On the evening of April 18, 1775, the colonists in Massachusetts slept -not knowing they were on the precipice of the greatest change in their lives starting the next day. They were, for over a decade now, fed abuse and manipulation by a monarch’s golden-spoon that only seemed to reach across the sea when profit was to be made. Their collective bellies hungered for the satiation that only being heard, seen, and respected by those who have the means and responsibility to look out for your good and well-being can give. The embers of fury were glowing in the hearts of pending patriots and they were continually stoked by the disenchantment with a king and his regime across the sea -a world away by coffin-ship.
The British Empire seemed capable enough of fair and sound governance only a decade before during the French and Indian War of 1763. Colonists initially felt they were valued -that the empire across the sea was still their origin story and their roots guaranteed their king was cheering them on in pursuits of colonization. That illusion quickly faded, however, when the British Empire only seemed to note the cost of that war and the potential cost of more should expansion become the goal of their roving subjects that were, in their view, a little too unchecked in nature to be properly controlled…and taxed.
In 1765, Parliament passed the Stamp Act. This act required payment of a tax on all printed material -from newspapers to legal documents and even playing cards. This tax was designed to affect everyone in the colonies significantly. In an attempt to keep local courts from acquitting their community members from violations of this tax, Parliament then took away the right to civil trials and granted trial power to courts overseen by British military officers. As if the shackle was not placed tightly enough with these impositions on the colonists, Parliament then passed a legal requirement to pay for the room and board expenses of British troops that were stationed and to-be stationed in the colonies. This was known as the Quartering Act.
Parliament saw the financial strategies behind these acts, but colonists saw them as an abuse of power. The British government already oversaw trade in the empire, but in placing a direct tax on the colonists without their consent as was guaranteed in the Magna Carta of 1215, taking away the right to a trial by jury, and imposing expensive troops on a society still carving its way to self-sufficiency and financial independence, it pushed the colonists to a new territory in need of exploration -a collective, community space where the key question was: Can a kings divine right and power be kept in check by his subjects?
As fate would have it, this question was branded particularly for the colonists to entertain and answer because they were unique subjects of the British Empire. The distance by sea from their government required local assemblies and leaders to make immediate, spur of the moment decisions that were in place and acted upon until the issues were shipped across the Atlantic, presented to the British government, delegated over without the input of those directly affected, and then shipped back across the Atlantic to be set into motion. The system was one of chaos so colonists had no choice but to start cartography on a new map -one that outlined the path to self-governance.
The Stamp Act met with the free spirit already becoming a staple in Boston led to a protest group that called themselves The Sons of Liberty. While the untamed energy of disconcerted colonists was embraced and adopted by some, others realized the potential of such sentiment spreading and were wary of the possible repercussions. A lawyer, John Adams, attended a Sons of Liberty gathering at Liberty Tree Tavern in Dorchester. Some 350 members attended -many of them future key figures in the revolution. Adams wrote that these gatherings, “…tinge the mind of the people, they impregnate them with the sentiments of liberty. They render the people fond of their leaders in the cause, and averse and bitter against all opposers.”
The once whispers of rebellion were growing to such an audible cry that Parliament cancelled the Stamp Act in 1766 -but only because the discontent was making the act more costly to enforce than it was worth -not because the British government came to see its tyrannical undertone and unjust overreach on its distant subjects. To add thorns to the briar, Parliament then made an act claiming “full power and authority to make laws and statutes…to bind colonies and people of America…in all cases whatsoever.” This crackdown on power also came with new tax demands.
As any parent of a child in their rebellious period knows, the most detrimental and foolish thing you can do in that time period is beat your own chest, tighten your grip, and disregard their feelings that bruise your ego. When news of the parent-nations insults enveloped in letters of legality reached Boston in 1767, the Massachusetts legislature circulated a letter to the communities opposing what is taught now in school like a song, “taxation without representation”.
The Sons of Liberty, ever growing in their influence and capability, called for boycotts on all taxed goods. They broke into warehouses, looted and damaged property of the British Empire, and stopped purchasing commonplace items that would further feed the pockets and ego of King George III. Women boycotted purchasing clothes and made their own. Coffee from the “New World” was served instead of tea. Daily life changes were made by the colonists who knew even back then that the best and only real way to protest effectively is with your pocket book.
Again, faced with the opportunity to respond with maturity, calmness, and the dignity of capability, the British government, instead, lashed out by sending more troops -more weapons to the stationed troops, and offered the colonists a silver platter of threat and danger instead of negotiation and reason. The troops presence was salt in the wound to the colonists and discontent, fights, and turmoil began to seep through the intended illusion of total, empirical control. By March of 1770, British troops fired into a crowd of protestors -wounding six and killing five. The first to be killed was a black man, Crispus Attucks.
Paul Revere coined this event as the Boston Massacre. It was the first time the British authorities made clear that they were willing to murder their own subjects for their expression of discontent and a difference of opinion. The massacre revealed that colonists were, in fact, not valued members of the British Empire, but wayward sheep that needed more than a nip in the heels -they needed extermination if they would not conform and pay up.
Parliament tried to back-track by removing the troops in Boston and cancelling taxes, aside from the Tea Tax -making sure to not entirely abolish the issue of taxation without representation. In May of 1773, Parliament granted a monopoly to East India Tea Company. This made tea in the colonies the cheapest and nearly only purchase option -forcing colonists to buy the taxed tea. Local Boston leaders posted guards on Griffin’s Wharf to prohibit the unloading of taxed tea. On Dec. 16, 1773, a group of men dressed as Indigenous Americans broke into three merchant ships and dumped all goods overboard -the most infamous “tea party” in history.
In predictable fashion, Parliament responded by closing the port entirely, stripping the colony of its charter, flooding Boston with numerous troops who had little to no leadership oversight with the goal of keeping the peace, and demanded to be reimbursed for the tea now anchored on the sea flood in Boston Harbor. They also issued warrants for the arrests of local leaders such as Samuel Adams and John Hancock. The Sons of Liberty, however, did not merely go into hiding, they used this time to organize, collect, and stockpile weapons and supplies in Lexington and Concord.
