About Us

History

In the late 1960s, an East Boston community group decided to address a critical need for health care. In an area geographically isolated from greater Boston—accessible only by tunnel or bridge—local residents were spending up to two hours traveling via public transportation to receive treatment. Neighbors were living with untreated conditions, pregnant women weren’t getting prenatal care early enough, and important health screenings were unavailable. From needing an ambulance to addressing pollution from Logan airport, it was time for the community to make a significant and proactive change.

The community group, and our first board of directors, felt responsible for the district at large; a diverse population with a strong sense of neighborhood and sharing. These founding board members were clear about the type of care the health center would provide to its largely immigrant and economically struggling population. Serving the disadvantaged would not mean making sacrifices in quality of care; rather, the health center would become an institution where every community member—including the board of directors—would want to come for their own medical treatment.

In 1970, the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center opened its doors. Since that launch, the health center has operated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week—and today we are the only health center in New England, and one of the few in the country, to provide continuous care.

The health center grew rapidly to meet demand, as community members were finally able to receive quality medical care in their own neighborhood. We expanded our scope and services, based on the needs of the community. In 1978, EBNHC moved to a new facility, and experienced dramatic growth in primary care and specialty services. All of our basic services increased exponentially, and have continued to do so. Our onsite laboratory expanded and became certified.

We launched the Elder Service Plan in 1990, to help seniors stay in their own homes while receiving nursing care. In the following years, we created other targeted programs to address specific needs in our community.

In 2003, we opened an onsite, clinical pharmacy to significantly increase patient access to medication. In 2005, we launched the Education and Training Institute, which provides our employees and the community with job skills and career advancement opportunities.

From our inception, we’ve relied on the community to prioritize our growth and development. We look forward to many more years of growing ever stronger as a community while we work together to meet the needs of those we serve.

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