Depending Upon Who You Ask, Fireworks Are Protests, Noise, or Entertainment. Mostly, They Are Keeping US Awake.

Since May 2020, Boston and Mission Hill has experienced nightly fireworks starting from 8 or 9 and going until 2 in the morning.   Residents, as Community Scientists, have puled out their cellphones loaded with the NOISESCORE App to measure, map and respond to sound.  The BU Community Noise Lab has analyze the current data and presented the report of firework sound levels and Resident reactions to the Sounds of Fireworks.  The Mission Hill Health Movement encourages all residents of Mission Hill to download the NOISESCORE App and begin measuring the sounds (and fireworks!) around us.

Mission Hill Health Movement Accomplishments 2019

It’s been a busy year! Here are just a  few of the Mission Hill Health Movement’s Accomplishments in 2019 towards a healthier Hill.

Improve Health by Increasing the Availability and Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables

• Successful Farmers Markets at Roxbury Crossing and Brigham Circle (June-November)
• Served free summer lunches & snacks to 35 children and teens daily at Roxbury Farmers Markets
• Received $62,000 grant from the City of Boston for construction of Gore St Community Garden (June)
• Distributed 200 tomato plants free to residents to encourage growing our own food (May)
• Support Bodega Makeover Community Outreach Event in Roxbury (July)

Support Mission Hill Residents in Preventing and Managing Chronic Illness

• Held successful 9^th Annual Health and Wellness Fair on September 21
• Feet First Walking Groups walked 3-5 miles every Thursday and Saturday Morning, with over 80 participants (Spring-Fall)
• Holding Line Dance Class, the 2^nd Saturday of the month at Tobin Community Center with grant from the Mission Hill-Fenway Neighborhood Trust
• Supported Boston Self Help Center Power Wheelchair Soccer

Create a Resilient and Healthy Mission Hill Environment and Community

• Kicked off Noise Monitoring Project on Mission Hill with The Community Noise Lab at Boston University funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• Organized Senior Homeowners and Tenants in Private Housing to identify and begin to address aging in community concerns
• Supported Senior Activities including Mission Hill Senior Prom
• Oriented 1^st year Residents of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 1^st year MPH Students from Harvard Chan and 1^st year Harvard Medical and Dental Students to Mission Hill Community and our Health Concerns
• Participated in Halloween on the Hill: handed out Local MA Apples; and decorated a record 45 Pumpkins with children and parents
• Participated in Outreach Activities at Whittier Street Health Center (Dec) and Roxbury Tenants of Harvard (May)

          Additional Accomplishments

• Participated in the Boston Community Health Needs Assessment/Community Health Implementation Plan process including recruiting residents to Mission Hill meeting.
• Distributed approx. $3,000 worth of Toys, Books and other items donated by Shriners Hospital to Mission Hill and Boston area children youth and Families Participated in Ten-Taxpayer Group organized by CCHERS to address hospital impact on communities
• Improved 1534 Tremont St by installing energy efficient lighting and improving HVAC system.
• Worked with Wentworth Students on restoration of deck at rear of 1534 Tremont St (August)
• Sponsored Boston Cyclist union at the Roxbury Crossing farmers market to perform free bike repairs, maintenance and tune-ups (Summer 2019)
• Wrote Report reviewing 7 years of BWH Mission Hill Community Activities Reports, 2010-2018 (Spring 2019)

Thank you to our Supporters and Collaborators

Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Shriners Hospital for Burns

New England Baptist Hospital

Mass Eye and Ear Institute

Whittier St Health Center

Harvard T.F. Chan School of Public Health

Northeastern University

Wentworth Institute of Technology,

Thank you, Sandy Pascal!

Boston University

Community Noise Lab at Boston University

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Mission Hill Main Streets

MacArthur Farms

Gary’s Too Farmstand

BCYF Tobin Community Center

Mission Hill Legacy Project

InFocus Camera Club

Mission Hill Artists Collective

Partners in Mentoring/Family Intervention Team

Roxbury Tenants of Harvard

Kristen Mobilia

Laura Serapigilia, MCPHS

1. LIFTED

Bodega Makeover

Maynard Clark

Roderick Kersey

The Food Project

Joshua Wolfsun

Youth paint at a fun back to school event.

Mission Hill Fenway Neighborhood Trust

City of Boston Department of Neighborhood Development

All of US Health Study

Lily’s Pasta

Mike’s Donuts

COGDesign & Jennifer Kimball

Laura Feddersen

Daniel Janowiec, WIT

Michael Ateek, Computers

Harvard University Day of Service

Boston Public Library, Parker Hill Branch

Friends of the Parker Hill Library

State Senator Sonia Chang Diaz

Representative Nika Elugardo

City Councilor-elect Kenzie Bok

Age Strong, Mission Hill!