The British troops realized these preparations meant armed rebellion and they set out to seize the weapons and detain the leaders of the Sons of Liberty. Luckily, 30 Sons of Liberty had been set on watch in Boston and two lanterns were lit in the Old North Church -the highest structure in Boston at the time, to warn a chain of watchers that the British were on their way to Lexington and Concord to squash the rebellion and potential for resistance. Paul Revere and William Dawes sped to Lexington ahead of the troops and warned Adams and Hancock. Then, they rode to Concord with an addition, Samuel Prescott. Revere and Daws were detained by British soldiers, but Prescott got away and made his way door to door -instructing families to set off alarms of muskets, bells, drums, and anything alarming and loud to spread the news of impending danger.
By dawn, Minutemen -local militia who had pledged to be ready to fight British troops on a “minutes notice”, were aware and preparing for the incoming fight. After a skirmish shortly after dawn on the Lexington town green that left eight colonists dead and a dozen or more wounded, news of the British troop’s arrival spread. So did the spirit of resistance. By midmorning, Minutemen outnumbered the British troops 300-400 and they defended their stockpile of weapons and munitions. The British troops retreated and began to head back to Boston, but by the next morning more than 15,000 colonist militiamen surrounded the city. The Revolutionary War began.
Within a year of the gross abuse of power by a government that was not acting in the best interest of its subjects, a resistance bound together by determination and sacrifice was established and changed the course of history. Grass-roots discontent became coastal-wide destiny, and the rarely proved, but mandatory for the greater-good point was entertained and proven: That power unchecked can be re-checked by those victimized IF they come together unshakable in their underlying cause. Common people have capability, capacity, and conviction to rival any assembled body of wealth and prestige. Those inebriated on power without ever tasting accountability or having to feel the implications of their impaired impositions can be dethroned by an amalgamation of those quenched by the spirit of resistance to cruelty, suffering, and indifference.
What about today? What about all of “it” now? How many more lines will we watch be crossed from our smartphones and computer and television screens while we mutter our unmaterialized fury and discontent into the blue light without having to put a single shoulder to the wheel? Would you boycott your conveniences to the point of self-imposed discomfort, or make time when you have none to attend community gatherings -not to pit against each other, but to discuss and find common ground? Would you watch the streets of Boston silently for hours each night so that when the time comes for you to light the lanterns you don’t waste a moment to try to save your neighbors lives? Would you ride through the darkened roads in urgency -likely facing death, to give a small chance of survival to people who are just as scared as you but also unshakable in their faith in the cause?
Modern day complacency has thus far shown that no, we are not quite there. Because “it” is still going on. Money and power are still flowing, without hiccup, to those abusing. We say we are overwhelmed, tired, angry, discontented, and suffering, but apparently not quite enough to shake us from our phone screens where typed, silent conversations spread on the web while the reverb and power of our living voices are neither heard nor felt by those in our communities. It is not enough to attend local protests -no matter the numbers. The numbers that shake the power drunk are the ones accumulating in their bank accounts by their subservient masses. The ones that forever provide the illusion of superiority and parental altruism in “looking out for the little guy”.
The colonists realized much quicker than we have that the exhaustion from unchecked injustice and hatred far outweighs the fatigue one will feel from the fight against. The human yearning to seek “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” -and not just for those similar to us, but for all, can prove the ultimate fuel -making us invincible, immovable, and resilient beyond our perceived limitations. The questions to ask are, “When will the loss of dignity for your fellow humans prove a greater tragedy than the loss of immediate comfort for you, personally? When will you dare to choose courage over complacency?”
Food for thought.
Every Vote Counts, But Who’s Voting? Are Town Meetings Made for the 21st Century?
The New England Town Meeting is the longest-surviving form of direct democracy in the Western world, and four centuries after its inception, it remains the legislative body for nearly 300 Massachusetts municipalities. Here in Plympton, Halifax, and Kingston, voters still gather in elementary schools to debate line item budgets and pass local bylaws.
But as municipal budgets swell into the tens of millions and statewide mandates grow increasingly technical, this 17th-century institution faces an existential crisis. Can a system built for agrarian colonists effectively govern in the modern era, or is it an outdated relic holding our towns back?
The institutional DNA of the Town Meeting is a fusion of Puritan congregationalism—which emphasized self-governance and lay consent—and English parish vestry traditions. While the first Town Meetings were in Plymouth, it was formalized in Dorchester on Oct. 8, 1633, when inhabitants voted to gather every Monday at the sound of an 8 a.m. bell “to settle and establish such orders as may tend to the general good”.
At that same 1633 meeting, citizens realized that day-to-day governance required a smaller steering committee. They elected twelve men to serve as the first Board of Selectmen. Derived from the English “select-vestrymen” who managed parish roads and poor relief, these colonial selectmen were initially tasked with narrow chores like “fence viewing” to ensure livestock remained contained. Over time, their authority rapidly expanded to managing town funds, assessing taxes, and maintaining public works. To this day, the relationship remains constitutional: the Town Meeting acts as the legislative branch, and the Select Board serves as the executive branch.
Over the next century, the franchise expanded from a strict “meritocracy of the godly” (adult male church members) to property owners, and eventually to all registered voters. All three towns of Kingston, Plympton, and Halifax incorporated in this period between 1707 and 1734.
As industrialization and immigration swelled populations in the 19th and 20th centuries, gathering every voter into a single room became physically and logistically impossible. The tension between direct democracy and efficient management produced several alternative forms of government across the state:
Representative Town Meeting (RTM): Pioneered by Brookline in 1915, this system limits voting power to elected Town Meeting Members from various precincts. State law dictates that towns under 6,000 residents must hold an Open Town Meeting, while larger towns can choose to adopt the RTM format.
