Dear Captain Russell,

The South Boston Association of Non-Profits is a group of South Boston human service agency directors and representatives, who meet monthly to share information and resources and organize around community issues in South Boston.

The creation of the Hope and Recovery Committee has strengthened the resolve to work and organize ourselves around the challenge of substance abuse that continues to plague our community.  We hope that events like the Evacuation/St. Patrick’s Day Parade can be an opportunity to show the community, especially our young people, how to celebrate and enjoy this family event without engaging in or supporting public drinking along or within the parade.

We implore residents, guests and parade marchers to use this opportunity to demonstrate leadership, responsibility and respect for our culture and community norms.  Public drinking along the route, and most recently by parade marchers, is an insult to our efforts to educate our youth and provide support services to families in need. 

We ask that residents and guests along the parade not provide alcoholic beverages to parade marchers.  This is especially true of a growing number of household “hosting” marchers during the parade.  We ask Captain Russell and the entire Boston Police Department to vigorously enforce existing laws that strictly forbid this illegal activity.

We endorse the South Boston Families Advocating Neighborhood Strengths (FANS) initiative to extend a Family Friendly Parade Zone along the entire parade route.  We are determined to reclaim our parade as a family friendly event.  Celebrating and supporting public drunkenness is not how we have traditionally celebrated South Boston’s proud history, heritage and culture. 

Thank you, and we look forward to a safe and happy Evacuation/Saint Patrick’s Day.

The South Boston Association of Non-Profits

AIDS Brigade

South Boston Arts Association

Answer House

South Boston Boys & Girls Club

Artists For Humanity 

South Boston Catholic Youth Ministry

Boston Police, District C-6, 

South Boston Chamber of Commerce

Boston Police Activities League

South Boston Child Care Cluster

Catholic Charities/Laboure Center

South Boston Collaborative Advisory Network

Condon Community Center

South Boston Collaborative Center

Curley Recreation Center,

South Boston Community Health Center

Cushing House

South Boston District Court  

Fourth Presbyterian Church      

South Boston Families Advocating Neighborhood Strengths 

Gavin House                                             

South Boston Family Resource Center 

Generations Incorporated 

South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation 

Harbor Families Health Center  

South Boston Neighborhood House

Hope and Recovery Committee 

South Boston Nurturing Program

Irish Immigration Center 

South Boston Public Library

Julie’s Family Learning Program

South Boston Resource Center 

Latino Collaborative  

South Boston STRIVE Program

Marian Manor

South Boston Substance Abuse Steering Program   

Mary Ellen McCormack Task Force 

South Boston WIC Program

Medicine Wheel

South Boston Youth Workers United

Notre Dame Education Center 

Southie Kids Care, 

Old Colony Task Force 

The Children’s Museum,

Walsh/PAL Gym

Thompson’s Island Outward Bound Education Center

Paraclete Center

Tynan Community Center   

South Boston Action Center  

University of Massachusetts/Boston

South Boston Arts Association 

West Broadway Task Force

Youth Opportunities Boston

cc:   Mayor Thomas M. Menino

       Congressman Steven F. Lynch

       State Senator Jack Hart

       State Representative Brian Wallace

       City Councilor President Michael Flaherty

       City Councilor James M. Kelly

       Commissioner Kathleen O’Toole, Boston Police Department

       Superintendent Robert Dunford, Boston Police Department

       Acting Commissioner, Boston Fire Department

       President Thomas Nee, Boston Police Patrolman’s Association

       President Nick Dimarino, Boston Firefighters Union

       New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg

       Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly, New York City Police Department

       Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta, New York City Fire Department

       President Patrick Lynch, New York Benevolent Association

       President Stephen Cassidy, New York Firefighters Association

       President Frank Raffa, Worcester Fire Fighters Local 1009

       Dan Polkaski, City of Boston Licensing Division, Entertainment Licensing