At East Boston Social Centers, generations of committed community members have been fostering community, belonging, and joy in East Boston for over a century. Founded in 1918 to welcome and support immigrant families, East Boston Social Centers still proudly embrace familiesat every step. Their core services and programs support the diverse community of East Boston, but their brand no longer reflected the organization’s vibrancy, and their words left people unsure of the organization’s role in the community.

Mission Partners was engaged to guide the organization through a brand refresh, driven by conversations with community members, resulting in a comprehensive brand book and communications strategy to support the rollout of the refreshed brand. In November 2021, East Boston Social Centers shared its updated visual brand, a refreshed website and new messaging that more effectively communicates its value to partners and its mission, vision, and approach to community building.

Our charge was to develop a clear strategy to support the brand announcement and build momentum. But it was more than a brand announcement—it was a launching pad for a stronger, more inclusive organization. As a result, staff have built consistency around how they talk about their work and there has been a more intentional focus on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI). To help facilitate the JEDI work, a Director of Community Joy will be joining the team. East Boston Social Centers now has the tools to communicate the joy of the organization with their community.

“Mission Partners led with a very inclusive process that allowed us to involve diverse voices in the decision-making and get community buy-in for our marketing. As an added bonus, Mission Partners was a great resource for implementing the brand with in-house support and connected us with other vendors to bring it to life.”

JUSTIN PASQUARIELLO
Executive Director, East Boston Social Centers

Kristine Neil

Fractional Web Partner

I'm Kristine Neil - a communications strategist who has spent 20+ years designing websites, first running a full-scale design and marketing agency, and now leading my own studio. I've been the creative director managing the work, the coder quietly fixing what others couldn't, and the strategist in the room asking why before how. Somewhere between the MBA and the other degrees, I decided web design was just one tool in a much bigger toolbox - the real work is figuring out what you're trying to say, who needs to hear it, and what's getting in the way. A website is just where all of that comes to life.

I mostly build on Squarespace, and after years deep in the platform I know how far it can go and when to push past its limits. These days, I'm especially drawn to working as a fractional partner - getting to know an organization over time and helping with whatever moves them forward, whether that's a full redesign, an ongoing hand with content and strategy, or just being the person who knows their site best. I write here about AI, UX, eCommerce, web strategy, and making the complex feel a little more human.

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