and lots of chatter over memories, neighborhoods and health, this was one pupusa-sharing experience that feels sure to stick in everyone’s memory!

Artist Krina Patel discussing “food heritage” and her Stir a Memory project

Led by artist Krina Patel, workshop participants were encouraged to create food memory postcards that documented a particular connection to a food-related experience. Explaining her concept of “food heritage”, Patel stated that “Food - thinking about it, making it, eating it and sharing it with others - is a way of re-creating memories. When we recreate memories we ground ourselves. Instead of feeling alone in the world we feel connected.”

The cards quickly transformed individual experiences into a spontaneous public art project on a cafeteria wall, and sparked lots of chatting about yummy times gone-by!

"That’s what was neat about Stir a Memory," said Cait Van Damm, co-coordinator of the series. "The conversations that arise around our cultural and physical connection to food, whether that be in the context of a kitchen, a neighborhood, or faraway home. That’s what the Community Food Series is about."

Over a feast of pupusas, participants were treated to a cooking demonstration of the Salvadoran specialty by Mildred Alvarado of University of Massachusetts Amherst Ethnic Crops Program, followed by a discussion led by Community Servings nutritionist Meghan Ostrander.

Much like Patel and Alvarado, she believes that better health can be found through the embracement of traditional cooking at home.

The Community Food Workshop Series are an opportunity for discussion about food system issues relating directly to East Boston and provide opportunities for participants to get involved in urban gardening and public health initiatives. 

The series is sponsored by Healthy on the Block/Saludable en tu Tienda, an East Boston Neighborhood Health Center and Boston Public Health Commission initiative to increase access to fresh produce and whole grains in corner stores.

The next workshop, happening on Thursday, April 21, will be centered on “Food Justice 101”, and will feature the youth-led E3C crew (Environmental Chelsea Creek Crew) from NOAH.

A gardener-led “Container Planting” workshop will be happening on May 3. For more information regarding the Healthy on the Block/Saludable en tu tienda project or the Community Food Workshop Series, contact Cait Van Damm at 617-568-4028 or vandammc@ebnhc.org.

Source of this information: Email from Cait Van Damm (April 11, 2011).

East Boston Main Streets adds 5 new board members

Five new volunteers join East Boston Main Streets board

On Thursday March 31, 2011 East Boston Main Streets held elections and added 5 new volunteer board members.

(East Boston, MA. 31-March-2011) East Boston Main Streets held elections on Thursday March 31, 2011 and added 5 new volunteer board members. Joining the board is resident and local realtor Phillip Gutowski, resident and the Director of Government and Community Affairs for Trans Metro Media, David Halbert, resident and Linguistic Specialist Marika Horsky, resident and owner of Tummy Toys, Melissa Tyler and last but certainly not least Mr. Albert” Buddy” Mangini who is a long-time fixture and active volunteer in East Boston. Three current members were reelected to the board; Dino Manca from Rapinos Memorial Home, Michael Moscone, Promotion Committee Chair, from East Boston Savings Bank and James Gleason, local resident, architect and Design Committee Chair.

Read more at eastboston.com.