Agency Details:

Action For Boston Community Development (ABCD)

The mission of Action for Boston Community Development, Inc. (ABCD) is to assist families and communities escape poverty—through education, economic development, comprehensive family support and asset formation.

Description:
ABCD's mandate is to promote self-help for people and neighborhoods. ABCD emphasizes the empowerment of low-income people and communities as the most effective means of promoting economic success. Our service models focus on prevention rather than crisis management, and build on individual and community strengths. Today, ABCD is one of the largest human services agencies in Boston, assisting over 100,000 low-income individuals and families annually. ABCD's central office, located within a federally designated Empowerment Zone, works cooperatively with a decentralized network of Area Planning Action Councils (APACs), Neighborhood Service Centers (NSCs), Head Start Centers and delegate agencies to develop and manage programs for the benefit of low-income people. This scope allows ABCD to combine sensitivity to neighborhood needs with capacity to support major, citywide programs. Some of ABCD programs and affiliates include Head Start; Child Care Services; Child Care Choices of Boston; Multicultural Independent Living Center of Boston; Foster Grandparents; Family Friends; Youth and Dropout Prevention Programs; SummerWorks, providing career-oriented work experience for low income teenagers; Partnership with the independent, fully-accredited Urban College of Boston - a two year college; LearningWorks Career Development Programs; Health Services/Family Planning; Housing and Homelessness Services; Operation Re-entry Ex-Offenders Program; Community Development Services; Elder Services; Fuel Assistance; and Weatherization.

ABCD Elder Services include intergenerational programs offering opportunities for seniors to stay involved and make meaningful contributions to their communities. Elder Services programs also focus on keeping seniors healthy and independent by connecting them to resources and providing workshops and programs on health maintenance that empower older citizens to prevent illness and disability and maintain optimum well-being. Elder Services are provided through ABCD's Central Elder Services department as well as at many of the neighborhood site locations.

History:
Action for Boston Community Development, Inc. [ABCD] was incorporated in 1962, as a precursor to the national War on Poverty, and subsequently was designated Boston's official antipoverty agency. Its mandate is to promote self-help for people and neighborhoods. ABCD emphasizes the empowerment of low-income people and communities as the most effective means of promoting economic success. Our service models focus on prevention rather than crisis management, and build on individual and community strengths.

Contact people:

Emily Shea, Program Director, (phone), (email) Lia Tota, Program Director, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (617) 292-4631

Address:

19 Temple Place Boston, MA 02111 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.bostonabcd.org

Directions:

To get to our office, you can take the Green line or Red line to the Park Street T stop, the Orange line to Downtown Crossing, or the Silver Line to Downtown Crossing. We are located at 19 Temple Place.. . . (more)   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: Green Line/Red Line - Park Street stop, Orange line - Downtown Crossing stop,   Walk distance (in minutes): 2   Nearest Bus Stop: Silver Line, Downtown Crossing stop, 2 minute walk

Miscellaneous Information

What is the type of the agency?
	501(c)(3)
Does the agency conduct CORI checks?
	Yes

Last updated on August 5, 2009