East Boston Neighborhood Hlth

Neighbors were living with untreated conditions, pregnant women weren’t getting prenatal care early enough, and important health screenings were unavailable. From needing an ambulance to addressing pollution from Logan airport, it was time for the community to make a significant and proactive change.

The community group, and our first board of directors, felt responsible for the district at large; a diverse population with a strong sense of neighborhood and sharing. These founding board members were clear about the type of care the health center would provide to its largely immigrant and economically struggling population. Serving the disadvantaged would not mean making sacrifices in quality of care; rather, the health center would become an institution where every community member — including the board of directors — would want to come for their own medical treatment.mm