June 23, 2000

Fred Babeski, (left), a formerly homeless man and recovering drug and alcohol addict, conveyed the true spirit and meaning of community benefits as he spoke about his healing process with the help of the MGH and the Boston Health Care for the Homeless program.

"Here at the MGH, I am treated like a human being, nothing more and nothing less. That's all I ask for," he said. Babeski was among the many moving speakers at the MGH Community Benefit program's five-year anniversary celebration June 19. Other speakers included Debbie Eason, director of the Family Resource Center at the First Baptist Church of Revere, and Siti Kibana, a Somali woman whose story was translated by Saida Abdi, a Somali counselor at the MGH Chelsea HealthCare Center.

Delivering the keynote address was Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who thanked the MGH for setting a national precedent for excellent community-based care. "The Community Benefit Program is an important resource for the people of the Boston-area communities, and it deserves the support and commendation of all of us," he said.

Also addressing the audience at the event were several key MGH and local leaders — including Matt Fishman, director of the Partners Community Benefit Program; Howard Koh, MD, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health; Congressman Edward Markey; James J. Mongan, MD, president of the MGH; Brit Nicholson, MD, chief medical officer and director of MGH Primary Care Development; and Joan Quinlan, director of the MGH Community Benefit Program.

Senator Edward M. Kennedy was among the speakers at the five-year anniversary celebration for the MGH Community Benefit Program.