Massachusetts paying $42 per meal for migrants in hotel shelters
The information comes with the release of documents in a new public records request
The state of Massachusetts is paying $42 per meal for migrants in hotel shelters, according to a public records request.
In documents provided by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, Eliot Community Human Services, a contractor overseeing migrant shelter operations at three Massachusetts hotels, has a contract with the state to provide three meals a day to each individual staying in the hotel shelter.
The contract, which is for fiscal year 2025, shows that Eliot is paid $128.55 per day, per person, for the contracted three meals. This breaks down to an average of a little over $42 per meal.
The contract details that for the one year, Eliot is estimated to be be paid over $12.5 million dollars to provide over 90,000 meals to migrants. Eliot themselves does not provide the daily meals and instead, subcontract the service out to food providers. Photos from inside one of the Eliot-run hotels show what a typical meal looks like:
Other Massachusetts hotels serving as migrant shelters have comparable contracts with companies providing site management and the state-funded meals show similar portions and quality. These meals are some of the ones provided at the Days Inn in Methuen:
Eliot Community Human Services is a Massachusetts based non-profit who was most recently in the news for their part in relocating homeless residents from the ‘Mass and Cass’ location in downtown Boston. You can read more about that here.
But a recent dig into the company and it’s CEO Melinda Matthews, show that Matthews earned $417,970 in 2023. The earnings are comprised of a base salary, retirement and deferred compensation and other nontaxable benefits.
Matthews is also a financial donor to Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, according to filings on the Massachusetts Office for Campaign and Political Finance webiste:
You can read more about Matthews in an article I wrote below:
CEO of Massachusetts Non-Profit behind Migrant Shelter Management Earned $417K in 2023
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I’m horrified! This entire situation needs to be audited for compliance! Per diem rate is $68 per day for meals and incidentals. The government decided that is the amount needed for 3 meals per day. Looking at those “meals”, I use the term loosely, where’s the rest of the money? Where are the decent meals with fresh fruit and vegetables? What the hell? And why are these hotels in such poor condition? Looking at the amount they are charging the taxpayer, the rooms should be well furnished with lavish bedding, the best toiletries, full cable. So far, every migrant temp housing I’ve read about is truly a shit hole. People are lining their own pockets! Does the hotel have a full kitchen? It would probably be more cost effective to staff the kitchen and prepare proper meals.
The 3 governors of Illinois, Mass & California (JB Pritzker, Maura Healey and Gavin Newsome)
and mayors Karen Bass, Brandon Johnson, and Michelle Wu are two pairs of Three Stooges.
https://shorturl.at/L7r8c