Mass Fallen Heroes

MFH Announces Filing of Boston Home Rule Petition to Adopt All-Encompassing Paid Military Leave

  • Ensures adequate paid military leave for City of Boston employees currently serving as National Guardsmen or Military Reservists while activated, deployed, in training or drills on Title 32 or Title 10 orders.
  • Establishes parity to benefits enjoyed by State employees.
  • Prevents the City of Boston from reducing paid military leave via unilateral policy changes.

BOSTON, Mass. – Aug 14, 2023 – Massachusetts Fallen Heroes® (MFH) announced today the filing of the Boston Home Rule Petition to Adopt MGL Chapter 33, section 59, Paid Military Leave by Boston City Council President Ed Flynn and 11 other Boston City councilors.

This Home Rule Petition authorizes City of Boston employees who serve in the National Guards or Military Reserves activated on Title 32 or Title 10 orders (active duty orders) for more than 30 consecutive days to receive paid leave for the first 40 days of active duty. It will also mandate that the City provide 40 days of paid military leave per federal fiscal year for Guard and Reservists for drills, training and parade duties.

The City of Boston’s recently revised paid military leave policy provides that activated or deployed service members receive only differential pay between their city salary and military compensation for the entirety of their active duty. As such, members must take a pay cut compared to their counterparts employed by the State or many other neighboring cities and towns across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that have already adopted this policy. There is no justification for City of Boston employees who are deployed in dangerous situations to be paid significantly less than fellow employees on customary training, drills, or parades.

In addition to leveling the playing field, this Home Rule petition takes politics out of paid military leave by preventing the City of Boston from cutting service member pay while activated or deployed. Furthermore, its adoption will provide the city and its employees a conclusive pay leave policy that will prevent confusion and inconsistent interpretation, and provide a clear course of action for fair implementation. Providing appropriate paid military leave in a consistent manner to City of Boston employees only serves to benefit not just our service members but our community as a whole. Such a policy is likely to increase retention in the Reserves and National Guard which in turn ensures the protection of our community in the event of natural disasters and civil unrest.

“Our National Guard and Reserve service members make significant personal sacrifices to serve the state of Massachusetts and our nation, especially when activated or deployed. We owe it to them and their families to ensure they do not suffer financial hardship. This home rule petition solidifies a vital benefit for all city employees who serve our nation’s military,” said Jesse Flynn, Program Director, MFH. “By providing paid military leave in a consistent manner to city employees, we are not only helping to alleviate the stress of financial burdens, we are setting up our service men and women for success as they continue to serve our communities. We appreciate Council President Flynn’s continued dedication to all City of Boston’s employees, service members, Veterans and their families. We are grateful to the city council for coming together in support of this petition.”

Mass Save® and MFH Collaborate on LED Sale for Fourth Year in a Row

(Boston, MA) – Massachusetts Fallen Heroes (MFH) and the sponsors of Mass Save® – including Cape Light Compact, Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil – are working together for a fourth consecutive year to run an LED lighting sale that benefits Gold Star Families and returning Veterans. This year’s sale runs from June through November and offers 15-piece LED lighting kits at the discounted price of $10, with half of all proceeds going to MFH to support its programs.

The specialty kits will be available at the Mass Save booth at events throughout the state this summer and fall, as well as online. A list of events and a link for online purchases can be found at MassSave.com/MAFallenHeroes. Each kit includes 15 ENERGY STAR® certified LED lights: four 60W-equivalent LED bulbs, four 100W-equivalent LED bulbs, four 75W-equivalent LED bulbs, two 100W-equivalent 3-way LED bulbs, and one LED desk lamp. These kits are available to customers at an 87% discount as part of the Mass Save lighting program, which the Mass Save sponsors administer with the goal of making energy-efficient lighting affordable and accessible to all Massachusetts electric customers. By participating in this sale, customers can help Massachusetts move closer to its energy-efficiency goals and support local Gold Star Families and Veterans.

“Massachusetts Fallen Heroes is proud and honored to be a part of this great program with all Mass Save sponsors yet again,” says Dan Magoon, Executive Director for MFH. “We continue to honor our Fallen and support Massachusetts Gold Star Families with all funds raised from this LED lighting sale, which empower Massachusetts Veterans all while making a positive impact on the environment. Thank you Cape Light Compact, Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil.”

“We’re very pleased at how this relationship between Massachusetts Fallen Heroes and Mass Save has grown over the last three years,” says Eversource Energy Efficiency Spokesman Bill Stack. “We’ve seen and been inspired by the strong impact Massachusetts Fallen Heroes has on the community and those it serves. We’re proud to be working together on this campaign supporting local Gold Star Families and Veterans, while at the same time connecting customers to solutions for savings.”

