NeighborHealth Celebrates Health Equity & Launches New Family Support Fund at Art of Health Care
NeighborHealth honors Community Resource & Wellness Center and announces new fund to help families facing urgent needs during annual Art of Health Care fundraiser at ICA Boston
BOSTON, MA (June 5, 2026) – On Wednesday, June 3, 2026, Saúde do Vizinho welcomed community leaders, supporters, partners, and advocates to the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) Boston for its 11º annual Art of Health Care fundraising event, an evening dedicated to celebrating the power of community-centered health care and advancing health equity across Greater Boston.
The evening brought together more than 300 attendees to support NeighborHealth’s mission of providing care beyond the clinic, ensuring the more than 120,000 individuals and families across Greater Boston served annually by the health system have access to the resources and services they need to thrive.
“We have always been rooted in the belief that everyone deserves access to high-quality, compassionate care, regardless of their circumstances,” said Jamie Hazard, President and CEO of NeighborHealth. “As the needs of our communities continue to evolve, we remain committed to delivering care both inside and outside of our clinic walls. The Art of Health Care makes it possible for us to expand access to critical services, strengthen community partnerships, and advance health equity for the thousands of people who rely on us each year.”
The evening kicked off with remarks from the evening’s emcee Malcolm Johnson of NBC10 Boston, CEO Jamie Hazard, followed by Dr. Julio Mazul, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at NeighborHealth, presenting the second annual Advancing Health Equity Award to NeighborHealth’s Community Resource & Wellness Center (CRWC) in East Boston.
The award recognizes the CRWC’s critical role in addressing the social drivers of health by connecting community members with essential resources including food access, housing support, rental assistance, immigration services, financial and legal assistance, educational opportunities, and mental health services.
In 2025 alone the CRWC made over 5,000 resource connections and completed over 13,400 food pantry appointments, embodying NeighborHealth’s philosophy of bringing care beyond the clinic.
“As physicians, we see every day that health is shaped by far more than what happens in an exam room,” said Dr. Mazul. “Access to stable housing, nutritious food, behavioral health support, and trusted community resources all play a critical role in a person’s well-being. The CRWC helps bridge those gaps, ensuring our patients and neighbors have access to the support they need to live healthier lives.”
Upon accepting the Advancing Health Equity Award on behalf of the Community Resource and Wellness Center, Kathy Field, Director of Health Promotion and Service Programs at NeighborHealth announced the official launch of NeighborHealth’s Family Support Fund, a new fund dedicated to providing immediate assistance to those facing urgent needs, particularly for access to healthy food and other necessary household items.
“The Community Resource and Wellness Center was created to ensure that individuals and families can access the resources they need to find stability in times of need,” said Field. “Every day, we assist people facing urgent challenges, whether it’s putting food on the table, keeping home utilities running, or recovering from a traumatic event. The new Family Support Fund will allow us to respond more quickly and directly to those needs, helping remove barriers and expanding our ability to serve even more members of our community when in crisis.”
Hosted at the waterfront ICA Boston, the Art of Health Care highlights NeighborHealth’s longstanding commitment to integrating art into health care as a tool for healing, connection, and well-being. For more than two decades, NeighborHealth has incorporated arts and cultural programming across its East Boston and South End campuses, transforming clinical spaces into welcoming, culturally resonant environments and offering programs that include expressive arts therapy, music, yoga, and other community-based practices. This approach reflects NeighborHealth’s belief that health extends beyond medical treatment alone and that creative expression can play a meaningful role in supporting physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
In addition to NeighborHealth leadership, staff and supporters, attendees included State Representative Adrian Madaro, Stephan Marin of City Councilor Coletta Zapata’s office, as well as healthcare leaders Alastair Bell, CEO, Boston Medical Center Health System (BMCHS), Michael Curry, CEO of the MassLeague, Juan Fernando Lopera, Chief Community and Health Impact Officer, Beth Israel Lahey Health (BILH), and Sue Chapman Moss, President of Beth Israel Lahey Health Performance Network.
The evening was made possible through a collaboration with ICA Boston and dozens of generous sponsors, including the Hilb Group.
Funds raised through the event will help NeighborHealth continue delivering comprehensive care and expanding programs that address health inequities and strengthen communities throughout Greater Boston.
For those that would like to support NeighborHealth’s mission, donations can be made at www.neighborhealth.com/donate.
NeighborHealth CEO Jamie Hazard and Chair of the NeighborHealth Board of Directors Rita Sorrento pose after sharing remarks at the 2026 Art of Health Care at the ICA.
Dr. Julio Mazul, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, NeighborHealth, address the crowd before presenting the Advancing Health Equity Award to the Community Resource and Wellness Center.
(From left to right) Catharine Hemp, Melanie Bethancourt Fajardo, Kathy Field and Margaret Keithline of the Community Resource and Wellness Center pose with the Advancing Health Equity Award.
(From left to right) NeighborHealth Operations Manager Wendy Olivares Herrera, Adult Medicine Medical Director Dr. Juan Huanuco, and Communications & Marketing Manager Susana Elman pose with artist and donor Rosalia Peña of East Boston, second from left.
State Representative Adrian Madaro, Chief of Staff Roberto Gomez, and Melissa Partridge and Jacqueline Gramer of Loomis Sayles gather with members of the Zumix team, including Corey DePina, Alyssa Brassil, and former Zumix Board member Steven Snyder.
About NeighborHealth
O NeighborHealth, anteriormente East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, é um dos maiores Centros de Saúde Federalmente Qualificados (FQHCs) do país e o maior sistema de saúde de atenção primária baseado na comunidade em Massachusetts, atendendo mais de 120.000 pessoas e reconhecido pela Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) como um Líder Nacional de Qualidade. Por mais de 50 anos, o NeighborHealth ofereceu acesso a cuidados primários abrangentes, cuidados especializados e cuidados de emergência para pacientes na Comunidade. Em uma fusão inédita em 2020, o East Boston Neighborhood Health Center uniu forças com o South End Community Health Center e expandiu os serviços para pacientes que vivem e trabalham nos bairros South End e Roxbury de Boston. Com quase 2.000 funcionários, o NeighborHealth defende modelos de atendimento inovadores para preencher ativamente as lacunas de equidade em saúde em nossas comunidades de baixa renda e imigrantes com serviços exclusivos de outros provedores de saúde em nosso estado. Para obter mais informações, visite www.neighborhealth.com.
