Category Archives: The Hero’s Call

The coronavirus can affect anyone, but for various reasons the virus has disproportionately affected the Black and Latino communities. We sat down with Leonard Lee, a member of the Boston Parks and Recreation Commission, who is helping to slow the spread by “masking the community.” To date, his initiative has handed out over 100,000 masks […]

Our elders fear going outside these days. But, what happens when it’s unsafe for elders to stay in their homes? A Woburn electrician came to the rescue for one such elder, Gloria. He started a fundraiser “Old Lady Needs Help” and raised more than $100,000 to make Gloria’s house safe. Now, he’s started a movement […]

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. We sat down with three members from the Annie’s Kindness Blankets team to discuss the work their organization has done to stop the stigma around depression & suicide and promote kindness. Annie’s Kindness Blankets sends handmade blankets to those in need as an everlasting hug to let them […]

Massachusetts teachers and students are getting ready to go back to school. Whether in-person, remote or hybrid, school this year will be different. This summer, one school in Connecticut resumed in-person classes before others. We interviewed one of those teachers – Susan Velardi – a 2nd grade teacher, who resumed in-person education because she was […]

In the upcoming weeks, teachers and students will go back to school. Whether in-person, remote or hybrid, school this year will be different. In MA, we are all navigating these uncharted waters together. This summer, one school in Connecticut resumed in-person classes before others. This week on The Hero’s Call, we interviewed one of those […]

When the bars and restaurants shut down, the annual fundraiser hosted by local band @DevriBoston was cancelled. Learn how a local musician, Declan Houton turned his basement into an Irish pub and hosted a live concert for charity every Sunday night to raise money for @Lucy’slovebus. Houton raised more than $36,000 to improve the lives […]

Have you heard the term “China Virus”? Since the pandemic, Asian Americans have faced racism. Learn how Philjay Somera Solar and the Asian American Commission have dealt with the negative stigma attached to such intentionally derogatory phrases.

How does a simple idea go viral and raise more than $1.85 Million for the charities most needy in the midst of a global pandemic? In Episode 7 of The Hero’s Call, learn how Needham photographer, Cara Soulia, took her unexpected free time and founded The Front Steps Project, where she documented this historical time […]

In the wake of George Floyd’s murder and the racial justice crisis in our Country, learn how social justice advocate Dr. Tonisha Pinckney (Dr. Toni) is ready to resume mentoring police officers and to tackle race relations’ issues head on in an effort to make “liberty and justice for all” a reality.

Learn how 4 staff members of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association (MRA) carried the local restaurant industry on their back in an effort to help every restaurant and their employees navigate the pandemic and get to the other side of COVID-19.