Scope and Content Note
The collection includes the administrative records of and publications produced by the Massachusetts Human Services Coalition (MHSC). Administrative materials include meeting minutes and agendas, by-laws, a business plan, strategic planning documents, financial information, annual reports, and fundraising files. The fundraising materials include information about the "Standing O Award" the MHSC gave to a deserving defender of Human Services in Massachusetts at the annual Spring Breakfast fundraiser; one recipient of the award was Governor Deval Patrick. Also included are materials documenting many of the MHSC's initiatives, including anti-budget cut advocacy, welfare reform initiatives, and health care reform efforts.
Also included in the collection are materials documenting the MHSC's grant funding from a number of agencies, including the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council, the United Way of Massachusetts Bay, the Boston Foundation, the Charles H. Farnsworth Charitable Trust, the Haymarket People's Fund, the Hyams Foundation, and the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. The Publications Information file includes background information regarding the MHSC's publications, such as publication schedules, article proposals, and subscription information.
The publications in this collection include serial publications produced by the MHSC, such as State House Watch, Budget Update, The People's Budget, Net Work News, and For the People. Also included are individual publications, such as "Breaking Housing Choice Barriers: a Handbook on Housing and Housing Discrimination," "The Government We Lose: Increasing Access or Creating Barriers?," and "Mass Billions: the Changing Role of Federal Support for Human Services in Massachusetts."
The audiovisual materials in this collection include tapes of news broadcasts featuring MHSC members and photographs of MHSC members and events.
Dates
- Creation: 1969-2004
Creator
- Massachusetts Human Services Coalition, Inc. (Organization)
Language of Materials
Materials are primarily in English with some promotional materials in Spanish and Polish.
Conditions Governing Access:
This collection is unrestricted.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use:
Copyright restrictions may apply.
Historical Note
Founded in 1976, the Massachusetts Human Services Coalition (MHSC) operated as a vehicle for organizing individuals around causes related to human services, focusing on the residents of Massachusetts who most directly benefit from state-funded services, including at-risk children, low-income families, persons with disabilities, frail elders, and other vulnerable populations. The MHSC focused on analyzing and tracking public policy and funding of human services provided by the Commonwealth. Additionally, the MHSC advocated for improvements to health and human services through a number of campaigns, including The People's Budget annual report on the state budget and its "People First: What Massachusetts Does for People with Disabilities" project.
The MHSC also provided resources for educating the public about policy and funding issues, including the "Cut No More" anti-budget cut campaigns and the "Healing Health and Human Services" advocacy project. The MHSC also provided policy and budget information to both policy makers and the media. Additionally, the MHSC's Public Policy Committee offered a quarterly forum for members to discuss issues and share information from varying perspectives.
The Massachusetts Human Services Coalition was in operation until December 31, 2005, at which time the Board of Directors decided to bring the Coalition to a close. This decision was based on the Board's assessment that the goals of the coalition were being met by other organizations; additionally, the Coalition was facing major fundraising challenges and struggling to find a source of revenue. At the time of the Coalition's closing, Board members met with other organizations in the community to ensure that the interests and mission of the Coalition would continue.
Extent
7 cubic feet (7 containers)
Overview
The Massachusetts Human Services Coalition (MHSC) was founded in 1976 and operated as a vehicle for organizing individuals around causes related to human services, focusing on the residents of Massachusetts who most directly benefit from state-funded services, including at-risk children, low-income families, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and other vulnerable populations. The MHSC focused on analyzing and tracking public policy and funding of human services provided by the Commonwealth. The MHSC was in operation until December 31, 2005, at which time the Board of Directors decided to bring the Coalition to a close. At the time of the Coalition's closing, Board members met with other organizations in the community to ensure that the interests and mission of the Coalition would continue.
Overview
The collection documents the activities of the Massachusetts Human Services Coalition (MHSC) and includes the administrative records of and publications produced by the MHSC. Administrative materials include meeting minutes and agendas, by-laws, a business plan, strategic planning documents, financial information, annual reports, fund raising files, budget advocacy files, and grant funding information. Also included are films of news broadcasts featuring MHSC members.
System of Arrangement:
Materials are arranged into three series: Series I. Administration, Series II. Publications, and Series III. Audiovisual.
Physical Location
35/2
Immediate Source of Acquisition:
Donation from Massachusetts Human Services Coalition President Miriam Stein, August, 2005.
Subject
- Kerry, John F. (Person)
- Patrick, Deval (Person)
- Romney, Mitt (Person)
- Cahill, Sean (Person)
- Collins, Steve (Person)
- Salerno, Rosaria (Person)
- Stein, Miriam (Person)
- Massachusetts Human Services Coalition, Inc. (Organization)
- Title
- Finding aid for the Massachusetts Human Services Coalition Records
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Abigail Cramer
- Date
- April, 2012.
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Northeastern University Archives and Special Collections Repository