Christine Barber - State Representative

The House budget is where progressive values transform into real action — and I am proud to report that this year, we delivered for Medford, Somerville, and beyond.

I secured $375,000 in local funding and $1.9 million in statewide investments — here is exactly where that money goes:

Local Amendments:
— $175,000 for Somerville’s Massachusetts Bay Veterans Center, run by Volunteers of America, to support transitional employment and behavioral health services for homeless veterans
— $100,000 for Robotics Programming in Medford Public Schools
— $50,000 for CTE Access in Medford, including transportation for students to access career technical education activities — $50,000 for Pop-up food pantries at Somerville schools and monthly grocery funds to Somerville families through Food For Free.

Statewide Amendments:
— $1,500,000 distributed across all 28 Massachusetts YMCAs to support low-income youth mental health, social-emotional learning, and summer jobs programs
— $350,000 for the New England Brain Sciences Institute, to provide cutting-edge brain treatment for veterans and first responders with psychiatric conditions
— $50,000 for Therapy Matcher, funding free personalized referrals to licensed behavioral health providers for Massachusetts residents.

This is what turning progressive values into results looks like.
Progressive rhetoric does not protect people. Progressive legislation does.

Primary date: September 1st, 2026

Volunteer: https://www.christinebarber.org/volunteer
Donate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/barber-senate-kickoff
Find you poll location:
https://www.sec.state.ma.us/WhereDoIVoteMA/WhereDoIVote

Proud to spend the morning at Brooks Estate for Medford's city-wide cleanup day.

Clean parks, open green spaces, and thriving public land are not small things. They are the fabric of a healthy community.

Thank you to everyone who came out today. Medford shows up.