Public Servant Award

Crighton honored for dedication to people experiencing homelessness during COVID-19

The Massachusetts Housing & Shelter Alliance (MHSA) today announced that it will honor Senator Brendan P. Crighton (D – Third Essex District) for his commitment to providing comprehensive housing solutions for people experiencing homelessness in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Senator Crighton will receive the “Canon Brian S. Kelley Public Servant Award” at the 2020 MHSA Annual Meeting, which will be held virtually on December 10, at 9 a.m.

Senator Brendan P. Crighton

 The award is named in honor of Canon Brian S. Kelley, a longtime advocate committed to ending homelessness through his tireless work at Boston’s Cathedral Church of St. Paul.

“While Senator Crighton has always been a leader in addressing the issue of homelessness, he stepped up in a big way from the outset of the pandemic,” said MHSA President & Executive Director Joe Finn. “Senator Crighton recognized the impact that COVID-19 would have on people experiencing homelessness and, in his role as Chair of the Joint Committee on Housing, ensured that the needs of those living in permanent supportive housing did not go unnoticed.”  

“I am humbled to receive the Canon Brian S. Kelley Public Servant Award,” said Senator Crighton. “It has been an absolute honor to work with Joe Finn and the outstanding staff at the Massachusetts Housing & Shelter Alliance. Their decades of commitment and dedicated service assisting people who are experiencing homelessness are truly remarkable. COVID-19 has had devastating effects on housing-insecure families and individuals throughout the Commonwealth. MHSA works to meet people where they are, to maintain and recognize their dignity and to help them get back on their feet. I am proud to call them a partner and I am deeply moved and greatly appreciate this recognition.”

 Elected to the State Senate in 2018, Senator Crighton represents the Third Essex District, serving the City of Lynn and Towns of Lynnfield, Marblehead, Nahant, Saugus and Swampscott. As Chair of the Joint Committee on Housing, Senator Crighton advocates for legislation and programs that prevent homelessness, promote housing affordability, incentivize transit-oriented development, and help build diverse housing stock.

 More information about the MHSA Annual Meeting is available at https://www.mhsa.net/AM2020 or by contacting Meg Hoffman Calleja at [email protected].

 The Massachusetts Housing & Shelter Alliance (MHSA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending homelessness in Massachusetts. Through advocacy, collaboration, education, and innovative program development, MHSA focuses on evidence-based solutions that reduce public reliance on emergency resources and prioritize access to stable housing and individualized support services. MHSA draws on the on-the-ground experience of its 89 member agencies from across Massachusetts to inform its advocacy and program development. MHSA’s unique position as an intermediary between public agencies and homeless service providers enables it to create solutions to homelessness that have the greatest impact. For more information, please visit www.mhsa.net.

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