City Charters: Booming municipalities eventually abandoned the Town Meeting entirely. Brockton became a city in 1881 to manage a booming population driven by the shoe industry, adopting a mayor-council government. More recently, Framingham abandoned its Town Meeting in 2018 in favor of a city council and mayor. Weymouth and Braintree have organized as cities, but opted to maintain the name “Town.” Municipalities of at least 12,000 residents may consider a City form of government. Some municipalities, like Bridgewater or Barnstable, opt for the manager-council configuration where the Town or City Manager is appointed by the elected council, instead of a more traditional mayor-council.
Professional Administration: For towns retaining the traditional structure, the complexity of modern administration required full-time help. Today, roughly 86% of Massachusetts towns employ a professional Town Manager or Town Administrator to handle day-to-day operations under the Select Board.
Despite its resilience, the Town Meeting model faces harsh modern realities regarding efficiency, complexity, and equitable participation.
First, attendance is plummeting. Research indicates that Open Town Meeting attendance often hovers around 2% to 6% of registered voters. Attendees tend to skew older, whiter, and wealthier, while the requirement for in-person attendance potentially disenfranchises parents of young children and lower-income workers. A town’s major fiscal decisions are decided by a tiny fraction of the population, often late at night.
Second, modern municipal budgets are incredibly technical. Citizen legislators are now asked to deliberate on highly complex state and federal regulations, zoning for floodplain and watershed districts, PFAS remediation plans, and unfunded pension liability schedule adjustments based on updated actuarial tables.
We can see the friction of these modern challenges unfolding right next door in Plymouth. Despite boasting the oldest continuous town meeting tradition, Plymouth’s 60,000-plus residents are outgrowing the system. A local coalition is actively campaigning to establish a Charter Commission to abolish the town’s Representative Town Meeting. Critics argue that for a $300 million municipality, “trying to get things done twice a year is not acceptable anymore”.
Conversely, defenders argue that abolishing the Town Meeting strips ordinary citizens of a direct voice, urging reformers not to “throw out the baby with the bathwater”.
For now, the Plympton-Halifax-Kingston area remains comfortably scaled for direct democracy. They all operate under the Open Town Meeting format, an undiluted form of government where every registered voter has the direct right to stand up and persuade their neighbors.
Because the process relies on whoever shows up in the room, individual voices carry immense weight here. During Plympton’s 2002 Annual Town Meeting, for instance, a major measure to hire a new Town Coordinator ended in a dead tie, proving just how critical a single vote can be. In Kingston, a quorum of 100 voters must be present just to pass appropriations or vote on zoning matters.
While the core structure remains, local modernization efforts are actively underway. Across Massachusetts, the traditional 17th-century title “Board of Selectmen” is slowly vanishing. Over 213 towns have legally shifted the title to the gender-neutral “Select Board”, and the Massachusetts Selectmen’s Association rebranded the Massachusetts Select Board Association in 2020. This statewide wave is currently playing out in Halifax, where voters at the 2026 Annual Town Meeting will be asked to officially rename their Board of Selectmen, alongside measures to shift the Town Clerk and Highway Surveyor from elected to appointed positions to streamline operations.
The New England Town Meeting has never been a static artifact; it is a “sentient being” that has survived by constantly adapting. Its enduring magic lies in “enforced civility”—the premise that neighbors deliberating face-to-face will ultimately find a way to govern themselves with respect. Whether debating local line-items or voting to modernize centuries-old titles, our towns remain a living, breathing laboratory for the oldest democratic experiment in the nation.
Landmark Environmental Legislation Passes State Senate
BOSTON, MA – The Massachusetts Senate passed S.3050, An Act to build resilience for Massachusetts communities or the “Mass Ready Act”, with bipartisan support. This environmental bond bill makes critical investments in climate resilience, environmental protection, and infrastructure to help communities prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change.
“The passage of the Mass Ready Act helps our district support climate resilience, clean water, and coastal protection,” said Senator Fernandes. “Communities across the Cape and South Shore are already experiencing the real effects of climate change, and this legislation provides the resources to protect our vulnerable communities while also supporting clean water and removing harmful PFAS. I was proud to help secure provisions focused on addressing ocean acidification which will help our local shellfishing industry adapt to oceans that are rapidly becoming more acidic.”
You can watch Senator Fernandes’ full remarks on the ocean acidification amendment.
In total, the legislation authorizes $3.94 billion in authorizations for future state spending on targeted projects, including local planning to withstand extreme weather events, the remediation of PFAS (forever chemicals) from drinking water supplies, and maintenance of roads and dams. The bill also delivers practical solutions to urgent environmental challenges, including reducing single-use plastics, improving recycling, and strengthening protections against flooding and coastal erosion.
The details of the legislation are below:
Investing in a Resilient and Accessible Environment
• $500 million for the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program, supporting climate resiliency planning in cities and towns
• $450 million for the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust to protect access to clean water across the Commonwealth, in addition to $120 million for PFAS remediation in public and private wells
• $800.5 for properties and roadways owned and managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)
• $521.6 million for state and municipally owned dams across the Commonwealth
• $132.5 million for the Food Security Infrastructure Grant (FSIG) program including $5 million for the Massachusetts Food Trust Program (MFTP) to increase access to healthy, affordable food
• $225 million for coastal infrastructure and resilience
• $125.5 million to support resource conservation and preservation initiatives, including $5.5 million for the Healthy Soils Grant Program
• $50 million for MassTrails Grants, including $10 million for accessibility upgrades that protect access to trails for all Massachusetts residents
• $30 million for tree-planting initiatives across the Commonwealth
• $20 million for capital investments to support the growth and economic competitiveness of the Commonwealth’s agricultural, commercial fishing and cranberry-growing sectors
• $20 million to support the biodiversity goals of the Department of Fish and Game (DFG)
• $15 million for a pilot program to advance the deployment of geothermal technology in furtherance of the Commonwealth’s 2050 net zero goals
Prioritizing Active Solutions to Environmental Risks
Reduces Wasteful Single-Use Plastics. Responds to increasing amounts of litter and pollution by prohibiting single-use plastic bags at retail stores. Shoppers will instead be able to check out with a recyclable paper bag or a reusable plastic bag. Massachusetts residents are estimated to use billions of plastic bags per year. A plastic bag tossed to the side of a road can pose immediate risks, such as the suffocation or starvation of wildlife, while also fragmenting over time into microplastics that pollute the earth.
