News Briefs

Broadway Business Recovery Plan Meeting

Mayor Brian Arrigo and the Office of Planning and Development , in partnership with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), will co-host a Broadway Business Recovery Plan Meeting on Tuesday, May 25 at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom.  The community meeting for the Broadway Business District is part of a larger planning and recovery initiative to improve the city’s central business district for business owners and consumers.  The meeting will discuss the results of a business characteristics survey completed by business owners in April, impressions of the corridor from a stakeholder site walk, and  initial branding and placemaking recommendations for the area.  A question-and-answer period will follow the presentation and public comments are welcome.

The City of Revere was chosen to receive technical assistance from MAPC to stimulate recovery and minimize the negative economic impacts of COVID on Broadway businesses through a grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Local Rapid Recovery Planning Program. The City will continue to engage business owners, consumers, and residents throughout the summer to develop short- and long-term changes to corridor that will promote businesses and civic engagement.  

The Broadway Business Recovery Plan Meeting will be held virtually.  Business owners, consumers and residents are welcome and must pre-register for the meeting at www.revere.org/broadwaybiz.  Spanish interpretation will be available, and the meeting will be recorded on Revere TV.  For more information about the meeting, please email the City of Revere’s Small Business Team at [email protected].

May is Older American Month

In tough times, communities find strength in people—and people find strength in their communities. In the past year, we’ve seen this time and again in our communities as friends, neighbors, and businesses have found new ways to support each other.

In our 11 communities we serve, older adults are a key source of this strength. Through their experiences, successes, and difficulties, they have built resilience that helps them to face new challenges. When communities tap into this, they become stronger too.

Each May, the Administration for Community Living leads the celebration of Older Americans Month (OAM). This year’s theme is Communities of Strength, recognizing the important role older adults play in fostering the connection and engagement that build strong, resilient communities.

Strength is built and shown not only by bold acts, but also small ones of day-to-day life—a conversation shared with a friend, working in the garden, trying a new recipe, or taking time for a cup of tea on a busy day. And when we share these activities with others—even virtually or by telling about the experience later—we help them build resilience too.

This year, Mystic Valley Elder Services (MVES) will celebrate OAM by encouraging community members to share their experiences. Together, we can find strength—and create a stronger future.

Here are some ways to share and connect:

• Look for joy in the everyday: Celebrate small moments and ordinary pleasures by taking time to recognize them. Start a gratitude journal and share it with others via social media, or call a friend or family member to share a happy moment or to say thank you.

• Reach out to neighbors: Even if you can’t get together in person right now, you can still connect with your neighbors. Leave a small gift on their doorstep, offer to help with outdoor chores, or deliver a home-cooked meal.

• Build new skills: Learning something new allows us to practice overcoming challenges. Take an art course online or try a socially distanced outdoor movement class to enjoy learning with others in your community. Maybe you have a skill to share? Find an opportunity to teach someone.

• Share your story: There’s a reason storytelling is a time-honored activity. Hearing how others experience the world helps us grow. Engaging with family, friends, and neighbors can open up new conversations and strengthen our connections.

When people of different ages, backgrounds, abilities, and talents share experiences—through action, story, or service—we help build strong and educated communities. And that’s something to celebrate!

To learn more about what MVES has to offer older adults, please visit us at www.mves.org or call 781-324-7705.

City of Revere Auction of Surplus and Unused Items

The City of Revere, through the Office of the Purchasing Department, will be hosting an online auction of surplus and unused items beginning Wednesday, May 19.  All items will be hosted on the website for a minimum of two weeks.

The city will conduct the auction through Municibid, an online platform that conducts convenient and easy-to-use online auction service for government agencies to sell their surplus and forfeitures directly to the public. Bids will be received by the City of Revere until the posted “end date and time” for listed items. 

Some of the items up for auction through this initial offering are as follows:

• Two (2) 2013 Harley Davidson FLHTP Electra Glide Motorcycles

• Two (2) 1994 AM General M998 “Humvees”

• 2006 International Vactor/Jetter Truck

• 2017 Stepp SPHD 3.0 Asphalt Patcher “Hot Box”

• More vehicles and equipment

“One of the problems of the traditional process of disposing of surplus goods is that very few people know the items being offered for surplus sale,” said Michael Piccardi, City of Revere Purchasing Agent. “By conducting an online auction, we not only comply with the Massachusetts General Laws, but also create an open and competitive bid process for all interested parties without any confusing options or barriers of sale. And we get to promote this to a much wider array of possible buyers.”