Mission Hill Residents Discuss What They Need and Want to Age-Strong on Mission Hill.

In August, 20 older Mission Hill residents got together to discuss concerns, questions and plans for completing their lives on Mission Hill.  Below are the notes from the discussion.  The group decided to meet again on October 24 at 10 am to learn more about the following programs that help Seniors remain in their homes as they age:

•   JP@Home;
• PACE at Uphams Corner Health Center; and
• City of Boston Senior Property Tax Programs.

 

Notes From August 16, 2019 Mission Hill Age Strong Meeting at the Mission Hill Health Movement

CONCERNS:

Household Maintenance including: yardwork; snow removal; getting the trash out; and referrals for building maintenance and repair work.

Grocery Shopping: getting to the store; shopping; getting home with the bags; and putting food away.

City Resources for Older Bostonians-(Age Strong Dept.)

• What are they?
• How Do you access them?
• Do you need to be income eligible?

Possible sources of information: City Hall;Library; Jamaica Plain Senior Center; ABCD

Admitting that we need help; What does this mean about us?

Loneliness & Safety (Falling Concerns too)

Need for One Time Services

Home Accommodations: what do we need; how to get them?

SCAMS- (some have already been victims!)

Transportation

Property Taxes

Long-term Senior and Low-income Tenants in private housing, How to keep them/afford them.

Estate Planning- Referrals to Affordable Attorneys

Access to Social Workers

Financial Administration Assistance/Monitoring

SOLUTIONS

Friendship Works

Workshop on SCAMS (AARP)

Urban Edge (Federal & State Tax Preparation)

Challenge Property Assessment to Lower Taxes

Tobin Community Center-  Create Work Program for Teens to work with Seniors in their homes

MHHM:  cooperate with Tobin on programing collaboratory

Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly

Fair Foods/Senior Meal Programs

Friends and Family

Neighborhood Groups

Building Materials Co-op: Tools on Loan/Service Referrals

Collecting and sharing contact info for electricians, plumbers, etc

Senior Shuttle-Shopping Trips

Local Colleges & Universities- RCC, NEU, BU, Wentworth, MassArt, Simmons

RTH Senior Programs/Maria Sanchez/High Rise @ Mission Main/ 75 St Alphonsus (Pool Use)

VILLAGE CONCEPT (explore)

Beacon Hill Village($700)/JP @ Home ($500)

PACE Program

Home Health Care

Home Modifications

NEXT STEPS

Request meetings: Beacon Hill Village, Ethos: JP2Home, PACE, FriendshipWorks

Mark a list of Resources

Next meeting, October 24 10 am.

 

 

 

Make a Plan for a Healthy School Year!

Youth paint at a fun back to school event.

Make goals for a healthy school year with your parents or guardians! Here are 6:

1. Be a Healthy Eater!
· Start each School Day with a Healthy Breakfast
· Eat Fruits and Vegetables Every Day
· Only Eat Salty or Sweet Snacks Sometimes

2. Drink Healthy Beverages!
· Water and Milk are the Best Choices
· Not too much Juice, Soda and Sugary Drinks

3. Keeping Moving!
· Enjoy Playing with Your Friends.
· Walk Places
· Get Up and Move

4. Reduce Screen Time!
· Limit Time Watching TV, Using Computers, and Cell Phones & Tablets

5. Get Healthy Sleep!
· Make a Regular Bed Time
· Don’t Bring Your Cell Phone or Tablet into Bed
· Get Enough Sleep to Have Energy in the Morning

6. Have Your Medicine At School
· Have your parents follow the school’s directions.

7._____________________________________________ _______________________________________________
With Best Wishes for Your Best School Year Ever!
Mission Hill Health Movement
http://www.mhhm.org 617 427 6919

Mission Hill: Sound or Noise?

The Mission Hill Health Movement has joined with the Community Noise Lab at BU School of Public Health to do a 2 years study of noise and sound on Mission Hill with a grant funded by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The study will focus on two sound issues on Mission Hill
1. The sound impacts from emergency vehicles, MEDIVAC helicopters, and local hospital HVAC equipment; and
2. how rapid development in this neighborhood is transforming its sound levels.

Residents and businesses can participate in the study in a variety of ways including:
· Have sound monitoring equipment at their apartment or building;
· attend a sound walk or another sound event;
· participate in a study on the impact of sound on people; or
· create a Sound Portrait of your sound experience.
Noise monitoring on Mission Hill is scheduled to begin in June 2019. Get more information at www.mhhm.org or www.communitynoiselab.org.