Boston - The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) is pleased to announce that the Conventions C.A.R.E. (Community Assistance by Responsible Events) program has collected and distributed roughly 40 tons of donated goods in fiscal year 18. This number more than doubles the 18 tons of donated goods collected and distributed through the program in fiscal 17 and is largely due to the Orgill Annual Dealer Market and the Greenbuild International Conference & Expo.

In August, the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC) hosted the Orgill Annual Dealer Market who worked with exhibitors and MCCA staff to donate 400 pallets of building material, at roughly 25 tons, to Habitat for Humanity. This generous donation allowed for the Boston Chapter of Habitat for Humanity to build an entire house. More recently, the Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, held at the BCEC in November, worked with the MCCA team in donating 13 tons of building material and furniture to both Habitat for Humanity and the Gavin Foundation.

The Gavin Foundation, a longtime partner of the MCCA and benefactor of the C.A.R.E program, specializes in substance abuse prevention, education and recovery programs. “The MCCA has been a great community partner for us” explained John McGahan, President and CEO of the Gavin Foundation. “These donations that come through the Convention Center allow us to operate at our full potential and truly make a difference in the community. With the most recent donation of furniture and appliances from the Greenbuild show, our team was able to fully furnish several rooms in our newest housing facility; an addition we were able to make thanks to dedicated community partners like the MCCA.”

The MCCA’s Conventions C.A.R.E. Program, which debuted in 2010, collects clean, usable, non-perishable donations from meetings and shows at the John B. Hynes Convention Center and Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and distributes these goods to nonprofit organizations throughout the Boston region. Through this program, exhibitors and show managers are given the opportunity to help the local community as well as reduce the environmental impact of their event by diverting waste from landfills. Common donation items include office products, medical supplies, bags, clothing, toiletries, and miscellaneous furniture. Since its inception, the Conventions C.A.R.E. program has collected and donated more than 200 tons of goods to local nonprofits.

About the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA)
The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority owns and oversees the operations of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center, the MassMutual Center in Springfield, MA, the Boston Common Parking Garage, The Lawn On D Powered by Citizens Bank, and The Lot On D. The BCEC and Hynes have earned a rare gold standard from the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC), making Boston only the fourth city in North America and the 12th worldwide to have been awarded this top standard, the highest certification level a convention facility can achieve under strict AIPC guidelines.
###