WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) applauded the enactment of the government funding package signed into law this week, which includes $8,183,218 in Community Project Funding for 10 projects across the Massachusetts 7^th Congressional District. Rep. Pressley has spent nearly a year advocating for this funding, which will support investments to build a more just and equitable Massachusetts 7th Congressional District

“The best projects are those that are community-driven and government-endorsed, and I’m so glad that each of our community projects will receive the funding needed to move forward,” said Rep. Pressley. “Collectively, these projects represent a massive investment in our most valuable infrastructure—our people—and this would not have been possible without the close partnership of our local leaders and advocates across the Massachusetts 7th. We’ve been fighting hard to deliver these resources for the district, and I can’t wait to see this money go out the door.”

Rep. Pressley championed funding for 10 projects that will directly benefit her constituents in the Massachusetts 7^th Congressional District by mitigating the impact of climate change, investing in workforce development, addressing the opioid crisis, expanding access to quality education, and more. The projects include:

• $2,500,000 for Poplar Street Pump Station Project (Somerville)
• $1,000,000 for Substance Use Treatment at The Dimock Center (Roxbury)
• $1,000,000 for Boston Tuition-Free Community College Program Expansion (Boston)
• $1,000,000 for School Based Community Health Center at Randolph High School (Randolph)
• $958,218 for Separated Bicycle Lane Network Build Out (Cambridge)
• $750,000 for Island End River Area Flood Resilience Project (Everett and Chelsea)
• $300,000 for La Colaborativa Workforce Development Initiative (Chelsea)
• $300,000 for Clean Energy Building Automation Systems Program at Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology (Boston)
• $275,000 for Culturally Relevant Digital Literacy at Randolph Public Schools (Randolph)
• $100,000 for Math and Reading Learning Assessment Tools at Milton Public Schools (Milton)

“I am so grateful that Congresswoman Pressley continues to recognize the needs of communities of color, as those who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 are often left behind. This funding will help make La Colaborativa’s goal of economic mobility and stability a reality for so many – the Good Jobs Coalitionwill not only give participants the opportunity to gain valuable skills but also allow them to work one good-paying job to support themselves and their families instead of balancing three jobs with no time for any other part of life. This funding is life changing for so many,” said Gladys Vega, Executive Director of La Colaborativa.

“This investment in tuition-free community college, treatment for substance use disorders, and new green jobs training will help address some of Boston’s greatest needs. I’m thankful for Congresswoman Pressley’s leadership and partnership in delivering these critical resources to our neighborhoods,” said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.

“We are grateful for Congresswoman Pressley’s successful advocacy for the funding that will help us establish our new clean energy Building Automation Systems (BAS) certificate program,” said Dr. Aisha Francis, president and CEO, Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology. “BAS technicians help buildings stay green by limiting the energy consumption of complex HVAC&R systems, and more of these technicians are needed today. By securing funding for our BAS program, Congresswoman Pressley is contributing to BFIT’s work to create opportunities for students from environmental justice communities in high-demand and good-paying green jobs,” said Dr. Aisha Francis, President and CEO, Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology.

“The Island End River Flood Resilience Project is an essential infrastructure investment that will greatly enhance the City of Chelsea’s efforts to protect vulnerable residents and facilities from severe weather events due to climate change.  The City of Chelsea is grateful to Congresswoman Pressley for her diligence in helping to secure these critical funds,” said Chelsea City Manager Tom Ambrosino.

“School closures and hybrid learning in this past year increased our students’ need for physical and mental health support,” said Randolph Public Schools Superintendent Thea Stovell. “Our school nurses and social workers provide important health services to our students, but there are still unmet healthcare needs. Codman Square Health Center, an experienced and trusted healthcare provider, will run the school-based health center at Randolph High School. The services they offer will go a long way to meeting the needs of students and the broader community,” said Thea Stovell, Superintendent of Randolph Public Schools.

“We are so grateful to Congresswoman Pressley for her assistance and support in this important effort.  We have been working with the Town of Randolph to create a school-based health center for Randolph’s children and community at-large.  Congresswoman Pressley’s advocacy shows her unwavering commitment to better health for our Randolph community and Codman Square Health Center is proud to play a part,” said Sandra Cottrell, Codman Square Health Center’s CEO.

“Rep. Pressley has been a steadfast advocate for making Cambridge streets safer for pedestrians, bikers, and motorists. The funding that Rep. Pressley has secured for our community will help enhance the projects already underway and make Cambridge a greener and more bike-friendly city,” said Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui.

“Thank you to Congresswoman Pressley for her leadership and advocacy in support of our Poplar Street Pump Station Project. As we face more extreme weather events it is now more important than ever that we are able to fund this project to reduce flooding in our neighborhoods and protect our environment. Sixty percent of our wastewater flows through Union Square – a low lying area prone to flooding – completing the Poplar Street Pump station with the help of this funding will greatly improve the quality of life for residents and businesses in the neighborhood,” said Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne.

“We applaud Representative Pressley’s leadership and tireless advocacy on behalf of communities across Randolph. These critical federal resources will support the establishment of a much-needed school-based health center at Randolph High School to support youth and families across our town. Randolph’s lack of health services became acutely evident over the course of the COVID pandemic, during which Randolph was a hot spot. This new health center will help build up our local health care infrastructure, increase access to care and ensure we are able to meet the health needs of our community,” said Randolph Town Manager Brian Howard.

“On behalf of the Milton Public School students, staff and community, I would like to thank Congresswomen Ayanna Pressley for her steadfast commitment and advocacy for the necessary tools to advance student learning. We couldn’t be happier than to provide these educational platforms to improve student outcomes. It’s been a long journey but Congresswomen Pressley kept pressing forward to see these Community Projects come to fruition. Her efforts are greatly appreciated,” said James F. Jette, Superintendent of Milton Public Schools.

“We are deeply grateful for the significant support for The Dimock Center,” said Dr. Charles Anderson, President and CEO of The Dimock Center. “Thank you, Congresswoman Pressley, for championing this critical Community Project funding for substance use disorder treatment to help create a men’s clinical stabilization services (CSS) program on our campus. This will be the first men’s CSS in the City of Boston, and a vital second phase for men post-detox. Helping people sustain their treatment at Dimock leads to longer-term recovery and helps save more lives in our community,” said Dr. Charles Anderson, President and CEO of the Dimock Center.

For more information on each project that will receive funding, click here.

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