News from our members

United Way Launches Fund for Leominster Flood Relief

Leominster MA Flood Relief FundUnited Way of North Central Massachusetts (UWNCM) has created a fund to assist local community members impacted by recent catastrophic flooding in the city of Leominster. The Leominster Flood Relief Fund will provide financial assistance and supplies to residents impacted by the flash flooding.

During the evening of September 11, Leominster was inundated with nearly 10 inches of rain, creating flash floods that washed out roads, stranded vehicles, and damaged many homes and businesses. The city declared a state of emergency as residents were evacuated from multiple areas due to a dam collapse and the formation of sinkholes. A town school served as an emergency shelter.

Support will be especially critical as more rain is anticipated in the days to come.

UWNCM has a long history of supporting North Central communities in times of disaster and crisis. UWNCM President Kory Eng shared, “Our hearts go out to the families and individuals in Leominster impacted by this once-in-a-lifetime storm. Our Day of Caring is this Friday, but we’ve already seen our region’s caring in action as so many people and businesses have stepped up to help, to donate, to volunteer.”

UWNCM has coordinated with the City of Leominster to launch the Fund, and through a collaboration with the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts (CFNCM) and the Greater Worcester Community Foundation (GWCF), donations to the Fund will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $75,000. One-hundred percent of donations given to the Fund will go to support residents impacted by the flooding.

Steve Adams, President of CFNCM, states, “The recent devastating floods in the City of Leominster have left some citizens homeless and many in need of essential services. Clean-up after this will be immense. This Fund will help residents recover, and we’re humbled to have a hand in helping them rebuild their lives.”

“Our thoughts are with our neighbors in Leominster as they work to recover from this unexpected devastation to their community,” shared GWCF President Peter Dunn. “Contributions to the Flood Relief Fund will go a long way in helping them do so.”

Many residents of Leominster are facing horrific losses, as historically dry homes and basements unexpectedly filled with water and destroyed foundations, belongings, and precious memories. One Leominster resident commented, “The rainfall came down so quickly, and before I knew it, I had water rushing into the basement and a river running through my backyard where there never was one before. Pieces of my road floated away. It was truly terrifying.”

UWNCM is appealing to the community to support those impacted by the flood by making a donation to the Fund. To donate, text FLOODRELIEF to 50155 or visit uwncm.org/leominster-flood-relief.

Mount Wachusett Community College Nursing Simulation Laboratory Expansion Ribbon Cutting

MWCC is celebrating the completion of the expansion of our nursing simulation laboratory, which allows students to safely practice skills in a controlled environment. The project was funded by a Massachusetts Skills Capital Grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Workforce Skills Cabinet (Executive Office of Education) Nursing Pathways Expansion Program. The Nursing Pathways Expansion Exploration Grant was developed by the Commonwealth to provide resources to public colleges and university nursing programs, including nurse aid training, practical nurse programs, and registered nurse programs to increase the nursing workforce talent pipeline and improve career pathways for the nursing profession.

 

What: Nursing Simulation Laboratory Expansion Ribbon Cutting

Who:   MWCC Leadership Team, Local Health Care Organization Partners, Legislators

When:  October 2, 2023, 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM

Where: MWCC, 444 Green Street, Gardner, MA 01440.

Gathering in the Daniel R. Asquino Science Wing, Murphy Conference Room, S105

 

Contact Nia Carignan at 978-621-5868 or via email to ncarignan@mwcc.mass.edu.

Fitchburg to hold Recovery Month Event

The City of Fitchburg Health Department invites the public to attend a “Recovery Day of Service” to be held on Saturday, September 30, at the Upper Common, Main Street, Fitchburg from 10am – Noon.

Mobilize Recovery Day brings together people from all walks of life to give back to their community – it is a day that recognizes the recovery community, recovery successes and the power of engagement. September 30th marks the culmination of National Recovery Month and coincides with International Recovery Day.

The event will include a speaking program. Resource tables representing many local providers will be available. The Fitchburg Health Department, an affiliate of the Commonwealth Naloxone Purchasing Program, will offer Narcan training and distribution. The Salvation Army canteen will be providing free refreshments.
The 2023 Service activity is Recovery Backpacks. We are collecting new items to fill backpacks at the event which will be given to those in need entering treatment. The backpacks have been generously donated by Community Health Connections.

Items needed include leggings, T-shirts, flip-flops, journals/notebooks and socks. Residents may drop off items at the purple collection bins located at the following sites:

City Hall lobby, 718 Main St, M-F 8:30-4:30
Community Health Connections ACTION, 130 Water Street, M-F 8-5
Fitchburg Comprehensive Treatment Center. 155 Airport Road, M-F 12-2
Restoration Recovery, 40 Fairmont Street, M-F 9-2

Berkshire Bank Awards Twenty 2023 NeXt Gen Scholarships

Berkshire Bank, a leading community bank with financial centers in New England and New York, announced the recipients of the 2023 Next Gen scholarships. Twenty of the best and brightest students across MA, NY, CT, VT and RI, each received $2,500 towards their college tuition and advancing their educational goals. These scholars embody academic excellence and share Berkshire’s commitment to community service and volunteerism.

