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