FLORENCE—Over 100 nonprofit leaders representing 40 organizations across the Pioneer Valley came together Tuesday night at Florence Bank’s annual Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program reception to network and accept a total of $150,000 in awards.

The annual event took place at the Garden House in Look Park in Florence. Recipients praised Florence Bank not only for its generosity but also for providing a space to celebrate area nonprofits and their dedication to the community.

“Being part of the Customers’ Choice awards reminds us that we’re important and relevant,” said Chelsea Kline, executive director of the Cancer Connection in Northampton, which received a $5,000 award, the highest possible. “It’s heartwarming and reassuring to know that the Cancer Connection is needed, and the community recognizes that, and having a bank that creates this beautiful event is really heartwarming to me. It speaks volumes about the values of Florence Bank.”

“Our Customers’ Choice Community Grants program is very unique, and we are proud to give voice to our customers and their preferences on where we allocate our funds,” said President and CEO Matt Garrity. “We also enjoy having the chance to connect with each of them and to hear about the important work they are doing in our midst. We know it is good work because our customers voted for them!”

The grants program was founded in 2002 and, through it, Florence Bank customers are invited to vote for their favorite local nonprofit in hopes it will receive a share of grant funding.

Voting takes place all year long, online at florencebank.com/vote and in bank branches, and each customer has only one vote. To qualify for a community grant, organizations must receive at least 50 votes. In 2024, over 7,500 votes were cast, making 40 nonprofits eligible for a grant.

One of the newest recipients was Stone Soup Café in Greenfield, which received $2,257. The nonprofit provides a pay-what-you-can, gluten-free, from-scratch meal and entertainment on Hope Street every Saturday between noon and 1:30 p.m. to roughly 200 people from all walks of life. The nonprofit also delivers meals to an additional 120 families. 

“The opportunity Florence Bank offers for customers to vote on nonprofits that are important to them is awesome,” said Jansyn Thaw, director of fundraising and marketing at Stone Soup. “We were able to invite our community to show their support for us, and the bank was willing to listen to that input. They’re receptive, which I really appreciate.”

Once again, Dakin Humane Society of Springfield received a $5,000 grant, as it has for the past 13 years. The nonprofit has received a Customers’ Choice grant each of the 23 years the program has been offered.

“When we go to the ceremonies, and customers have selected Dakin, we see this as ‘We’ve done all this together,’” said Stacey Price, director of development and marketing. “It’s remarkable to see the longevity of the relationship. Dakin is about people and pets, not just pets. Florence Bank’s customers chose us because they believe the same thing.”

In addition to Dakin and Cancer Connection, these organizations received a $5,000 grant: Amherst Survival Center, Food Bank of Western Massachusetts in Chicopee, Friends of Forbes Library in Northampton, Friends of Northampton Legion Baseball, Friends of the Williamsburg Library, Goshen Firefighters Association, Historic Northampton, It Takes A Village in Huntington, Northampton Survival Center, Our Lady of the Hills Parish in Haydenville and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Florence.

Along with Stone Soup, the following organizations also received an award: Bright Spot Therapy Dogs in West Brookfield, $4,626; Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, $4,552; Williamsburg Firefighters Association, $4,478; Manna Soup Kitchen in Northampton, $4,367; Friends of M.N. Spear Memorial Library in Shutesbury, $4,182; Friends of Lilly Library in Florence, $4,034; Amherst Neighbors, $3,737; BARC, Inc. in Belchertown, $3,552; Ludlow Boys & Girls Club, $3,515; Kestrel Land Trust in Amherst, $3,293; Smith Vocational High School PTO in Northampton, $3,293; Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School in Hadley, $3,071; Easthampton Community Center, $3,034; Northampton Neighbors, $3,997; Thomas J O’Connor Adoption Center in Springfield, $2,849; Hospice of the Fisher Home in Amherst, $2,812; Northampton Community Music Center, $2,812; Northampton Youth Football, $2,812; Edward Hopkins Educational Foundation in Hatfield, $2,701; New Hingham Regional Elementary School PTO in Chesterfield, $2,701; Grow Food Northampton, Inc. in Florence, $2,516; Therapeutic Equestrian Center in Holyoke, $2,368; Shriners Hospital for Children in Springfield, $2,331; Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter School in South Hadley, $2,257; Safe Passage in Northampton, $1,998; and Northampton High School PTO, $1,850.

Stone Soup’s mission is to create community space to share nourishment, connection and learning for body, mind and spirit. It was founded in 2011 and has been a 501 (C) nonprofit since 2021. 

Each Saturday, the nonprofit offers restaurant-quality meals with a suggested cost of $15 per, and participants are invited to pay what they are able. The Florence Bank grant will help defray the cost of the food.

Thaw said many people who are unable to pay choose to volunteer to help prepare meals to “pay it back.” There are 15 volunteer drivers each week and about 50 who prep food, cook and serve.

“A lot of connecting and socializing happens on the sidewalk as people wait and shop in our community store,” she said. “We put up art. We have music playing. It’s like a mini street festival. We provide access to healthy food and give people a sense of community.”

Price, at Dakin, said funds from the bank help support its many programs that have evolved over the years, from the main adoption center to the spay and neuter clinic and pet health center. 

“We rotate where the funding goes each year, so, truly, Florence Bank and its customers have supported those programs by choosing us, and it’s remarkable to see the longevity of the relationship,” she said. “The community and customers are so committed to our programs. That means a lot.”

The Cancer Connection had 458 active participants who received 4,447 services in 2024, and its many support groups and integrative therapies, such as massage, are free and always have been.

