The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) recently awarded a total of $100,000 in grant money distributed among four community health centers including $25,000 to the South End Community Health Center (SECHC) to augment and upgrade services to Boston Housing Authority (BHA) residents. BPHC set forth a series of objectives surrounding access to healthful food and improving residents' eating habits, and each health center will choose the goals and strategies that suit their respective neighborhoods.

Joel Abrams, associate CEO at SECHC, said in a written statement, "We are delighted to have received this grant." According to Abrams, the grant will enable the health center to expand the reach of visits to the health center's patients from Fresh Truck, a mobile fruit and vegetable market; increase healthy cooking classes; create a linguistically and culturally competent "Rx pad" that will be used to subsidize purchases from the Truck; and create a community advisory board with two spots designated for youth that will conduct consumer surveys to identify community needs and help improve the health center's services.

According to BPHC, public housing residents in Boston are 3.5 times more likely to be affected by obesity and related health conditions than non-public housing residents. The grants are part of the Partnership in Health and Housing (PHH), a three year initiative by the Centers for Disease Control with partners BHA, BPHC, Boston University School of Public Health and PHH's Community Committee.

BHA administrator Bill McGonagle commented, "Our goal is to empower our residents to make healthy choices. We applaud the work of BPHC and our REACH partners who promote health and wellness to all of our residents." The grants are part of a partnership between In his announcement of the grants, also awarded to Roxbury's Whittier Street Health Center, the Southern Jamaica Plain Health Center and Dorchester's Upham's Corner Health Center, Mayor Walsh said in a statement, "The people of Boston deserve the right to access affordable, quality healthcare," said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. "The community health centers provide those vital services to Boston residents, and these funds will enable them to stay ahead of the curve and continue developing innovative solutions to today's pressing health challenges. I look forward to seeing the results of their efforts in bringing positive change to the community."