Encourages Positive Ecological Projects. Reforms permitting requirements to reduce timelines for qualifying projects, including nature-based projects that include ecosystem, marsh and wetland restoration.
Fast-Tracks Culvert Replacement Projects. Authorizes expedited permitting and timelines for municipal culvert replacements.
Informs Home-Buyers of Potential Flood Risks. Requires that home sellers and landlords inform prospective homebuyers and tenants about the flood risk of a residential property, along with any history of flooding on the property. Sellers and landlords would be required to disclose documentation of past flood damage or mitigation, details of flood insurance, and whether the property is located in a flood plain.
Maintains Public Beach Access. Preserves waterfront access for the general public in the event of shifting sands. Declares that public land continues to be public even if a neighboring barrier beach—a narrow strip of sand or dunes—shifts its location through natural processes and moves onto an existing public beach.
Lines Up Support for Dairy Farmers. Authorizes the Milk Producers Security Fund to support dairy farmers through grant programs.
Investigates Nitrogen Pollution Solutions. Establishes a special legislative commission to study and recommend solutions for essential wastewater infrastructure improvements in response to nitrogen pollution in southeastern Massachusetts.
Creates Support Program for Municipal Projects. Establishes a Resilience Revolving Fund to support resilience projects through low-interest loans to municipalities, public water and wastewater districts, and tribal governments.
Regionalizes Western Mass. Flood Strategy. Establishes the Connecticut River Valley Resilience Commission to empower communities to collaboratively develop a regional strategy to address flood risk and update infrastructure.
The Arc of the South Shore to Host 13th Annual Summer Soirée at Webb State Park
WEYMOUTH, MA, Save the date for Thursday, June 18, when The Arc of the South Shore, a family-oriented, community-based non-profit providing information, referrals, and community programs for individuals with disabilities, will host its Annual Summer Soirée.
Set under a magnificent tent on the picturesque shores of Webb State Park at 371 River Street in North Weymouth, the Summer Soirée brings together members of the public, local businesses, community leaders, restaurants, and spirit providers for a festive evening of camaraderie.
This year’s Summer Soiree holds special meaning as The Arc of the South Shore observes its milestone 75th anniversary. Most importantly, the much-anticipated event celebrates the individuals and families that The Arc has supported over the past three-quarters of a century.
Additionally, building off the success from last year’s Fashion Show, the 2026 Summer Soirée will again feature a Fashion Show, highlighting local retailers as well as members of The Arc’s community.
Proceeds from the S
Soirée will assist The Arc in delivering programs and engaging opportunities to improve the health, safety, and independence of the nearly 5,000 individuals and families the non-profit serves annually.
Scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m. on June 18, the signature event will feature a full evening of gourmet food, specialty cocktails, fine wine, craft beer, live music, and unique auction and raffle items. Additional details will be announced over the next several weeks.
“For more than seven decades, we have been proud to lead the way in disability advocacy and services across the South Shore,” said Elizabeth Sandblom, CEO of The Arc of the South Shore. “We are deeply grateful for the community that has made this milestone possible and look forward to celebrating together under the twinkling lights of our stunning tent on the shores of Webb State Park.”
For ticket, donation, and sponsorship information, please visit The Arc of the South Shore – 13th Annual Summer Soiree.
Sixth Annual Statewide Study on Food Insecurity Reveals Nearly Half of State Households Face Food Insecurity
The sixth annual statewide study on food insecurity from The Greater Boston Food Bank and Mass General Brigham – Massachusetts Food Access Report: Hunger on the Rise – has revealed that 40% of Massachusetts households experienced food insecurity in 2025. It also revealed disparities in food access based on geography, with 40% of households in Plymouth County facing food insecurity, up 10% from 2024.
Compounding affordability crises and costs of living are forcing food-insecure families to make impossible decisions between eating, heating their homes, and paying for essential health care. Nationally, food prices have increased by nearly 30 percent since March of 2020 according to the Consumer Price Index.
Among other key findings:
• Hunger on the rise: Food insecurity impacted 40% of Massachusetts households in 2025, up from 37% in 2024 (more than double pre-pandemic numbers – 19%).
• Support is insufficient: While SNAP remains a critical foundation, the data shows that benefits alone are no longer sufficient, forcing many households to increasingly rely on community-based food programs to meet their basic needs. 75% of households utilizing SNAP report needing additional food assistance.
• Charitable food as a critical safety net: The charitable food system is playing an increasingly essential role, with over half (56%) of food-insecure households depending on them—a record high that underscores increased need and the limits of existing public supports.
• Disparities: Hispanic households have consistently experienced the highest rates of food insecurity during the past six years, with levels reaching 63% in 2025. Black households (51%) and LGBTQ+ households (58%) continue to experience outsized levels of food insecurity as well.
Nationally, food prices have increased by nearly 30 percent since March 2020 according to the Consumer Price Index. The recent cuts to federal programs such as the USDA’s Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and SNAP have increased pressure on families and the food bank network. Since October 2025, food supplied to GBFB through the USDA has been reduced by nearly 36%, increasing the need for philanthropic and state resources to help close the resulting gap.
“While the data shows that we are headed in the wrong direction when it comes to food insecurity, Massachusetts has always been committed to solutions – this moment isn’t any different,” said GBFB President and CEO Catherine D’Amato. “The call to action is clear: we must continue to invest in our emergency food system to meet this urgent and growing demand. And we must work together on implementing long-term solutions to poverty to empower everyone to live better, healthier, and more productive lives.”
