Charlestown Coalition

Who We Are: The Charlestown Coalition (formerly the Charlestown Substance Abuse Coalition) was formed in 2004 by residents and community partners in response to the devastating opioid epidemic and overdose related deaths among young people in our neighborhood. As we adapt to meet the changing needs of our community, our work has expanded to go beyond substance use and focus additionally on stable housing, healthy food, racial equity, and access to mental health services—issues sometimes referred to as the social determinants of health. The Coalition is made up of residents, parents, youth, and more than 75 organizations representing all *12 sectors of the community. Our Mission: To advance communities and transform lives by developing and supporting activities that promote overall health and bring about change, helping to end the cycles of addiction, poverty, violence, and racism. Our Community: Charlestown is the oldest neighborhood in the City of Boston. It is the second smallest of Boston's neighborhoods, occupying only 1.4 square miles with a population of 18,901. We are a widely varied community, home to some of the city's elite, but with a struggling middle class attempting to recover from the recent recession and the largest concentration of public housing residents in New England. The number of persons of color in Charlestown has grown dramatically over the years and is now nearly a quarter of the population, up from five percent in 1990. A growing affluent population has been drawn to Charlestown because of the proximity to downtown, renovated brownstones, and panoramic views of the harbor. And, this recent movement has largely contributed to the stark income disparities. The Charlestown Coalition oversees a number of programs and initiatives focused on enhancing youth protective factors, supporting individuals through drug and alcohol recovery, and promoting healthy families by addressing the mental health and basic health needs of the community.