“We fill many of the gaps in our communities and in our healthcare system because we look out for mind, body and spirit and community,” Kline, the executive director, said. “We help people process feelings, learn, share resources, and be held and seen in a full and raw and real way.

“Florence Bank’s grant helps us keep the doors open, the lights on and the services free of charge,” she added. “It’s so beautiful that our mission resonates with such a wide variety of people—because caring for people who are hurting resonates.”

Visit florencebank.com/cc-2025 to view the complete list of grant recipients.

Florence Bank has branches in Amherst, Belchertown, Chicopee, Easthampton, Granby, Hadley, Northampton, Williamsburg, West Springfield, Springfield, and it is headquartered in Florence.

About Florence Bank

Florence Bank is a mutual savings bank chartered in 1873. Currently, the bank serves the Pioneer Valley through 12 full-service branch locations in Florence, Northampton, Easthampton, Williamsburg, Amherst, Hadley, Belchertown, Granby, Chicopee, West Springfield, and Springfield. Additionally, it offers 25 ATMs and a wide range of financial services, including investment management through Florence Financial Group to consumers and businesses. 

The post Florence Bank Awards $150,000 to 40 Local Nonprofits at its 23rd Annual Customers’ Choice Community Grants Event appeared first on Beetle Press.

Program with UMass Sports Properties and Massachusetts hockey will provide $500 each to 19 area food pantries 

FLORENCE— For the second consecutive year, Florence Bank has partnered with UMass Sports Properties and the University of Massachusetts hockey team to Ice Out Hunger in the region at a time when food insecurity is at a record high.

Since October 2024, the bank has awarded $500 grants to food pantries from Springfield to Greenfield at each UMass home game, and before the season ends, 19 nonprofits will have received gifts. 

A different food pantry is highlighted during the first intermission of each home game, and a fan is chosen to ride on the Mullins Center’s Zamboni, which has been wrapped with Florence Bank’s branding. Riders are selected randomly after submitting an entry form at umassathletics.com/Ride.

These organizations will receive funds from the bank: Amherst Survival Center; Center for Self Reliance/Community Action Pioneer Valley, Greenfield; CHD Not Bread Alone, Amherst; Chesterfield Community Food Cupboard; Easthampton Community Center; Easthampton Congregational Church Food Cupboard; Friends of Hampshire County Homeless Individuals, Northampton; Gray House, Springfield; Helping Hands Cupboard/Belchertown United Church of Christ, Belchertown; Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen, Chicopee; Manna Soup Kitchen, Northampton; Margaret’s Pantry and Kate’s Kitchen at Providence Ministries, Holyoke; Most Holy Redeemer Church, Hadley; Neighbors Helping Neighbors, South Hadley; Northampton Survival Center; Open Pantry Community Services, Springfield; Southampton Community Cupboard; Springfield Rescue Mission; and The Parish Cupboard, West Springfield/Agawam/Feeding Hills.

Andrew Stuebner, general manager for UMass Sports Properties, the multi-media rights holder for Massachusetts Athletics, is pleased to partner with the bank to help Ice Out Hunger.

“It’s a great promotion because nonprofits and those they serve benefit, and people at the games enjoy the fun,” Stuebner said. “We very much enjoy taking part in this program with Florence Bank.”

Florence Bank President and CEO Matt Garrity said, “Food insecurity continues to be an issue in the communities we serve. Ice Out Hunger helps raise awareness and provides much-needed support for local organizations committed to making a difference. We value the work of area nonprofits, and we’re proud to support the local food pantries in their ongoing efforts to fight against hunger.”

The funds will cover the cost of tens of thousands of meals for people in need in the Valley. 

“We are deeply grateful for our longtime partnership with Florence Bank, whose generosity and commitment to community make a lasting impact,” said Lev BenEzra, executive director of the Amherst Survival Center. “The support helps ensure that our neighbors have access to meaningful resources—nutritious meals, fresh groceries and so much more. Ice Out Hunger is helping us meet record need in our community.”

The Massachusetts Minutemen Hockey season is in full swing with the team currently ranked #20 nationally. Visit umassathletics.com/tickets to attend a game.

To learn more about Florence Bank, visit FlorenceBank.com.

About Florence Bank

Florence Bank is a mutual savings bank chartered in 1873. Currently, the bank serves the Pioneer Valley through 12 full-service branch locations in Florence, Northampton, Easthampton, Williamsburg, Amherst, Hadley, Belchertown, Granby, Chicopee, West Springfield, and Springfield. Additionally, it offers 25 ATMs and a wide range of financial services, including investment management through the Florence Financial Group to consumers and businesses. Florence Bank is consistently voted best local bank by the readers of the Valley Advocate and the Daily Hampshire Gazette.

The post Florence Bank Helps Ice Out Hunger in the Valley for the Second Year appeared first on Beetle Press.

Funds provided to 17 organization’s over two years

SPRINGFIELD—The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts has announced $240,000 in grant awards this year and through 2026 to 17 organizations serving women, girls, transgender and gender-diverse people across Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties.

CEO Vanessa Pabón-Hernandez explained that the Women’s Fund’s general grant cycle will provide a total of $100,000 in awards to 13 organizations in 2024 and 2025. An additional four gifts totaling $40,000 were also made from the organization’s Young Women’s Initiative for the current year.

The funding rounds were competitive, with applications received from 126 organizations.

“These grants will uplift the incredible work being done by organizations throughout the region that are committed to addressing disparities and fostering inclusion for women, girls and gender-diverse individuals,” said Pabon-Hernandez. “We are honored to offer grants that will support efforts in building more equitable and vibrant communities.”