Lori Gazzillo Kiely, managing director of the Berkshire Bank Foundation shared, “At Berkshire Bank, we are driven to help empower individuals to reach their financial potential. We are excited to announce this year’s recipients and help them with educational funding throughout our bank’s footprint. The Next Gen Scholars have overcome obstacles and are the doers of good deeds. They also possess an unsurpassed passion and values to improve the lives of those around them.”

All applicants were reviewed, and winners were selected by a committee of Berkshire Bank volunteers. The 2023 Next Gen Scholars include high school seniors, current college students and adults pursuing an undergraduate degree from an accredited non-profit college or technical school. They are listed by state below:

Name of Recipient State
Corey James Lynch MA
Michael Maggipinto MA
Vanessa Mwanjiru Muturi MA
Denis V. Protsun MA
Deisy Escobar MA
Justin Underdown MA
Nhi Le MA
Nayalie Velez MA
Myles Duah NY
Matthew Fabian NY
John Miles NY
Michael Lynch NY
Neev Vachhani CT
Haddijatou Mbye CT
Ravyn Spears CT
Rifat Tarafder CT
Julia Conway VT
Madilynn Brothers VT
Anna Kelly RI

For more information, visit Scholarship Application | College Scholarship | Berkshire Bank

Leominster Credit Union Announces New Hire

Michael Hawkes, Vice President of Commercial Lending

Michael Hawkes, LCU, Vice President of Commercial Lending

Leominster Credit Union (LCU) announces they have hired Michael Hawkes, Vice President of Commercial Lending.

Hawkes’ 25 years of banking experience positions him well to lead and grow Leominster Credit Union’s commercial lending portfolio. Hawkes will report to Craig Madonia, Senior Vice President, Lending.

Hawkes advanced lending experience, coupled with his desire to help others achieve their financial goals, supports LCU’s commitment to assist our members’ commercial lending needs. In his career, he has held roles in all areas of lending including Credit Analyst, Portfolio Manager, and Relationship Manager. In these roles, he has successfully assisted small and large businesses secure a variety of commercial loans.

Hawkes is a graduate of Babson College located in Wellesley, MA. Prior to joining LCU, Michael was the Vice President, Commercial Loan Officer at Franklin Savings Bank.

“We know Michael will make a positive impact for our members and future members and we are excited to have him join the LCU team,” stated Craig Madonia, SVP, Lending, Leominster Credit Union.


Founded in 1954, Leominster Credit Union (LCU) is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative with a full range of deposit, lending, and other financial services. Headquartered in Leominster, Massachusetts, LCU is proud to claim nearly 40,000 members and more than $800 million in assets. LCU has seven branch locations in Leominster, Clinton, Holden, North Leominster, Sterling and Worcester with ATM services at all branch locations. LCU also provides 24-hour banking via Mobile and Online services. Visit leominstercu.com or call 800-649-4646.

Care Central VNA & Hospice, Inc.

Care Central VNA & Hospice, IncHolly Chaffee MSN,BSN,RN, President & CEO of Care Central VNA & Hospice, Inc., is proud and honored to share the agency’s recognition as a SHP Best Hospice Caregiver Satisfaction 2022 Superior Performer Award recipient

United Way Seeks Community Help for Largest Ever “Day of Caring” Volunteer Event

Day of Caring 2023 - North Central MassachusettsThe United Way of North Central Massachusetts (UWNCM) is seeking volunteers from throughout the community to help put on their largest ever “Day of Caring” event on Friday, September 15. The 28th annual event will deploy volunteers to undertake short-term projects at dozens of local non-profits, schools and other service organizations.

The Day of Caring brings community members together for 4 hours—from 9am-1pm—to assist agencies with tasks they may not otherwise have the resources to complete. This year, due to factors including reduced staffing and increased community needs, agencies have submitted a record number of 65 projects. More than 400 volunteers have already signed up, but UWNCM needs an additional 150 volunteers to ensure all projects are filled.

Projects are located throughout the North Central Massachusetts region and include indoor and outdoor opportunities, ranging from repainting a school playground to cleaning up a community park, sewing book bags for babies, helping English-language learners with literacy by playing board games, and taking event photos.

All Day of Caring Volunteers are invited to kick off breakfasts being held in both Fitchburg and Athol as well as an end-of-day Thank You Barbecue at the Polish American Citizens Club in Gardner.

Several local companies also support the Day of Caring by sponsoring the event and enabling their employees to volunteer during work hours. Randi Vincent, UWNCM Senior Manager of Data & Technology and lead staff member of the Day of Caring, notes that the event is a true community effort.

“We are so grateful to everyone who helps bring this amazing day to life, including our many volunteers, corporate partners, and event steering committee members,” says Vincent. “Right now, the need in our region is greater than ever, which means we also have an opportunity to make a bigger impact than ever.”

Learn more about the Day of Caring and sign up as volunteer.uwncm.org.

