TFN’s Advocacy Spotlight Series, spearheaded by the network’s Mobility and Access Collaborative, lifts up the work of nonprofit grantees making an impact in their communities and beyond. We asked funders to nominate a stellar grantee to be featured in this series. We’ll share these Advocacy Spotlights TFN’s Blog and social media platforms as part of our commitment to amplifying community-led sustainability solutions and building the field of philanthropy through shared learning.
Advocacy Spotlight: Mass Senior Action Council
Nominated by: Lisa Jacobson, Senior Program Officer — Mobility, Barr Foundation
MBTA Board Meeting: Mass Senior Action Council members call on the MBTA Board to include all paratransit users in the proposed low-income fare. On the day the Board voted to approve the low-income fare, the Secretary of Transportation made an amendment to include all paratransit riders, citing the years of advocacy by Mass Senior Action members in her remarks.
About Mass Senior Action Council
“Mass Senior Action Council (MSAC) is a multi-racial, grassroots, member-led organization of low- and moderate-income seniors working across neighborhood, racial, religious and socio-economic lines to find common ground to meet the needs of seniors. They have 1300 members organized in six chapters across MA and are known for its successful organizing of lower-income seniors. The Barr Foundation supports them as they are very active (and impactful) in transportation and climate work, particularly when it comes to affordable and reliable transit access for seniors.”
2014 MBTA RIDE CD : In 2014, members of the Mass Senior Action Council, ages 67 to 90, blocked traffic to protest an extreme fare increase for senior and disabled individuals who rely on paratransit service. Five individuals were arrested during this act of civil disobedience, which ultimately led to the first-ever fare reduction in MBTA history and the implementation of a pilot means-tested fare program
About Their Impact
“MSAC has been organizing and advocating for years on getting a low-income fare on the MBTA. It was finally successful after about 10 years of work! At the last minute, they got buy-in from the MBTA board to ensure that all paratransit service would be included in the low-income fare.
Thanks to Mass Senior Action Council, the MBTA is the first transit authority in the nation to include paratransit in the low income fare policy. They have a great story to share of successful organizing and advocacy, leading to policy change.
Featured Image: Mass Senior Action Council members rally at the State House. MSAC is recognized for its ability to bring together a large number of well-informed seniors who are empowered to use their voices and experience to effect change on issues that impact their lives and communities.
About this series: TFN invited funders to nominate a stellar grantee to be featured in the Mobility and Access Collaborative’s Advocacy Spotlight series. The stories in this series were submitted by funders and shared with nominees in advance for fact-checking and further clarification when needed. If you have any questions about this series or TFN’s Mobility and Access Collaborative, please contact Martha Roskowski martha@fundersnetwork.org