In the general grant cycle, the Women’s Fund awarded grants in 10 communities throughout the region. Priority was given to organizations committed to gender and racial justice and equity as well as the philanthropic agency’s key strategic pillars—economic security, parity in positions of power and leadership and freedom from gender-based violence. These grant dollars will support a broad range of organizations, including small start-ups, grassroots organizations and well-established nonprofits.

The general grant cycle awards total $200,000 over two years and provide unrestricted grants that can be used for general operations or program support. Grant recipients for this funding round include: 50 Arrow Gallery in Easthampton, A Queen’s Narrative in Springfield, Berkshire Community Diaper Project in West Stockbridge, Elizabeth Freeman Center in Pittsfield, It Takes a Village in Huntington, Make-It Springfield, Mother Root Farm in West Cummington, New England Learning Center for Women in Transition in Greenfield, Pioneer Valley Workers Center in Northampton, Somali Bantu Community in Springfield, Springfield No One Leaves/Nadie Se Mude, Visioning B.E.A.R. Circle Intertribal Coalition in Greenfield, and Western Massachusetts Parasol Patrol in Montague.

Samantha Hamilton, co-founder of A Queen’s Narrative, said the small, grassroots, BIPOC women-led organization is grateful for the funding, which offers a crucial steppingstone for continued growth and development. 

“Community change and impact come from organizations like the Women’s Fund,” Hamilton said. “It’s great to know that our work to amplify the voices of women and girls aligns with the mission of such an incredible organization.”

Lisa Goding, executive director of It Takes a Village, said, “This grant will help us strengthen our postpartum support programs, ensuring that every family, regardless of background or circumstances, has the resources needed to thrive.”

For grants awarded through the Women’s Fund’s Young Women’s Initiative, members and alumnae of two current cohorts in Springfield and Turners Falls deliberated to make nominations for funding. 

These cohorts distributed $40,000 to Springfield- and Turners Falls-serving organizations; in Springfield, the Volunteers in Medicine, which focuses on addressing medical care cost barriers, and the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts scholarship program. In Turner’s Falls, grants were awarded to the Finders Collective, which provides financial help for single mothers, and Girls, Inc., which helps create a pipeline for young women and girls to enter STEM fields.

The Young Women’s Initiative is a national project aimed at creating prosperity for young women. The Women’s Fund partners, Arise for Social Justice and Montague Catholic Social Ministries, lead the initiative’s Springfield and Franklin County partnerships, respectively, and support young women and gender-diverse leaders, centering Black, Indigenous, and People of Color throughout the leadership development, social justice and philanthropic program. 

Throughout the year, the Women’s Fund will highlight grant recipients online. Learn more by following the organization on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram, and on mywomensfund.org.

About the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts

Located at 333 Bridge St., in Springfield, Massachusetts, the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts fuels progress toward gender equity by funding the most promising solutions, collaborating with results-oriented partners, and by elevating the collective power of local women to take charge, and to lead with purpose. To learn more, visit mywomensfund.org.

The post Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts Announces $240,000 in Grant Awards appeared first on Beetle Press.

Distribution luncheon offers nonprofit leaders time to connect, collaborate

LACONIA—The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction recently distributed $609,700 in grants to 63 area nonprofit organizations at a luncheon at the Huot Career and Technical Center.

The 63 nonprofit leaders accepted their checks during the meet-and-greet event that also offered nonprofit leaders the chance to collaborate and share challenges and strategies over a lunch prepared by students at the center. 

“We were glad to see everyone enjoying this celebration of their successes, feeling grateful not only for their grant but for the chance to gather with other nonprofit leaders and share stories and ideas,” said Jennifer Kelley, the auction’s executive director. “It was a great opportunity for everyone.”

Grants will be used by the nonprofit organizations to fund wide-ranging programs that support local children and families in need. These initiatives address needs that are vital to the well-being of children in area communities, including food and housing insecurity and related emergency assistance; childcare and afterschool programs, recreation, education and the arts; family resources; and healthcare, including mental health support, victim outreach and support, and preventative health and wellness training.

The auction had over $800,000 in requests in 2023 and awarded $609,700 to 63 agencies. For a list of organizations that received funding, visit childrensauction.com/whereourmoneygoes.  

The auction’s board president, Doug Morrissette, is pleased with the process the organization uses to determine grant eligibility. 

“We have a Distribution Committee that works tirelessly over many months to review grant requests, and these committee members also look at the health of each organization and its past use of funding to ensure that every dollar the auction grants has impact,” Morrissette said. “We are confident that funds we raise and distribute significantly work to improve the lives of local children and their families by ensuring their basic needs are met, and they have opportunities to thrive.”

Cindy Hemeon-Plessner, chair of the Distribution Committee, said, “The committee is charged with problem-solving, analysis, empathy and community awareness, so we can assure all who donate, bid and volunteer that the funding is being spent wisely.”

The next round of grant applications will be due by Oct. 15. To apply for funding or learn more, visit childrensauction.org/apply-for-funding.

In past 42 years, the auction has distributed $8.6 million to nonprofit organizations in the community.  

Learn more about the auction at childrensauction.org, or follow the Children’s Auction on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn. 

About the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction

Numerous fundraising events in the Lakes Region throughout the year support the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction, including our four-day signature event every December. In the past four decades we have distributed more than $8.6 million to over 80 nonprofits that serve low-income families and children in the Lakes Region, all through volunteer efforts, community donations and corporate sponsorship. The Auction falls under the umbrella of the Greater Lakes Region Charitable Fund for Children, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that helps local community organizations that serve children and families in need. For more information about the Auction, the nonprofits it supports and how you can help, visit ChildrensAuction.org.

The post Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction Awards $609,700 to 63 Nonprofits appeared first on Beetle Press.

