Tufts University

05/07/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/07/2024 15:44

More than 100 Volunteers Join Cherish Chinatown Cleanup

Tufts University hosted its fourth annual Tufts Cherish Chinatown Cleanupin Boston's Chinatown, the home of the university's Health Sciences Campus, on Wednesday, May 1. More than 100 Tufts students, faculty, and staff volunteers participated, working on landscaping projects, collecting trash, and cleaning up sidewalks, while also learning about the neighborhood and about ways to deepen their engagement with local nonprofit community partners.

With the support of Tufts University's Office of Government and Community Relations, Tisch College of Civic Life, and the university's facilities team, volunteers from across the campus planted fresh flowers and assembled new tables at the Josiah Quincy Elementary School, organized storage closets at the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center, and prepared garden beds at the Asian Community Development Corporation's Chinatown Backyard, among other tasks, in the residential and business areas of the neighborhood.

"We are so fortunate that our Health Sciences Campus is a part of the Chinatown neighborhood, a culturally vibrant and diverse neighborhood in Boston," said Liza Perry, deputy director of Tufts' office of Government and Community Relations. "This day is a chance for volunteers from the School of Medicine, the School of Dental Medicine, and the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, along with other programs and offices at Tufts, to unite and support our neighbors, local elementary school, and nonprofit partners."

"Our goal is to inspire the Tufts students, faculty, and staff to see themselves as an integral part of the community and to continue to stay involved with outreach initiatives," said Perry.

This year, at the event's kickoff, volunteers heard remarks from Chulan Huang, Chinatown liaison in the office of Boston May Michelle Wu, Joann Yung, chief development officer at the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center, and Rowena Tuttle, the Josiah Quincy Elementary School's community field coordinator.

Also in attendance were representatives from Chinatown Main Street, the Chinatown Business Association, Boston Asian Y.E.S., and Mayor Wu's Office of Civic Organizing.

Photo: Laurie Swope
Tufts volunteers worked with Asian Community Development Corporation (ACDC) staff to get Chinatown Backyard ready for the growing season. Chinatown Backyard is a community garden located open to neighbors, located on Tufts' Health Sciences Campus. The initiative is a partnership between the university, ACDC, and local Chinatown residents.
Photo: Laurie Swope
Volunteers cleared and weeded garden beds and planted new flowers and shrubs along the perimeter of Chinatown's Josiah Quincy Elementary School.
Photo: Laurie Swope
The volunteers also worked to build new tables for students at the Josiah Quincy Elementary School.
Photo: Laurie Swope
Rudy Neustadt (at left, in light blue), master's of public health student and president of the Graduate Student Government, joins with the Tufts Facilities team and other volunteers to beautify the grounds of the Josiah Quincy Elementary School, Boston's largest elementary school.
Photo: Laurie Swope
Several groups of Tufts students and employees fanned out across both the business and residential districts of Chinatown to dispose of trash and debris found along the streets.
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