100% of the proceeds from the auction will be deposited into the City’s Capital Improvement Stabilization Fund to put toward future capital expenditures that will benefit the City and its residents.

Anyone wishing to inspect the items should contact Acadia Bombaci in the Purchasing Department via email at: [email protected], or call 781-286-8157.

Visit Municibid.com and click on “Massachusetts” to see some of the exciting additions that are priced to sell, and you could be the winning bidder! Some important information:

• Bids are only accepted through the Municibid.com website.

• The City of Revere does not provide any guaranties and/or warranties relative to the item(s) being sold. Thus, the item(s) is/are offered on “AS IS – WHERE IS” basis.

• Payments are acceptable in the form of cash, credit cards and checks (made payable to the “City of Revere”).

• The City of Revere reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals.

Social Engagement Program is Helping Older Adults Feel Connected

Social isolation is a prevalent concern for approximately one-quarter of community-dwelling Americans aged 65 and older who are considered to be socially isolated, and a significant proportion of adults in the United States report feeling lonely, according to a report conducted by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. And with the coronavirus pandemic altering people’s lives and the ways in which they interact with others, isolation among older adults is at an all-time high. Social isolation can affect everything from mental health, nutrition, and mobility.

There are many reasons for social isolation beyond the pandemic. Some older adults might not have family, might be estranged from their family, might not be as technologically savvy as younger folks, and might rely on transportation or Adult Day Health in order to socialize.

To address this issue, Mystic Valley Elder Services (MVES) launched the Social Engagement Program a year ago, established to help improve the health and well-being of isolated older adults in the community by providing meaningful social connections.

The Social Engagement Program connects to older adults through supports that could include the following: the Telephone Reassurance Program, where a volunteer calls the isolated individual and provides a social contact and friendly conversation; the Card and Letter Writing option where participants and volunteers socialize through an exchange of cards and letters; the Email Pen Pal Program which provides socialization through email, and; the Friendly Visitor Program, in which the individual receives home visits that focus on in-person socialization and companionship(when it is determined safe to do so).  Trained and carefully screened volunteers are paired with community members and provide the visits, cards and letters, calls and emails.

MVES continues to respond to the increased social isolation faced by many older adults during this difficult past year. Cheryl, a 61 year old, was struggling to recover from hip replacement surgery. She was feeling isolated and very stressed-out, and wanting a listening ear and friendly support. Cheryl was very worried about her adult African American son, the recent racial protests, and how her family may be impacted. She needed someone to talk with who would understand her reality and lived experiences. That’s where the Social Engagement Program came in to Cheryl’s life.

Cheryl was matched with a MVES Social Engagement volunteer who had shared experiences and could relate to Cheryl’s family experiences and feelings. It has been a very supportive match for Cheryl and made such a positive difference in her life. When Cheryl speaks of her volunteer, she shares “We’re buddies. We really talk and laugh. We talk about serious things too.” Cheryl enjoys their phone calls and is looking forward to days ahead when she can spend time in person with her Social Engagement Program volunteer.

The Social Engagement Program is not only benefitting Cheryl, but more than 50 other socially isolated older adults who have their own unique life challenges.

MVES is playing an important role in the community to combat the effects of social isolation.  From increased well-being calls to ongoing home delivered meals and other in home services to providing resources for family caregivers now worrying about their elderly loved ones from afar, MVES is committed to remaining a consistent presence in the lives of those community members we are privileged to serve.

If you would like to learn more about the Social Engagement Program, please contact Linda Cornell at (781) 388-4839 [email protected]

Due to the increased demand from community members, MVES is seeking volunteers for the Social Engagement Program.  If you would like to learn more about volunteering for the program, please contact Leah Mulrenan at (781) 388-2375 [email protected].

MassDOT To Hold Virtual Meetings

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is announcing several public virtual meetings for the Capital Investment Plan (CIP), with each meeting focusing on a particular area in the state.

MassDOT is developing the annual CIP that guides how the Commonwealth prioritizes and funds local and statewide transportation projects. The CIP determines funding for infrastructure including transit, accessibility upgrades, roadway improvements, municipal projects, and for the needs of Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs).

Input from the public each year is used to help inform project design and investment decisions as comments help MassDOT officials understand the level of community support for proposed projects.

The virtual events will be held as follows and while each meeting presentation will primarily highlight investments in that region, the public is welcome to comment on any aspect of the CIP.

•Boston issues, June 1, 6 p.m.

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