FLORENCE—Florence Bank celebrated its 20th annual Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program gala last week, awarding $100,000 to 45 nonprofits across the Valley. And at the close of the event, President and CEO Kevin Day drew cheers from the audience of nonprofit leaders, announcing that giving will increase to $125,000.

“Some of you longtime recipients may recall when we began this great program back in 2002, we started by giving away $50,000,” Day said. “Years later we increased to $75,000 and then to $100,000. We’ve decided to increase the total grant amount again—to $125,000—immediately, for grants to be awarded at next year’s gala.

“My hope is that our customers continue to use this program to provide you with a vote of confidence, as well as some much-needed funding to help you continue your mission to serve the community,” he added. “All of us at Florence Bank truly appreciate everything you do to make our communities better places to live and work.”

Day’s announcement was the second commemoration of the evening, the first coming as he called for bank and nonprofit staff and leaders to raise a glass to toast the event’s 20th year. “We can’t let that go without celebration,” he said. 

Florence Bank’s community grants program is an annual offering founded in 2002, and, through it, Florence Bank customers are invited to vote for their favorite local nonprofit in hopes it will receive a share of grant funding.

Voting takes place all year long, online at www.florencebank.com/vote and in bank branches, and each customer has only one vote. To qualify for a community grant, organizations must receive at least 50 votes. In 2021, roughly 7,000 votes were cast, making 45 nonprofits eligible for a grant.

Over the past 20 years, Florence Bank has tallied more than 141,000 customer votes and given grants to roughly 164 different organizations.

At its 20th annual event, held May 19 at Frank Newhall Look Memorial Park, the bank offered awards to 45 nonprofits and celebrated a total of $1.4 million in community giving through this one channel.

Six nonprofits received funding for the first time—some in Hampden County, where Florence Bank now has three branches and has established a presence as a good neighbor. Three recipients have accepted an award every year since the program launched. 

Four organizations received the maximum amount of $5,000 this year: Cancer Connection, Inc., Dakin Humane Society, Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, and Friends of Williamsburg Libraries.

“The commitment of Florence Bank customers to all of you serving the needs within our community is awesome, and we couldn’t be prouder to be able to support the programs our customers believe in,” Day said. 

Organizations receiving awards range from police, fire, library, and school groups to nonprofits that provide food, shelter, or support to people living with a serious illness or disability. 

In addition to the four top vote-getters, these other organizations received an award: 

Friends of Lilly Library, $4,097; Northampton Survival Center, $3,782; Amherst Survival Center, $3,588; Our Lady of the Hills Parish, $3,564; Friends of Forbes Library, $3,539; Goshen Firefighters Association, $3,370; Friends of Northampton Legion Baseball, $3,224; Easthampton Community Center, $2,909; It Takes a Village, $2,909; Williamsburg Firefighters Association, $2,642; Northampton Neighbors, $2,400; Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School, $2,303; Belchertown Animal Relief Committee, Inc. (BARC), $2,230; Manna Community Kitchen, $2,109; Shriners Hospitals for Children, $1,988; J.F.K. Middle School PTO, $1,867; Kestrel Land Trust, $1,867; Northampton High School PTO, $1,794; Riverside Industries, Inc., $1,770; R.K. Finn Ryan Road School PTO, $1,648; Cooley Dickinson Hospital, $1,624; Safe Passage, $1,624; Northampton Community Music Center, $1,527; Therapeutic Equestrian Center, $1,527; Amherst Neighbors, $1,503; Friends of M.N. Spear Memorial Library, $1,455; Edward Hopkins Educational Foundation, $1,430; Grow Food Northampton, $1,430; Smith Vocational High School PTO, $1,333; Whole Children, $1,309; Easthampton Elementary Schools PTO, $1,164; Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity, $1,139; Hitchcock Center for the Environment, $1,115; Revitalize CDC, $1,091; The Parish Cupboard, $1,067; Belchertown Police K-9 Unit, $1,042; Cooley Dickinson Hospital VNA & Hospice, $1,042; Historic Northampton, $1,018; Granby Senior Center, $994; Leeds Elementary School PTO, $994; and Ludlow Boys & Girls Club, $970.

Visit florencebank.com/winners-list to download the complete list of grant recipients.

Florence Bank has branches in Amherst, Belchertown, Chicopee, Easthampton, Granby, Hadley, Northampton, Williamsburg, West Springfield, Springfield, and it is headquartered in Florence.

About Florence Bank

Florence Bank is a mutual savings bank chartered in 1873. Currently, the bank serves the Pioneer Valley through 12 full-service branch locations in Florence, Northampton, Easthampton, Williamsburg, Amherst, Hadley, Belchertown, Granby, Chicopee, West Springfield, and Springfield. Additionally, it offers 25 ATMs and a wide range of financial services, including investment management through FSB Financial Group (FSBFG) to consumers and businesses. Florence Bank is consistently voted best local bank by the readers of the Valley Advocate and the Daily Hampshire Gazette.

The post Florence Bank Celebrates 20th Annual Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program and Announces Giving will Increase to $125,000 appeared first on Beetle Press.

Sixty-two area nonprofits receive funding

LACONIA—The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction (GLRCA) is proud to announce that it has distributed grants totaling $472,045 to 62 area nonprofit organizations. 

Grants will be used by local nonprofit organizations to fund wide-ranging programs that support children and their families. These programs address needs that are vital to the well-being of children in our communities, including food and housing insecurity and related emergency assistance; afterschool programs, recreation, education, and the arts; childcare and related family resources; and healthcare, including victim outreach and support and preventative health and wellness training.