This study demonstrates how interconnected Massachusetts’ hunger-relief system has become, with government and charitable food assistance programs working in tandem to meet basic needs. SNAP remains a critical foundation, but the data indicates that benefits alone are not sufficient, leading many households to rely on community-based food programs to meet their needs. This increased demand places added pressure on the food bank network and its 900+ local partners, who must raise additional funds and depend on state support through the Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program (MEFAP). Furthermore, this survey was conducted before the new SNAP work requirements and eligibility rules from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act went into effect, which will only result in more reliance on food pantries in the coming year.
“As more patients struggle to access consistent, nutritious food, we are seeing the direct impact on their health and well-being,” said Dr. Elsie Taveras, MD, MPH, Chief Community Health & Health Equity Officer and Executive Director of the Kraft Center for Community Health at Mass General Brigham. “That’s why Mass General Brigham is working alongside community partners to ensure all Massachusetts families have resources to meet rising demand and serve as a critical bridge to better health for the communities we care for.”
“This report highlights what I hear every day: the high cost of living is causing families to choose between paying for rent or childcare and food,” said Congressman Jim McGovern. “We know that the federal changes to SNAP and Medicaid will only make this affordability crisis worse. We should be shoring up our public investments, not walking away from our hungry neighbors.”
“The shameful rise in hunger that we’re seeing today didn’t happen by accident—it’s the result of precise, intentional policy choices from Donald Trump and a Republican party that have contempt for the people,” said Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. “From gutting programs like SNAP and WIC, to manufacturing a government shutdown that left millions of families without food assistance, to their failure to address the affordability crisis—Republicans are literally taking food out of the mouths of hungry people. I’m grateful to our partners at The Greater Boston Food Bank and Mass General Brigham for compiling this necessary report, which will inform our work to end hunger in Massachusetts once and for all. Food is a human right, it is medicine, and it is dignity. It’s time our policies reflect that.”
Report Background and Recommendations
In response to the study’s findings, GBFB and Mass General Brigham call for the following immediate increases in funding for public programs and sustained structural reforms to build a food security system capable of meeting escalating needs, while managing the existing crisis.
Recommendations include:
• Increasing state-level funding through the Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program (MEFAP) to $58 million.
• Strengthening SNAP administration and benefit adequacy by providing DTA with $30 million in funding to hire additional caseworkers.
• Expanding access to WIC, Universal School Meals, HIP, TEFAP, CSFP, and HRSN medically tailored nutrition supports.
• Investing in Food is Medicine initiatives to prevent and treat diet-related illnesses. Also investing in research that builds the evidence base for effective, scalable food and nutrition security interventions, including through MEFAP, Food Security Infrastructure Grants (FSIG), and Healthy Incentives Program (HIP).
• Expanding local food system infrastructure to improve access to nutritious, culturally responsive, Massachusetts grown foods.
• Advancing long-term reforms addressing the root causes of hunger, including income inadequacy, housing instability, and healthcare access barriers.
“The goal of these recommendations is to shift the role of public programs from managing hunger to preventing it by enhancing financial stability and reducing the reliance on the emergency food system. We need to ensure that families have a bridge back to economic stability so they can meet their food needs independently and with dignity,” said D’Amato.
From October through December 2025, GBFB and Mass General Brigham conducted an online survey of more than 3,000 adults across Massachusetts, offered in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Learn more about the methodology, key findings, and policy recommendations.
Following the Jones River
Last fall, I took my friends Tina Palmer and Dorothy Greene for a walk at Bay Farm. After the walk, I proposed the idea of hiking the southern loop of the Bay Circuit Trail. The full Bay Circuit trail is a 242+ mile walking trail stretching from Kingston and Duxbury around Boston up to Plum Island in Newburyport. The southern portion of the BCT has a 26+ mile loop that travels through Duxbury, Kingston, and Pembroke. With conflicting schedules and unforeseen circumstances, we only were able to complete the Kingston portion of the Bay Circuit Trail over 7 short walks before winter struck.
The BCT in Kingston is a treasure trove of natural beauty and historical landmarks. The notable feature that weaves through this whole section of BCT is the Jones River. The southern terminus of the trail is in Kingston at Bay Farm along Kingston Bay which is to where the Jones River flows. Walking slightly further along the trail will take you down to the Town Landing on River St. near the mouth of the river where Kingston residents can launch boats.
Continuing to the other end of River St. brings you to beautiful Mulliken’s Landing which was named after Robert Mulliken who was a long time Kingston resident active on both the Conservation Committee and Open Space Committee. Carry-top boats are able to launch from a dock after walking a few hundred feet along a boardwalk through a marsh.
Turning left onto Landing Rd., a short way, the BCT continues on a bridge over Stoney Brook, a tributary of the Jones River. A feasibility study was completed in 2025 to explore the possibility of removing a dam here so that American eel could utilize the brook, reduce flood risk, and potentially reduce mosquitoes in upstream swamp areas.
Shortly after crossing the bridge on the left is the Jones River Landing, home base for the Jones River Watershed Association. If you stop in here as you walk by, you might meet Pine DuBois who has been a tenacious environmental advocate for the river and its history for decades. At the Jones River Landing Boatshop, a group of volunteers are building a Kingston Lobster Boat, a boat first built about 150 years ago.
The next mile or so of the BCT goes by many historical sites in Kingston, The Major John Bradford Homestead, the Reed Community Building, the Faunce School, Evergreen Cemetery, and The First Parish Church before again reaching the Jones River at Elm St. where the Queen Anne style waterworks building built in 1888 is located.
A dam, located here for nearly a century, was removed in 2019. Immediately over the bridge to the left is the Jones River Trading Post which is currently an event venue but at one time held the E.P. Hurd Tack Factory. Not too long ago, Coughlin and Coughlin inhabited this building, where customers could wander through and purchase exotic items like ostrich eggs and beautiful ceramic stoves or they could pop a nickel in a player piano.
