Health & Wellness Archives - Madison Park Development Corporation

On The Patch: MA Housing Agency Awards $150K In Grants For Community Gardens, Farmer’s Markets

Kelly Lydon — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 20:56:38 +0000

MASSACHUSETTS — A Massachusetts agency dedicated to affordable housing is helping people offer another necessity to state residents: Food.

MassHousing has awarded $150,000 to support community gardens, farmer’s markets and other initiatives to provide healthy food access to residents of 16 agency-financed rental housing communities across Massachusetts.

The Food and Nutrition Grant Program benefits more than 4,000 residents through community gardens on their property, mobile farmers markets that visit their property, or food vouchers or meal delivery, officials said.

Read the entire story on The Patch here.

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In Boston Real Estate Times: MassHousing Awards $150,000 to Support Healthy Food Access in Rental Housing Communities

Kelly Lydon — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 17:43:25 +0000

BOSTON— In a significant step toward addressing food insecurity in Massachusetts, MassHousing has awarded $150,000 in grants to support healthy food initiatives at 16 agency-financed rental housing communities across the state. The funding aims to improve access to nutritious food for more than 4,000 residents through community gardens, mobile farmers markets, meal delivery programs, and nutrition education.

The grants, part of MassHousing’s Food and Nutrition Grant Program, will be used to create or expand projects such as on-site gardens—including raised beds for seniors and people with disabilities—mobile markets that bring fresh produce directly to residents, and partnerships that offer food vouchers and cooking classes.

“There is a clear and growing need to address food insecurity in the Commonwealth,” said MassHousing CEO Chrystal Kornegay. “The financial and health impacts of food insecurity affect the housing stability of residents of multi-family communities. This program focuses on the intersection between housing stability and food security.”

The program has partnered with more than 40 local organizations, including farms, agricultural nonprofits, and community meal programs. In addition to direct food access, the initiatives offer residents opportunities to participate in nutrition workshops, youth programs, and community harvest events.

This effort comes as food insecurity continues to impact a large portion of Massachusetts residents. According to the Greater Boston Food Bank’s Fourth Annual Statewide Report, approximately 34% of households in the state report experiencing food insecurity.

Grants of up to $10,000 per site were made available to MassHousing-financed properties in 2024 and 2025. Participating property management companies include WinnCompanies, Schochet Companies, Peabody Properties, The Community Builders, Kent Street Elderly LP, Madison Park Development Corporation, Related Management, Beacon Communities, and Housing Management Resources.

In July, MassHousing convened a symposium bringing together stakeholders from across the housing and food sectors. Attendees included representatives from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, health care organizations, housing finance agencies, food systems experts, and developers, all focused on advancing collaboration between affordable housing and food access efforts.

The Food and Nutrition Grant Program reflects a growing recognition of the role housing providers can play in addressing broader public health and equity issues. With this investment, MassHousing is helping to create healthier, more resilient communities across Massachusetts.

Read the entire article on Boston Real Estate Times here.

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On hoodline: Boston Police and Madison Park Development Team Up to Distribute 1,000 Thanksgiving Meals in Roxbury

Kelly Lydon — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 19:52:16 +0000

This Thanksgiving, officers from the District B-2 Community Service Office partnered with Madison Park Community Development in Roxbury. The Boston Police Department recently announced that over 1,000 Thanksgiving meal bags were packed with holiday essentials and prepared for distribution to those in need.

The collaboration between police officers and local volunteers has been praised as a meaningful example of community policing. The Thanksgiving meal bags, filled with all the essentials for a traditional dinner, will soon be distributed to residents in time for the holiday. The Boston Police Department’s announcement stated, “It was incredible to see the teamwork, dedication, and generosity that went into making this effort such a success, this is what Community Policing is all about!”

The project involved organizing and packing food items, including poultry and other staples for a full Thanksgiving meal. Officers and community members worked together to sort the donations, ensuring the holiday spirit was shared throughout the area.

Read the entire story as it originally appeared on hoodline.com here.

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In CBS Boston: Roxbury woman prepares Thanksgiving meals for 500 families

Kelly Lydon — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 17:17:12 +0000

On November 16th, 2023, CBS Boston highlighted MPDC’s Health Equity and Wellness Coordinator, Leslie Stafford, and her efforts in spearheading several related initiatives at the organization, including the annual “Gratitude Project.” According to CBS, the Gratitude Project consists of assembling thoughtfully curated, healthy meals and providing “shelf-stable and fresh vegetables” and $20 gift cards to low-income residents of Roxbury.