Jaimie Sousa, GLRCA board chair, said she is proud of the 2021 Auction results. “The pandemic years have been difficult for so many people in the Lakes Region. The GLRCA Distribution Committee found that the request for assistance was greater than ever, particularly for basic needs that so many of us take for granted—food, shelter, clothing, safety,” Sousa said. 

She added, “Each year we ask our community to come together and help their friends and neighbors. We weren’t sure what to expect during the pandemic, but the generous people of the Lakes Region didn’t let us down. Thank you again to everyone who played their part to raise funds that make a direct impact in the lives of local children.”

Due to the continued COVID-19 health and safety measures, there was no check distribution ceremony in 2021. Instead, each nonprofit organization received personalized award letters informing them of their grant amount.

The next round of GLRCA grant applications will be due by October 15. 

For more information about the GLRCA application and funding process, visit www.childrensauction.com/applyforfunding.

“Many thanks to the hundreds of community members, sponsors, and local businesses who donated and bid on items, volunteered their time and effort, and participated in various fundraising activities, including those who took part in the 2021 Community Challenge,” Sousa said. “We couldn’t have done it without you. You are all #ChildrensAuctionChampions!”

In the past 40 years, the Auction has distributed $7.5 million to nonprofit organizations in the community. “We are thrilled about that,” Sousa said.

Learn more about the Auction at www.childrensauction.com, or follow the Children’s Auction on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

About the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction

The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction is a charitable event held every December in central New Hampshire. Countless volunteers and donors have turned the auction and its many fundraising events, including the 2021 Challenge, into a major annual campaign. In the 40 years that the community has come together for the auction, an impressive $7.5 million has been awarded to local nonprofit organizations, all through volunteer efforts, community donations, and corporate sponsorship. The Greater Lakes Region Charitable Fund for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that helps community organizations in the Central New Hampshire region. For more information about the auction, the nonprofits it supports, and how you can help, visit ChildrensAuction.com.

The post Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction Awards Total $497,045 appeared first on Beetle Press.

Event scheduled for March 10 at Look Memorial Park

FLORENCE—When parents believe their child is headed down the wrong path, they often panic. That’s why it’s essential to have organizations like the CARE Coalition of West Springfield. As a nonprofit focused on the prevention of youth substance abuse, staff there can answer questions, provide recommendations, and tell parents where to get help.

Since the organization was founded in 2014, it’s gathered data on youth drug access, drug use, and established ways to decrease risk factors and help young people make healthy choices.

For the first time this year, the coalition will receive a $1,232 grant from Florence Bank through its Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program during the 18th annual event Tuesday, March 10 at the Garden House at Look Park from 5 to 7 p.m.   

This year, 57 nonprofits will receive an award as Florence Bank tops the $1.2 million mark in grants it’s presented to community organizations over nearly two decades.

“We’re extremely honored to have been chosen by the customers of Florence Bank to receive the funds,” said Nikki Lewis, the coordinator at CARE Coalition. “We feel this is the start of an incredible partnership with Florence Bank. We are always looking to enhance community relationships. This is an incredible opportunity.”

The Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program is an annual offering founded in 2002, through which Florence Bank customers are invited to vote for their favorite local nonprofit in hopes it will receive a share of grant funding. 

To qualify for a community grant, organizations must receive at least 50 votes. In 2019, over 11,000 votes were cast, and 57 nonprofits will accept a grant award at the celebratory event, with the total amount to be presented at $100,000.

Ten organizations that received between 40 and 49 votes were also invited to attend to be in a drawing for one additional $500 award. 

Florence Bank’s former president and outgoing CEO, John Heaps Jr., who will retire in May, will be there alongside Florence Bank’s new president, Kevin Day. 

This year, the grant program tops the $1.2 million mark in terms of grants made to community nonprofits over almost two decades. “It will be an especially memorable night for me,” Heaps said. “My late wife, Jane, suggested this program, and I will be proud to attend my last awards event. It is always tremendously rewarding to meet the people behind the organizations and to hear firsthand about the good work they are doing in our communities.”

Day, who has attended the event for the past 11 years, is thrilled to preside over his first Customers’ Choice ceremony as president. “I look forward to the event every year,” he said. “I value the program’s contribution to the community, and I’m committed to its continuation and growth.” 

Lewis said her organization has several specific efforts that the grant funds could support, such as studying where youths are accessing drugs and alcohol; providing educational programs like panel discussions and developing presentations on trends and resources for parents. 

“It’s important that our efforts are community driven,” Lewis said, adding that the community will have a voice in determining the direction the coalition goes. “We want to take time to hear from the community, look at data and see what’s most appropriate for our community at this time.”

Lewis said she and the CARE Coalition first learned about Florence Bank when the bank opened the first branch in Hampden County, in West Springfield, several years ago. Coalition staff learned later about the Customers’ Choice program and actively took part. 

“The work we’ve seen Florence Bank doing in the community is really powerful and makes a strong difference,” she said. “We’re extremely grateful to have the bank here in Hampden County as one of our community partners.”