The BCT continues directly across the street through narrow root-laden trails at the Sampson Park and Faunce Memorial Forest. In the fall, the trails were dry. This time of year, they can be hard to navigate if water levels are high. At one point along these trails, we crossed an extremely rickety crooked wooden bridge that spans Furnace Brook, a tributary of the Jones River. The end of this section takes you out beside the northern side of a Kingston Water Department building located along South St.
The next mile or so of the BCT is along both South St. and then heading west along Route 106 -both of these streets are very busy. The beautiful part of hiking this section in the fall was witnessing the fall harvest of cranberries. The Jones River flows along the northern side of the bogs on the north side of Route 106.
After walking just past the cranberry bogs, the trail enters Hathaway Preserve. The BCT trail crosses Jones River in the Preserve. Other trails in this conservation area offer further exploration of the Jones River because more than a mile of the river flows through it.
The exit for the BCT trail from Hathaway Preserve north of the Jones River can be found along a section of power lines at Foxworth Ln. which then leads to Grove St. Here the hike continues east along Grove St. After a short way, the road goes over Pine Brook and then the MBTA track. The trail continues on Grove St. about another mile before entering the Cranberry Watershed Preserve on your right. Walking a couple hundred feet further along Grove St. instead of going immediately into this preserve, a large old culvert can be found on the left with the Jones River flowing through it. Last fall was the dry season so little water was flowing through it.
The Cranberry Watershed Preserve is 307 acres. The BCT has almost a mile of trail through it but the preserve has several more miles of other trails. A glimpse of the Jones River can be found at the edge of one of the old bogs. The trail in this area also goes through the woods by the playing fields at Silver Lake Regional High School. The culmination of the section is a long boardwalk in need of some repairs and a metal bridge over the Jones River. Exiting the preserve leads to a parking area on Lake St.
Crossing Lake St. here will take you to where the Jones River begins at the Forge Pond Dam. Walking up the hill towards Silver Lake Regional High School, the BCT takes a left onto Route 27 and then after ⅓ mile take a left onto Sheridan Dr. Walking a little further, look closely for BCT signage to cut between two houses on the right to enter Silver Lake Sanctuary.
Silver Lake Sanctuary contains 104 acres with trails that lead down to Silver Lake. The waters of Silver Lake naturally flow through to Forge Pond if not diverted to Brockton. The BCT continues through this beautiful property and then onto Bearses Lane, a dirt road leading back out to Route 27.
Just a few feet west on Route 27 is the Kingston/Pembroke town line which concludes the Kingston portion of the BCT. This whole Kingston section of the BCT, if going straight through is less than 10 miles, but it is great to wander in some of the preserves on additional trails to see the full beauty of these natural wonderlands, and with more time it would have been nice to linger in some of the historical buildings to learn more about the history of Kingston.
In April and May, the Jones River Watershed Association is looking for fish counters at the Forge Pond Dam. If interested, go to their website jonesriver.org. Kingston is celebrating its 300th anniversary. Check out the kingston300.com for more details and/or try to get a copy of “Tales of Jones River Village: Kingston’s 300 Years.”
Lastly, if interested in hiking the BCT, go to baycircuit.org and find both maps and map guides. The map guide is essential and even with the guide finding the trail, can at times, seem like a scavenger hunt when looking for the next trail marker.
I am hoping that Tina, Dorothy and I can complete the southern loop in 2026.
Vocational Savings Restore Paraprofessional in Kingston
Kingston School Committee members learned April 6 that $42,867 in unspent vocational tuition will allow the district to restore a paraprofessional position, along with some technology and curriculum spending, in next year’s budget — a modest rebound as officials urged residents to turn out for the May 2 town meeting to support the school spending plan. The committee also voted unanimously to opt out of the school choice program for another year, citing class sizes and staffing constraints.
Stefani Hatton, the district’s new Director of Finance and Operations, presented the updated numbers in her first in-person appearance before the committee. She reported that $175,000 had been budgeted for vocational tuition for approximately five Kingston students attending vocational schools next year, but actual costs came in at $132,132.16 — leaving $42,867.84 available to return to the budget.
Superintendent Dr. Jill Proulx told members the leadership team had identified how to deploy the savings. “After discussing it with the team, we thought that we would be able to bring back a paraprofessional position and some things, such as technology and curriculum,” Proulx said. She cautioned, however, that the figure was not large enough to save any additional positions, noting, “There’s not enough money to cover another position.”
The savings only partially offset previously announced staffing reductions. Committee members confirmed that one classroom teacher position and one English Language Learner teacher position — the latter an unfilled role — remain on the chopping block. Member Sheila Vaughn pressed the administration to keep looking. “Keep searching. Keep searching,” she said. “If any more money turns up,” added Chair Megan Cannon.
The budget news landed against the backdrop of a recent Finance Committee meeting, where members said the school budget received an unusually smooth reception. “We went to the FinCom meeting and they did approve our budget, which I thought was really great,” said Vaughn. “I’ve never seen everybody approve our budget all at once and with minimal questions, which I thought was really great.” Cannon added that the committee appreciated the Finance Committee’s support and repeatedly urged residents to attend the May 2 town meeting at 9 a.m. at Kingston Intermediate School. “Please go and vote. We need your support for our budget… It’s very important.”
The regular session was preceded by the annual school choice hearing required of every Massachusetts district. Vaughn moved immediately to withdraw from the program, citing capacity concerns. “Based on the classrooms and that we just don’t have the staffing for that,” she said. Member Jennifer Krowchun agreed, noting the district needs to “meet existing need” first. Cannon reminded the committee that accepting a school choice student is a long-term commitment: “Once they come, we own them until graduation or they leave.” Proulx confirmed Kingston has not participated in school choice for as long as she has been superintendent. The roll-call vote to decline participation was unanimous.
