Boston, MA

Annual Winter Walk brings awareness to Boston’s efforts to combat homelessness – The Boston Globe

Published

2 years ago

February 11, 2024

Annual Winter Walk brings awareness to Boston’s efforts to combat homelessness – The Boston Globe

“I think there are stories like that all over here,” said his mother, Renee Cogan.

Thousands of registered community members, volunteers, students, and advocacy groups gathered on the Boston Common Sunday for the eighth annual walk to raise money for a coalition of organizations, including Boston Medical Center, Pine Street Inn, and the St. Francis House.

“I walk to end homelessness because I care,” read a bright-blue sign that Valerie Gomes wore around her neck.

Gomes is a supportive housing manager at Commonwealth Land Trust, a nonprofit development agency that helps vulnerable individuals find housing.

“When you see that person come off the street, and see their success afterward, it gives you a reason to get up in the morning,” she said of her motivation to do the work and to participate in the walk.

The Winter Walk was established by Paul English, co-founder of travel websites Kayak and Lola, who nine years ago spent a night riding along on Pine Street Inn’s outreach van, and was incredulous after seeing how many homeless were on the streets, Dr. Jim O’Connell told the walkers Sunday.

“How can we allow this in a city like this?” O’Connell, president of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, said English asked him that night.

O’Connell told the walkers how English sought to raise awareness by having the people of Boston walk during the coldest month of the year to gain perspective on the reality that homeless people face daily.

The 2-mile walk serves to raise money, develop connections among people who are personally and professionally affected by the issue, and garner support to combat homelessness in the city. One hundred percent of the money raised by walkers is donated to organizations supporting those experiencing homelessness, according to organizers.

“This is such an important day for all of Boston,” said Mayor Michelle Wu to the sea of neon-blue Winter Walk beanies congregated on the Common. “We are making sure we are talking about people, and we’re walking the walk, putting our resources and attention where our words usually are.”

Frank Mangini, 61, is one of those people to talk about. He knows firsthand what the experience of being homeless is like and has served on BACHome Council, a city homelessness advisory council, for the past seven years. He told the Globe he’s proud of how far he’s come and how his voice has been given a platform.

He said he uses “perseverance and patience” to help city leaders understand how to help those caught in the deadly cycle and how to improve shelter systems.

Sheryl Katzanek has worked at Boston Medical Center for 20 years as the director of patient advocacy. Along with psychiatric nurse practitioner Dina Sattenspiel and clinical engineer Mike Hurley, she walked Sunday morning to “continue raising support for underserved populations.”

The three recognize the importance of “meeting homeless patients where they’re at,” and “thinking outside the box” to help combat the issue.

Though professionals say fewer homeless people have been seen living on the streets since the November dismantling of Mass. and Cass, the city’s former epicenter of homeless encampments and drug use, they also say the recent influx of migrants has posed a new challenge to organizations that aim to keep individuals off the streets.

O’Connell, who has spent nearly 40 years at the head of Boston Health Care for the Homeless, said his organization wasn’t ready for the “influx of thousands of families.”

His main concern, he said, lies in how to care for the number of single Haitian men he said the influx has brought, as well as the families.

As the crowd geared up to walk at 9:45 a.m. with coffee in hand, an air of hope and the buzz of conversation about solutions lingered in the air.

Mark Lippolt, former treasurer of Women’s Lunch Place, an organization that provides daytime activities and meals to homeless women, was participating in his eighth Winter Walk with his team from St. Cecilia Parish.

Lippolt said he found it encouraging that thousands of people got up on a Sunday morning to do the walk.

“We all know how severe the issue is, and you always need that jolt of good news to keep going,” he said.

Alexa Coultoff can be reached at alexa.coultoff@globe.com. Follow her @alexacoultoff.

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Boston, MA

+)WAY TO WATCH Ｆｒｅｅ Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals LIVE

Published

10 hours ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals

Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals LIVE GAME: Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals look to seize control of thrilling Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals. Every team in the Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals has two wins apiece as we go into the final two game weeks. Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals will host Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals at Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals Park Stadium with the Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals a single point ahead of Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals in the standings and just one behind leaders Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals.

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Boston, MA

Red Sox at Reds preview: Sonny Gray makes his first start for Boston – The Boston Globe

Published

22 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Red Sox at Reds preview: Sonny Gray makes his first start for Boston – The Boston Globe

Gray, acquired in a November trade from the St. Louis Cardinals, was one of Boston’s key rotation additions, along with Ranger Suarez, in the offseason. He was 14-8 with a 4.28 ERA in 2025.