The following organizations received more than 50 customer votes and will receive an award at the event: Dakin Humane Society, Cancer Connection, Friends of the Williamsburg Libraries, Northampton Survival Center, Friends of Forbes Library, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County, Amherst Survival Center, The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Friends of Lilly Library, Our Lady of the Hills Parish, Williamsburg Firefighter Association, New Hingham Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization, Northampton High School Parent-Teacher Organization, BARC, Inc., Northampton Senior Center, Grow Food Northampton, Safe Passage, The Friends of Northampton Legion Baseball, MANNA Soup Kitchen, Kestrel Land Trust, Northampton Community Music Center, Hospice of the Fisher Home, Children First Enterprises, Inc., Community Action Pioneer Valley, Easthampton Elementary Schools Parent-Teacher Organization, Belchertown Firefighters Association, Jackson Street School Parent-Teacher Organization, Granby Senior Center, Bright Spot Therapy Dogs, Northampton Neighbors, Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School, Belchertown Police K-9 Unit, Historic Northampton, RK Finn Ryan Road School, Friends of M.N. Spear Memorial Library, Friends of Clapp Memorial Library, Easthampton Community Center, Edward Hopkins Educational Foundation, It Takes a Village, Amherst Regional Public Schools Parent Guardian Organization, Tapestry Health Systems, Cub Scout Pack 705 (Chesterfield), Mass Audubon’s Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuaries, Whole Children, Hitchcock Center for the Environment, Belchertown Band Boosters, Williamsburg Grange #225, Smith Vocational & Agricultural High School Parent-Teacher Organization, Riverside Industries, Inc., Pelham Elementary Parent-Teacher Organization, Emily Williston Memorial Library, Belchertown Public Schools, Cooley Dickinson VNA & Hospice, Amherst Neighbors, Granby Preservation Society, The Hartsbrook School.

The Customers’ Choice Community Grants program is a year-long initiative. Customers’ of the bank can vote via paper ballots at each bank branch location or online at https://www.florencebank.com/vote. 

Florence Bank has branches in Amherst, Belchertown, Easthampton, Granby, Hadley, Northampton, Williamsburg, West Springfield, and Springfield, and it is headquartered in Florence. 

Florence Bank is a mutually-owned savings bank chartered in 1873. Currently, the bank serves the Pioneer Valley through 11 full-service branch locations in Florence, Northampton, Easthampton, Williamsburg, Amherst, Hadley, Belchertown, Granby, West Springfield, and Springfield. Additionally, they offer 26 ATMs and a wide range of financial services including investment management through FSB Financial Group (FSBFG) to consumers and businesses.  Florence Bank is consistently voted best local bank by the readers of the Valley Advocate and the Daily Hampshire Gazette.  

The post Florence Bank to Top $1.2 Million in Giving at 18th Annual Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program appeared first on Beetle Press.

Transfer bolsters the foundation’s assets and its role as an enduring philanthropic leader in the Pioneer Valley

SPRINGFIELD—After collaborating with the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) for 29 years, the Bank of America in May transferred three trusts totaling over $22 million to the Valley-wide grant funder.

The move brings CFWM’s total earned assets from roughly $153 million to $175 million and bolsters its role as an enduring philanthropic leader in the Pioneer Valley.

“That the Bank of America has enough faith in us and what we can do, and in our ability to effectively administer funds, acknowledges that we are truly a leader of philanthropy in the Pioneer Valley,” said Elizabeth H. Sillin, trustee chair of CFWM.

She said the increase in assets will help CFWM to better position itself to attract funds from partners and other granting entities outside the region to support its work. “The more internal muscle they see that we have, the more confident they will be in investing their dollars with us,” said Sillin, a partner with the law firm Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas, LLP. “The bigger and more effective you are, the more likely it is that you are going to attract other dollars.”

Founded in 1990, CFWM administers a charitable endowment consisting of over 600 separately identified funds totaling approximately $175 million. Some of these charitable assets are unrestricted and are used to meet emerging and changing needs in our region. Others support named nonprofit organizations or provide financial support to college-bound students. Still others are donor advised, offering flexibility to donors in timing, amount, and beneficiary of their giving. Last year, CFWM awarded $7.3 million in grants to nonprofits, and $2.2 million in scholarships and interest-free loans to over 770 area students.

The Bank of America funds will continue to support a wide variety of organizations for generations to come, from grassroots community food pantries to region-spanning arts programs—and will preserve the original donors’ wishes to support their communities in perpetuity.  

Serving Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties, CFWM is fueled by over 150 active volunteers who take on tasks ranging from reviewing scholarship applications to serving on committees focused on finance, investing, education, and philanthropy. 

At the end of its first fiscal year in 1991, CFWM reported assets of $830,730, representing the first group of donors and contributors. “The transfer marks the largest, single gain in its assets,” said CFWM Trustee George Arwady, the publisher and CEO of The Republican. “Generations of local families will benefit.”

Arwady explained, “By adding these new assets to CFWM, the foundation increases its ability to meet the needs of the community while also increasing its visibility and attractiveness to other donors who are looking for the right vehicle for their funds to make the most difference.”

The three trusts transferred from the bank to the foundation are: The Eugene A. Dexter Charitable Fund, established in 1944; The Nan and Matilda Heydt Fund, established in 1960; and The Valley Charitable Trust Fund, established in 1960. All three were originally created to support and serve charitable organizations and interests with a focus on Springfield and Hampden County.

“This transfer represents decades of a dedicated, collaborative effort between the foundation and the bank and is an inspiring example of how the legacy of philanthropy can have a profound and sustainable impact,” said Katie Allan Zobel, the foundation’s president and CEO. 

Carol Leary, longtime president of Bay Path University and an emeritus trustee of the foundation, said, “This significant act of philanthropy will have a lasting legacy and will certainly signal to other organizations or individuals the trust that Bank of America has in the board and the leadership of the foundation.”

While the bank transfer provides growth for the CFWM, Sillin said another recent advancement for the organization was the well-known Valley Gives Day, which was run from 2012 to 2018.

Valley Gives Day helped area nonprofits increase their giving by using online vehicles for donations, and it also earned trust and visibility for the foundation. “We offered a way for people in the Valley to self-identify as givers, and we served as effective consciousness raisers,” she said. Over $10 million was raised over the six 24-hour giving days. 