CBS also spotlighted MPDC’s Meal Prep and Preparation classes, a free 4-week program that empowers Roxbury residents to improve their lives through nutrition, and its community garden, all overseen and implemented by Stafford. Stafford noted that access to nutritious, fresh food is an integral part of health and equity, and MPDC’s mission to foster a healthy, vibrant Roxbury.

Read the full article as it appears here.

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In Stanford Social Innovation Review: How Real Estate Development Can Boost Urban Health

Kelly Lydon — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 06:17:23 +0000

On August 24th, 2023, Madison Park Development Corporation was highlighted in the Stanford Social Innovation Review’s academic article and case study research regarding the connection between community health in Boston’s inner-city neighborhoods and real estate development as a catalyst for both social change and harm reduction.

Read the full article as it appeared here.

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In News@Northeastern: Northeastern Students Help Rake Leaves, Pull Weeds, and Paint Walls

Kelly Lydon — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 18:39:58 +0000

On October 27th, 2022, News@Northeastern reporter, Alena Kuzub, shared that Northeastern students participated in community volunteering efforts at the Madison Park Community Village Garden, also known as the Hope Community Garden, alongside MPDC and its department for Health Equity and Wellness. In partnership with the Garden Program, Northeastern volunteers help with “one-time needs such as painting, cleaning, gardening, or event planning” as well as other maintenance needs. Kuzab also mentions that “between Madison Park Village Community Garden, also known as Hope Garden, and Orchard Gardens Community Garden, MPDC has 78 garden beds, including raised beds for seniors, that benefit more than 100 people.”

Read the full article as it appears here.

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In the BJC Bulletin from the Boston Jobs Coalition: BJC & MPDC distribute food to local residents

Kelly Lydon — Mon, 04 May 2020 19:09:55 +0000

See the BJC Bulletin here!

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On Hoodline: Here’s what to do in Boston this week

Kelly Lydon — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 13:09:34 +0000

August 19, 2019

Looking to mix things up this week? From a website building course to a motivational coaching session, here’s a lineup of options to help you get social around town.

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Boston Children’s Hospital Community Meeting

From the event description:

Share your ideas on how to advance Boston Children’s Hospital’s efforts for improvement during this community meeting on Wednesday. Registration is free and dinner, child care and Spanish interpreters will be provided.

Read the entire article as it originally appeared on Hoodline here.

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On WGBH: Longtime Leader Of Roxbury Nonprofit Announces Departure

Kelly Lydon — Fri, 10 May 2019 14:12:45 +0000

By Saraya Wintersmith

May 8, 2019

Departure Of Leader Of Roxbury Nonprofit

Jeanne Pinado can barely drive a mile from her office near Roxbury’s Dudley Square without passing a building whose construction or renovation she has overseen during her two decades directing the Madison Park Development Corporation.

“And that’s another building we own,” Pinado said, pointing to a 43-unit apartment building on a recent driving tour of the organization’s real estate. Pinado easily spouted details and dates behind several other developments, including the Tropical Foods supermarket on Melnea Cass Boulevard, the Smith House apartments for the elderly on Shawmut Avenue and the Daily Table grocery store on Washington Street. Each was built or modernized on her watch.

Pinado, 57, became executive director of Madison Park in 1998. Since then, she’s tripled its staff, added 1,000 units to its housing portfolio and grown its bank balance exponentially. Madison Park now has the fourth-largest affordable housing portfolio in the state, according to the Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations.

Pinado has guided its growth with a background in real estate and banking — an advantage, she said, that lessens the incessant financial woes that typically plague other community development corporations. It’s a job she didn’t have in mind before coming to Boston.

Read and listen to the entire story as it originally aired on WGBH here.

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Boston Private’s ‘Why of Wealth’ Campaign

Kelly Lydon — Wed, 20 Mar 2019 13:48:15 +0000

We love this video produced by Boston Private about MPDC (and CEO Jeanne Pinado) for their ‘Why of Wealth‘ campaign. You might even see some of your favorite MPDC staff members around 1:39. Check it out!

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