Following an earlier executive session discussion, the committee voted unanimously in open session to approve the contract for the Kingston Intermediate School principal, Dr. Kerri Whipple. Meanwhile, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Tricia Clifford reported that the Kingston Elementary School principal search committee interviewed candidates during the final week of March and narrowed the field to two finalists, with the next round of interviews taking place this week. Clifford thanked the search committee members for their work.
KES Interim Principal Jake Galewski introduced new Interim Assistant Principal Amy Koskowski, who he said has had a “very successful transition.” Galewski reported on PAC Assorted Fruits and Vegetables week — during which some students tried dragon fruit for the first time — the PTO-sponsored Harlem Wizards game, and the conclusion of the CKLA pilot on April 3. Teachers have now begun piloting the Wonders ELA curriculum from McGraw Hill. Galewski announced an upcoming Social Emotional Learning night on April 29 that will include a new sensory-friendly window at the start of the event for students with sensory sensitivities. Kindergarten enrollment currently sits at 143 students, which Galewski said is lower than previous years at this point.
KIS Principal Whipple reported that MCAS testing is underway and credited the assistant principal, team chair and IT staff for a seamless rollout. Updates included a new grab-and-go breakfast program, revisions to the school’s positive behavior system with added recognition via a bulletin board outside the office, and a student-led advocacy effort from last year’s school council — now sixth graders — who delivered a research-based presentation successfully arguing for snacks in fifth and sixth grade classrooms. The principal also reported on a World Down Syndrome Day celebration, Battle of the Books results (Peter Brown’s The Wild Robot was the student favorite), and an honorable mention for student Ellie Hill in the MSLA Bookmark Design Contest.
Clifford reported that the PRISM grant field test has shifted from CKLA to Wonders, with Curriculum Council members set to finalize their program ratings on April 27. The final round of math coaching will take place in late April and May. Clifford also highlighted a March 16 professional development session at Halifax Afterschool, where 25 elementary teachers from across the three-district Silver Lake region gathered for training on “Teaching Students to Write in Response to Reading,” led by Halifax teachers Meg Parker and Katie Berna.
On regionalization, Proulx confirmed that the regionalization study committee has begun interviewing stakeholders about their experiences with the partially regionalized system. She also reported that all member school committees have now approved the proposed calendar for the 2026-27 school year, making it official. Her own evaluation will begin following the April 16 Joint School Committee meeting.
The meeting closed with committee members recognizing Jeanne Coleman, who is stepping down after nine years of service. “The amount of time and effort that you put in, it’s a full-time job, really,” Vaughn said. “It doesn’t go unnoticed. And stepping up is not always easy. Big shoes to fill, Jeannie. Big shoes.” Cannon thanked Coleman for her service before the committee adjourned to executive session.
Preview Screening of “Raising Us” Attended by Documentary’s Five Featured Mothers
HINGHAM, MA, The Arc of the South Shore, a family-oriented, community-based non-profit providing information, referrals, and community programs for individuals with disabilities now celebrating its 75th anniversary, in partnership with The South Shore Chamber of Commerce, recently hosted a preview screening of “Raising Us,” and were delighted to welcome the five South Shore women featured in the documentary that chronicles the five-decade journey raising and advocating for their children with Down syndrome and autism.
“Raising Us” blends archival footage, present-day interviews with members of the South Shore Mothers Group, and accounts of the early years advocating for their children and ultimately for all children with autism, Down syndrome and IDD. Six years in the making, the powerful documentary is produced by Jen Plante Johnson, the daughter of Maria Plante, one of the founding members of the South Shore Mothers Group.
“We were honored to welcome the five women at the heart of the film and hear them share their experiences firsthand,” said Elizabeth Sandblom, CEO of The Arc of the South Shore. “It was an unforgettable afternoon filled with inspiration, reflection, and meaningful connection.”
Art Auction Fundraiser for The Dennett
The Dennett Elementary 6th grade class is excited to host a special Art Auction Fundraiser featuring local art by Plympton parent and resident, Shawn Trice to help support the students during their final year of elementary school. Proceeds from the auction will go directly towards the funding of field trips, class events, transportation, graduation celebrations and much more to make this year memorable for the children.
The funds raised will help ensure that every student can participate in these special moments throughout the year and as they celebrate their 6th grade graduation from Dennett Elementary. We are so grateful for the support of our wonderful community. Thank you for helping make this a meaningful and fun year for our 6th graders!
The silent auction will take place at the Plympton Public Library from March 14 to April 4. Stop by the library on April 4 at 10:30 a.m. on the last day to bid and to meet the artist and learn more about the fundraising program for Dennett 6th graders.
Setting the Stage for Local Music: The Spire Center Gives Live Music a Home in Plymouth
Bob Renekar said, “Recorded music is heard. Live music is lived.” This is also the philosophy of Robert Hollis, President of The Spire Center for Performing Arts in downtown Plymouth. As a touring musician, Hollis spent his music career spreading the gift of music on any stage available. After a few years on the road, Hollis and his musician wife, Donna, decided they wanted to settle and realized that Plymouth was lacking an organization and a hub for local, live arts. Together, they founded the Greater Plymouth Performing Arts Center, Inc. (GPPAC) -a nonprofit organization founded in 2010 and dedicated to performing arts and educational programs which support the vibrant arts community in the greater South Shore region.
With GPPAC up and running, they began to search for a venue to further their mission and capabilities. After learning that Congregation Beth Jacob’s community center, formerly a Methodist church built in 1886, was mostly unused in downtown Plymouth, Hollis approached the Community Preservation Committee to fund the restoration and transformation into a performing arts venue with a mission of presenting a wide variety of entertainment appealing to all generations within the region as well as the thriving New England tourist community. As a cultural asset, The Spire promised to provide an economic boost to historic Plymouth’s active downtown area as the cornerstone for the arts. “We were very fortunate to have a lot of community support and enthusiasm from the start. We were encouraged to see that others wanted a home for performing arts, too,” says Hollis, “We strive to support and expose all kinds of music to all kinds of people at an affordable price.”