Sillin and Arwady both emphasized how community foundations play a key role in any region’s philanthropic endeavors.

Sillin was inspired to get involved with the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts 15 years ago because her father helped launch a foundation in central New York, where she was raised. She said community foundations were formed because big donors were creating trusts at banks, and the banks, in turn, were becoming overwhelmed. 

“The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts was formed with a lot of these banking organizations to help administer the trusts and distribute the money effectively,” Sillin said. “There are all kinds of donors in the Valley looking for a place that is nimble enough to achieve philanthropic goals over time, and the Community Foundation is in a great position to do that.”

Arwady said community foundations in general do the most good with donor assets for their communities—forever. “I’ve moved around the country and have four community foundations in my will. They are the best way to use your money for good,” he said. 

About the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts

Founded in 1990, the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts administers a charitable endowment consisting of 609 separately identified funds ($175 million) serving the three counties bordering the Connecticut River in Western Massachusetts (Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties). For more information about the reach and impact of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, visit http://communityfoundation.org.

The post Bank of America Entrusts Over $22 million to Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts appeared first on Beetle Press.

Program pairs volunteers with older adults who are isolated in the place they call home

LONGMEADOW— Glenmeadow announced it has received a $2,000 increase in grant funding from the Greater Springfield Senior Services, Inc. (GSSSI) to expand a program that helps to reduce the isolation of older adults in the region. 

Last year, Glenmeadow launched Neighbor to Neighbor using a $5,000 grant from GSSSI, and, this year, the Springfield organization granted $7,000, allowing for an expansion of the program that serves people living in various community settings in Greater Springfield.

“Even in an institutional setting, people can still be isolated. Even if family members visit,” Glenmeadow President and CEO Anne Thomas said. “Isolation produces other issues. It can lead to depression, cognitive decline, and major health problems.”

Thomas added, “Isolation is an epidemic. It is worldwide. There are new statistics that show there are more deaths from isolation than smoking cigarettes.” 

Through the program, people volunteer to visit an older adult who feels isolated. Program facilitators train the volunteers and then pair them with a senior who feels the need for companionship. The program coordinator oversees the matches.

“The key piece is the relationship,” Thomas said. “We want people to build a relationship. Relationships are an antidote to isolation.”

In its first year, Glenmeadow recruited about 30 Neighbor to Neighbor volunteers. This year, with the increased funding, the goal is to double the number served.

To refer an older adult for the program or to become a volunteer, contact Thomas at 567-5977.

“We want people to be on the lookout for individuals who need our help. Referrals are always welcome,” Thomas said. “Being aware that this is a problem and being aware of the scope of the problem is key.”

Raising awareness about isolation for older adults is also a goal, she added. “Talk to your neighbors. Get to know them,” Thomas said. “Our lives are so busy now. Our culture has changed. If you have a neighbor who isn’t picking up the mail or taking out the trash, or you see a car sitting in the driveway for weeks at a time, reach out to them. Let’s go back to living in community again versus everyone living in their own little worlds without connecting with others.”

Glenmeadow resident Merle Ryan was diagnosed with cancer the year the Neighbor to Neighbor program was founded. “What she wanted to do to help her cope was give to someone else,” Thomas said.

Along with other volunteers, Glenmeadow trained Ryan to take part, and then the coordinator paired her with an older adult longing for socialization. Merle built a relationship with that peer, and she said the program helps her, too.

“You don’t realize how much I get back from doing this,” Ryan said. “I’m getting so much out of this relationship with this person. She’s helped me too.”

In launching the program, Glenmeadow took the lead and was assisted by these regional partners: the First Church of Christ, the Longmeadow Adult Center, the Spiritual Services and the Clinical Pastoral Education Department at Baystate Medical Center, and Temple Beth El. 

“We’re always better off with good minds around the table,” Thomas said, noting that each of the grant partners has made significant contributions. “No one organization or person has all the answers. We learn from each other. We each bring a certain expertise to the table.”

Glenmeadow is a nonprofit life plan community—formerly known as a retirement community—and it has a mission to serve seniors in the Greater Springfield region, whether they live on the Longmeadow campus or in their own homes.

Established in 1884, Glenmeadow is an accredited life plan community; it provides independent and assisted living at its campus at 24 Tabor Crossing in Longmeadow and expanded Glenmeadow at Home services throughout greater Springfield.  

To learn more about Glenmeadow and its history and offerings, visit www.glenmeadow.org.

About Glenmeadow 

In the 1800s, elderly individuals without family or means were sent to live at what was called “the poor farm.”  In 1884, a group of civic leaders raised funds among themselves and other area families and purchased a house on Main Street in Springfield’s south end, establishing The Springfield Home for Aged Women. Quickly outgrowing that house, land was purchased on the corner of Chestnut and Carew streets, where a new home was constructed and opened in 1900.  In 1960, the name was changed to Chestnut Knoll, and, in 1992, it began to admit men.  

In 1993, the organization purchased a 23-acre parcel in Longmeadow to build a new community that would provide both independent living and assisted living in one building with various common areas.  This was a new concept known as a continuing care retirement community. Existing residents from the old Chestnut Knoll property were moved to the new campus in 1997. Shortly after the move, the board voted to change its legal name to Glenmeadow to coincide with the name being used by the developer of the property.  

Continuing care retirement communities are now referred to as life plan communities, responding to the needs of the aging population with new opportunities for care, plus creative, educational and personal exploration. Glenmeadow offerings, which include everything from senior living options and handyman services to personal care and travel programs, are provided at its Longmeadow campus and across the region through Glenmeadow at Home. Glenmeadow strives to fulfill its mission of nurturing the whole person in mind, body, and spirit.