During the past three years, our partnership has led to 250,000 more LEDs in our state and raised over $110,000 for Massachusetts Fallen Heroes. Funds generated by these sales support multiple MFH programs including a scholarship program for siblings of the fallen, the Veteran’s Edge Program, which connects local Veterans with legal, employment, medical and housing services, and annual weekend retreats for Gold Star Families that focus on supporting their wellness and fostering a sense of community.

About Massachusetts Fallen Heroes

Massachusetts Fallen Heroes began in 2010 with the goal of honoring those who sacrificed their lives while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since then, MFH has expanded its mission to provide services and programs that empower returning Veterans, assist their families, and support families of the fallen. This past May during Patriot Week, MFH re-dedicated its 9/11 memorial in the Boston Seaport district honoring Gold Star families. MFH remains committed to supporting and uniting local Veterans and their families and raising awareness of their service and sacrifice.

About Mass Save

Mass Save is a collaborative of Massachusetts’ natural gas and electric utilities and energy efficiency service providers, including Berkshire Gas, Blackstone Gas Company, Cape Light Compact, Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, Eversource, Liberty Utilities, National Grid and Unitil. Working closely with the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, the initiative empowers residents, businesses, and communities to make energy efficient upgrades by offering a wide range of services, rebates, incentives, trainings, and information.

Through the joint efforts of the Mass Save collaborative, Massachusetts has earned top ranking as the #1 state in the nation for energy efficiency according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

For more information about Mass Save, please visit www.masssave.com.

Mass Save® and MFH Collaborate on LED Sale for Third Year in a Row

(Boston, MA) – Massachusetts Fallen Heroes (MFH) and the sponsors of Mass Save® – including Cape Light Compact, Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil – are working together for a third consecutive year to run an LED lighting sale that benefits Gold Star Families and returning Veterans. This year’s sale runs from June through November and offers 15-piece LED lighting kits at the discounted price of $10, with half of all proceeds going to MFH to support its programs.

The specialty kits will be available at the Mass Save booth at events throughout the state this summer and fall, as well as online. A list of events and a link for online purchases can be found at MassSave.com/MAFallenHeroes. Each kit includes 15 ENERGY STAR® certified LED lights: four 60W-equivalent LED bulbs, four 100W-equivalent LED bulbs, four 75W-equivalent LED bulbs, two 100W-equivalent 3-way LED bulbs, and one LED desk lamp. These kits are available to customers at an 87% discount as part of the Mass Save lighting program, which the Mass Save sponsors administer with the goal of making energy-efficient lighting affordable and accessible to all Massachusetts electric customers. By participating in this sale, customers can help Massachusetts move closer to its energy-efficiency goals and support local Gold Star Families and Veterans.

“Massachusetts Fallen Heroes is proud and honored to be a part of this great program with all Mass Save sponsors yet again,” says Dan Magoon, Executive Director for MFH. “We continue to honor our Fallen and support Massachusetts Gold Star Families with all funds raised from this LED lighting sale, which empower Massachusetts Veterans all while making a positive impact on the environment. Thank you Cape Light Compact, Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil.”

“We’re very pleased at how this relationship between Massachusetts Fallen Heroes and Mass Save has grown over the last three years,” says Eversource Energy Efficiency Spokesman Bill Stack. “We’ve seen and been inspired by the strong impact Massachusetts Fallen Heroes has on the community and those it serves. We’re proud to be working together on this campaign supporting local Gold Star Families and Veterans, while at the same time connecting customers to solutions for savings.”

 Over the past two years, this collaborative effort has raised nearly $55,000 for MFH programs and distributed nearly 92,000 LEDs, saving an estimated 19.7 million kWh over the lifetime of these energy-efficient bulbs. Funds generated by these sales support multiple MFH programs including a scholarship program for siblings of the fallen, the Veteran’s Edge Program, which connects local Veterans with legal, employment, medical and housing services, and annual weekend retreats for Gold Star Families that focus on supporting their wellness and fostering a sense of community.

About Massachusetts Fallen Heroes

Massachusetts Fallen Heroes began in 2010 with the goal of honoring those who sacrificed their lives while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since then, MFH has expanded its mission to provide services and programs that empower returning Veterans, assist their families, and support families of the fallen. This past May during Patriot Week, MFH re-dedicated its 9/11 memorial in the Boston Seaport district honoring Gold Star families. MFH remains committed to supporting and uniting local Veterans and their families and raising awareness of their service and sacrifice.

About Mass Save

Mass Save is a collaborative of Massachusetts’ natural gas and electric utilities and energy efficiency service providers, including Berkshire Gas, Blackstone Gas Company, Cape Light Compact, Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, Eversource, Liberty Utilities, National Grid and Unitil. Working closely with the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, the initiative empowers residents, businesses, and communities to make energy efficient upgrades by offering a wide range of services, rebates, incentives, trainings, and information.

Through the joint efforts of the Mass Save collaborative, Massachusetts has earned top ranking as the #1 state in the nation for energy efficiency according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

For more information about Mass Save, please visit www.masssave.com.