“He’s very specific about his work. Every day has a purpose,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Gray. “Two hundred strikeouts, that’s something that we were looking for. The competitor. Every five days, this guy is going to give you everything.”

In his five career appearances against the Reds, Gray is 1-3 with a 4.18 ERA.

“It’s pretty much one of the only things that is continuing to push me, is to get to a World Series, to win a World Series, to pitch in big games,” said Gray. “I love the moment, and I am chasing that moment.”

Here’s the preview:

RED SOX (1-0): TBA

Pitching: RHP Sonny Gray

REDS (0-1): TBA

Pitching: RHP Brady Singer

Time: 4:10 p.m.

TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7

Red Sox vs. Singer: Wilyer Abreu 2-5, Roman Anthony 1-2, Willson Contreras 2-7, Jarren Duran 3-10, Caleb Durbin 0-1, Isiah Kiner-Falefa 6-16, Marcelo Mayer 0-1, Andruw Monasterio 1-4, Carlos Narváez 1-1, Ceddanne Rafaela 1-5, Trevor Story 0-4, Connor Wong 2-8, Masataka Yoshida 2-7

Reds vs. Gray: Will Benson 0-5, Elly De La Cruz 5-11, TJ Friedl 1-8, Ke’Bryan Hayes 4-17, Nathaniel Lowe 2-10, Noelvi Marte 0-5, Matt McLain 2-2, Spencer Steer 4-9, Tyler Stephenson 0-8, Eugenio Suárez 7-13, Jose Trevino 0-2

Stat of the day: Sal Stewart become the first Cincinnati rookie since 1958 to record three hits on Opening Day.

Notes: Cincinnati sends righthander Brady Singer (14-12, 4.03 in 2025) to the mound … With Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo already on the injured list to start the season, Singer is considered one of Cincinnati’s most durable pitchers, leading the Reds with 32 starts last season … Singer has made five career starts against Boston, posting a 2-2 record with a 4.88 ERA over 24 innings … His last appearance against the Red Sox, on July 1 in Boston, ended after just three innings when he allowed two earned runs on three hits.

Cam Kerry can be reached at cam.kerry@globe.com.

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Boston, MA

Mayor Robert Van Campen talks about priorities in Everett

Published

1 day ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Mayor Robert Van Campen talks about priorities in Everett

Nearly three months since assuming office as mayor of Everett, Massachusetts, Mayor Robert Van Campen isn’t wasting any time.

The former city councilor ousted 18-year incumbent Carlo DeMaria in decisive fashion last November, but even so, issues surrounding his predecessor still linger at City Hall.

A state-led salary audit of DeMaria found $180,000 in overpayment, a finding the former mayor disputes. Van Campen says the city is monitoring ongoing investigations.

“What I’ve conveyed to my partners in government here, locally, is to allow that state process to play itself out, and then we, as a community, will make a decision,” the mayor said. “In addition to that, I recently met with Inspector General Jeff Shapiro, who visited me at City Hall. We had a great conversation about transparency in government, best practices, putting in the right systems to ensure that that type of financial oversight doesn’t happen in the future.”

Beyond the audit, Van Campen is placing emphasis on school overcrowding.

“My objective is to try to implement solutions as quickly as I can,” he said. “Our high school today, which was built for I think 1,650 students, now houses around 2,200.”

The World Cup is creating buzz across Massachusetts, including in Everett, where the Kraft Group is looking to build a soccer stadium.

To alleviate that problem, the mayor is using federal ARPA funds to repair the old Everett High School and seeking out other spaces that could be used in the future.

“Would I like to build out new classroom space for the students of Everett in the next one to two years? Yes, that’s my ideal,” Van Campen said. “But I want to make sure that if we do it on a quick timeline, it’s done in a correct and proper fashion.”

Also in focus for the mayor is a new soccer stadium for the New England Revolution on the shores of the Mystic River.

The Kraft Group, Boston, Everett and the state Legislature have all taken steps to make the project a reality, but Van Campen says there’s still more work to do.

“It’s a transformative project, it’s a breathtaking project,” said Van Campen. “But I’ve been clear with all the stakeholders around that project, and the other larger developments going on down there, that we have to make sure that transit issues are comprehensively addressed, that pedestrian access issues are comprehensively addressed, that all those issues have to be addressed to perfection in order for these projects to succeed.”

Tune in on Sunday, March 29 at 9:30 a.m. for our extended @Issue Sit Down with Van Campen.

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