The post Glenmeadow Receives Increased Funding to Expand Neighbor to Neighbor Initiative appeared first on Beetle Press.

The dedications were part of the Community Champions Sweepstakes, which coincided with Customer Appreciation Days in May

FLORENCE—In 2011, it seemed a leukemia diagnosis was the worst thing that could happen to Gayle Bradley’s grandson. But in 2015, after four years of remission, the then 10-year-old Luke Bradley relapsed and also contracted bacterial meningitis.

Luke spent six weeks in intensive care, suffered seizures, and barely survived the damage to his ventricles and brain.  Luke spent 15 months living in a hospital and recovered slowly. Now, he is in remission once again, and just completed his freshman year of high school. Clearly impacted by the trauma of Luke’s illness, his family founded a nonprofit—called LukeStronger, Inc.—to offer financial relief to other families with a child battling cancer.

“We were blessed to have so many people help us as we went through this fight, so this foundation is our way of giving back,” said Bradley, of South Hadley.   

In May, the LukeStronger fund received a $500 boost after Gayle Bradley was named one of 11 Florence Bank Community Champions. As part of its Community Champions Sweepstakes program, the bank offered each of the 11 Champions a $500 grant to be donated to a nonprofit of their choice.

Bradley chose LukeStronger; all funds raised by the organization this year will support the family of 3-year-old Surai Gomez of Holyoke, who is battling high-risk neuroblastoma. Bradley was nominated for the Community Champion award by Florence Bank customer Jessica Randall of Granby.

In all, 218 nominations were cast at Florence Bank’s 11 branches for 11 Champions, and Florence Bank granted $5,500 to 11 different nonprofits in Hampshire and Hampden counties, and beyond.

As part of the sweepstakes, customers in each branch were invited to cast one vote in their neighborhood branch for a person in their community who goes above and beyond to ensure that residents are safe, healthy, and happy.

Voting took place from April 15 through May 6. Winners were selected at random from all the nominees in each branch. The winners had the privilege of selecting an area nonprofit to receive a $500 grant.

Bradley was nominated in the Granby branch. The following are the remaining 10 branch’s Champions and the nonprofits they chose to support with the $500 grant: Springfield, Myles Callender of Springfield, Revitalize Community Development Corporation; West Springfield, Allen Howard of West Springfield, Shriners Hospitals for Children—Springfield; Belchertown, Jim Phaneuf of Belchertown, The Jimmy Fund; Amherst, Naz Mohamed of Hadley, who split the award evenly between Amherst Community Connections, Amherst Survival Center, and the Sojourner Truth School for Social Change Leadership; Hadley, Gary Glenn of Granby, Newman Catholic Center at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst; King Street/Northampton, Jane Lyons, executive director of Friends of Children, Friends of Children; downtown Northampton, Diane Porcella of Northampton, Northampton Neighbors; Easthampton, Robin Bialecki, director of the Easthampton Community Center; Florence, Jacob Fine of Northampton, Pioneer Valley Workers Center; and Williamsburg, Goshen Fire Chief Sue Labrie, Goshen Firefighters Association.

Labrie was the Champion recognized by the Williamsburg branch, where she received nearly 30 different nominations. The grant to the Goshen Firefighters’ Association will support ongoing efforts including fire safety education—a topic she is passionate about.

Labrie began teaching fire safety lessons through the SAFE (Student Awareness of Fire Education) Program over 20 years ago to students at the old Goshen Center School. Over the years, she expanded the program so that children from preschool through sixth grade at the New Hingham Regional Elementary School, serving Goshen and Chesterfield, can receive fire and life safety education five times throughout each school year.  She also teaches fire and life safety lessons to Goshen’s Senior Citizens.

This January, her efforts were credited by a family in Goshen with saving their lives. With temperatures in the teens, Jess and Phil Judd of Goshen put their knowledge to work when a fire in their home blazed out of control. The Judds, with their four young sons, were awakened by smoke alarms and escaped their burning home with only the clothes on their backs.

Firefighters said the family’s quick response was due to them having a prepared family home escape plan that helped them get out in a matter of minutes. Labrie believed that if the home did not have working smoke alarms, the headlines would have been tragic.

“The Judd’s story really impacted me and the Goshen Fire Department not only because they’re a family we know and love, but because sometimes you just don’t know if you truly reach people when teaching these programs,” Labrie said. She added, “Houses can be replaced, people can’t. This is why we teach children as young as preschool and keep reinforcing the messages and skills throughout elementary school.”

The Community Champions Sweepstakes was an initiative for the bank that served as part of this year’s Customer Appreciation Days campaign. As part of the initiative, each branch held a celebration in the latter weeks of May to present its Champion with a winner’s certificate and the $500 check for the nonprofit of choice.

Florence Bank has branches in Amherst, Belchertown, Easthampton, Granby, Hadley, Northampton, Williamsburg, West Springfield, and Springfield, and it is headquartered in Florence.

Florence Bank is a mutually-owned savings bank chartered in 1873. Currently, the bank serves the Pioneer Valley through 11 full-service branch locations in Florence, Northampton, Easthampton, Williamsburg, Amherst, Hadley, Belchertown, Granby, West Springfield and a new branch located on Allen Street in Springfield. Additionally, they offer 28 ATMs and a wide range of financial services including investment management through FSB Financial Group (FSBFG) to consumers and businesses.  Florence Bank is consistently voted best local bank by the readers of the Valley Advocate and the Daily Hampshire Gazette.  

The post Florence Bank Recognized 11 Local Residents for Community Service and Granted a Total of $5,500 to 11 Nonprofits appeared first on Beetle Press.