Letter from the Editor Letter from the Editor

March 2, 2015

Every once in a while, it's good to get out of the office and spend some time with the people that our Regional , Community Outreach team aims to benefit with our work. That's why it was especially satisfying to me to head north to Manchester, New Hampshire, with Anthony Poore and spring 2015 author Sally Ward and hear firsthand the personal stories of some recent immigrants.

After learning that the Bhutanese refugees wished to understand the U.S. banking system so they could qualify for small business loans, Anthony connected them with a local banker willing to work with them. Helping to facilitate a step toward our goal of improving the economic strength of New England's lower-income people and communities felt good.

Sally Ward's article addresses Manchester's changing demographics. In other spring articles, you will discover why meeting the financial-services needs of immigrants often benefits the institutions that serve them. Learn how city-to-city visits provide insight into successful revitalization efforts. Check out articles on why more municipalities are emphasizing walkable downtowns and why older, smaller buildings are often correlated with a community's greater livability. Read how Maine is tracking its college grads' job acquisition, why Rhode Island's Capital Good Fund decided to make personal loans, and how community health centers are helping patients avoid unnecessary hospitalizations. And be sure to see our map on the education levels of New England's recent immigrants.

I hope that you'll be in touch. We love feedback.

Caroline Ellis

Managing Editor
caroline.ellis@bos.frb.org

Articles may be reprinted if Communities & Banking and the author are credited and the following disclaimer is used: "The views expressed are not necessarily those of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston or the Federal Reserve System. Information about organizations and upcoming events is strictly informational and not an endorsement."

 

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