In October 2012 the Plymouth Town Meeting voted overwhelmingly to appropriate $650K in Community Preservation Funds to acquire and renovate the building at 25 1/2 Court Street in downtown Plymouth. The Town of Plymouth also granted GPPAC with a 100 year near-free lease of the treasured property. Renovations began with a focus on the interior. Particular attention was paid to enhancing the existing acoustics, making sure the audience had clear sightlines with no obstructions, and recrafting and restoring the architecturally beautiful interior that have become The Spire’s trademark. “We are not a club,” Hollis clarifies, “We are a listening place where the music and the act are the focus. We wanted it to be a fun place, but not like a club where people are up and talking and moving around -we wanted to focus on the performer-audience connection.” The result was a 225-seat performance hall featuring superior acoustics that are unmatched by other local venues, custom state of the art lighting and sound systems, and original period architectural details offering patrons an exceptional performing arts experience.
Once The Spire Center was ready for audiences and acts, Hollis began to build a staff and a volunteer team to assist in the mammoth efforts needed to run this promising non-profit. Staff was hired to handle the business duties, work the box office, advertise, operate the lighting and sound equipment, serve as ushers and run hospitality services, be bartenders, perform building maintenance, fundraise, and even be security detail for the guest performers. “We have about five full and part-time employees and about twenty employees total, as well as about fifty volunteers. We also have a board and all of them are musicians, so they really understand what is needed here and how to go about doing it,” says Hollis.
With a restored and staffed venue, an eager staff and volunteer team, and community support backing them, Hollis has been able to line up a healthy stream of local and national artists and groups. Vice President and Director, Lloyd Rosenburg, scouts out performance groups as well as screens and schedules groups that apply to perform at The Spire Center. The result is a lineup of roughly 150 shows a year featuring everything from jazz, classical, rock, comedy, ensembles, country, folk, and blues. “We wanted to give aspiring and local talent a place to get exposure, experience, and build a community base as well as give the community the gift of live music,” says Hollis, “There is something missing when it is a recording. When it is live, it is tangible and you connect with it in a more meaningful way. When it is live, it is also different every time -which makes it really special.”
In an effort to reach a wider audience, The Spire Center offers several unique opportunities to catch a show. The first is their Lobby Series. This series is presented by The Antonia and Vladimir Kulaev Cultural Heritage Fund and was created to support emerging and established artists across New England by offering them a professional platform to share their work with engaged audiences. Experience live music like never before—up close and personal in our unique Lobby Series.
Designed to shine a spotlight on local and regional talent, this series invites audiences to discover rising artists and seasoned performers in an intimate, 70-seat lounge-style setting right in the heart of the Spire. The house lights are dimmed and the atmosphere is warm and inviting as the lobby is transformed into an intimate listening room where music takes center stage. From folk and roots to jazz, indie, and beyond, each performance is a chance to connect in a smaller crowd with the artist, the music, and the community. Tickets are $15 to provide an affordable opportunity to experience live music.
Another style of performance offered by The Spire Center is the Sunday Serenades. Hollis explains, “These are Sunday matinees that offer the chance to attend a concert that isn’t on a weekend evening or late at night. A lot of people, especially after Covid and particularly the elderly, prefer to avoid going to shows and concerts late and night, so we have many patrons who prefer these earlier-in-the-day chances to attend a performance.”
In addition to these creative ways to attend a live show, The Spire Center is also set to provide a one-of-a-kind learning opportunity for aspiring musicians. This September, The Spire Center will launch The Spire Center Music Academy. The academy will offer teachers, directors, classes, and venue space for training musicians, ensembles, choirs, songwriters, composers, and other live performance groups or individuals. “We are passionate about not just showcasing local music, but helping to create more of it,” says Hollis.
Other upcoming events at The Spire Center for Performing Arts include The Americana Theater holding the house for a few weeks in July, and a country music festival that kicks off August 22 with CMA Vocal Duo of the Year and ten-time singles hits on the Country Music Charts, Thompson Square. Of course all of these exciting shows are set to draw plenty of crowds and that is also a necessity for the mission of The Spire Center. “The biggest challenge is always funding,” says Hollis, “We have to be able to pay the bands and performers, the staff to run the shows and maintain the venue, and invest in the forthcoming events and plans to keep it all running. We put a lot of work into finding the most affordable way to price tickets while still ensuring this all runs smoothly and we have a great lineup of performances.”
The Spire Center also gives back to the community by increasing patronage and tourists for surrounding businesses. “You know if we have a Saturday evening performance, the chances are that our patrons will go to a nearby establishment to eat or shop,” Hollis points out, “So some of the surrounding businesses have been really supportive in donations and advertising for us and we like to do the same for them. Anything that enriches one spot in the community enriches all of the community.”
With The Spire Center offering so much to Plymouth and the surrounding towns, it can’t be overlooked that perhaps the community should double the effort to give back to The Spire. The Spire Center also relies on its membership base for crucial funding and support. Memberships are available at different tiers and offer various discounts and perks throughout the year. “Right now, we have about 550 members for The Spire Center and we could not do what we do without them,” states Hollis. “Things like 10% discounts, advanced ticket sales, preferred and private seating, and other events are available to our members to thank them for their support.”
If you are looking to get involved with The Spire Center and preserving and promoting live, local music, you may want to consider volunteering as well. “We are always looking for volunteers as well as collaborative partners in the community,” says Hollis. “It takes a lot to keep it all running, but it is worth it to see how GPPAC and The Spire Center have enriched the community and helped local musicians.” If you are considering a visit to The Spire Center for a lively, Saturday evening jazz band, or relaxing string trio for a Sunday matinee, or perhaps you are part of a local band looking to perform for your home-crowd with unbeatable acoustics -rest assured, once you experience the magic The Spire Center has to offer, you will realize it is more than a venue -it is a home for the priceless, timeless energy exchange between artist and audience, and that is always worth the investment.
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