The United Way of North Central Massachusetts serves the communities of Ashburnham, Ashby, Athol, Ayer, Devens, Fitchburg, Gardner, Groton, Harvard, Hubbardston, Leominster, Littleton, Pepperell, Lunenburg, Petersham, Phillipston, Royalston, Shirley, Templeton, Townsend, Westminster and Winchendon.

Berkshire Bank Welcomes Michelle Samuel to the Private Banking Team in Boston

Michelle_Samuel_WebBerkshire Bank, a leading, socially responsible community bank with financial centers in New England and New York, welcomes Michelle Samuel, as senior vice president (SVP) to the Private Banking team. Ms. Samuel joins Berkshire’s growing Private Banking team as a seasoned private banker serving the Boston market.

“We are very excited and pleased to welcome Michelle to our team”, said Managing Director of Private Banking, Elizabeth Mineo. “The role supports our continued commitment to providing exceptional service, advice, customized lending, and liquidity management solutions delivered by experienced bankers embedded in the communities we serve.”

At Berkshire, Ms. Samuel will be responsible for new business development in the Boston market by supporting private banking clients with a full suite of financial solutions tailored to help them reach their individual goals.

Ms. Samuel brings almost twenty years of experience in the financial services industry within the Boston area. She has worked with professional service firms, privately held businesses, and high-net-worth individuals and businesses. Most recently, she spent two years at First Republic Bank and sixteen years at Boston Private Bank. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from Northeastern University and is an MBA candidate at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business. She resides in Brockton, MA, with her two children.

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About Berkshire Bank    

Berkshire Bank, founded in 1846, is becoming a high-performing, leading, socially responsible community bank. It empowers the financial potential of its stakeholders by making banking available where, when and how it’s needed through an uncompromising focus on exceptional customer service, digital banking, and positive community impact. Providing a wide range of financial solutions through its consumer banking, commercial banking and wealth management divisions, the bank has approximately $12.1 billion in assets and a community-based footprint of 100 financial centers in Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Headquartered in Boston, Berkshire Hills Bancorp (NYSE: BHLB) is the parent of Berkshire Bank. Named one of America’s Most Trusted Companies by Newsweek and America’s Best Midsize Employers by Forbes, Berkshire is also listed in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index and a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality. To learn more, visit www.berkshirebank.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.        

Community Health Resource Fair

The City of Fitchburg Health Department is pleased to announce that Community Health Resource Fair will be held at the Fitchburg Senior Center on Thursday, October 19, 2023 from 4:00pm-7:00pm. As in prior years, we will feature over 70 vendors representing area community service organizations and city departments. Throughout the event, we will be offering free Flu vaccines, Blood pressure screenings and Naloxone training.

This is a great opportunity to promote your agency while networking with other organizations – we average 275+ attendees.
We would like to invite your organization/department to join us again – there is no charge to participate and tables and chairs are provided– just bring your table cover and information! Once again, the Holiday Decorating Committee Fitchburg will be selling refreshments.

We will be holding free raffles throughout the Fair and invite you to donate an item or basket.

 

 

 

Massachusetts Community Colleges Celebrate the Launch of MassReconnect Free Community College Program

MWCC President James Vander Hooven joined Governor Maura T. Healey today to launch MassReconnect, her administration’s new program establishing free community college for Massachusetts residents aged 25 and older and awarded $100,000 to each of Massachusetts’ 15 community colleges to support the quick implementation of the program this fall. Governor Healey and President Vander Hooven were joined by Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll, Senate President Karen Spilka, Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler, Commissioner of Higher Education Noe Ortega, and other community college presidents today at MassBay Community College’s Wellesley Campus. During the event, the Healey-Driscoll Administration highlighted the first MassReconnect students at MassBay, celebrating the impact the program is expected to have for students across the state.

“MassReconnect will be transformative for thousands of students, for our amazing community colleges, and for our economy,” said Governor Healey. “It will bolster the role of community colleges as economic drivers in our state and help us better meet the needs of businesses to find qualified, well-trained workers. We can also make progress in breaking cycles of intergenerational poverty by helping residents complete their higher education credentials so they can attain good jobs and build a career path. Our administration is grateful for the partnership of the Legislature to move forward on this critical program that will make our state more affordable, competitive and equitable.”

“Our administration and our community college partners are ready to hit the ground running with MassReconnect this fall semester. We encourage any eligible students who might have been holding off on taking that final step to enroll to do so now to begin this next stage of their education and career,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “We are also proud to be setting our community colleges up for success by providing them each with $100,000 for implementation of this lifechanging program.”

“In Massachusetts, we know that getting an education is a key to the middle class, supporting a family, building a life, and pursuing a brighter future. In this year’s state budget, we thrust open the doors to those opportunities and countless others, by making community college free for people 25 and over, making nursing programs at community colleges free for all individuals, and setting our state on a path to universal free community college in 2024,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “These proposals are a major step towards the Senate’s Student Opportunity Plan and are crucial to ensuring residents have the tools to build the futures they dream of—right here in Massachusetts. I am deeply grateful to Governor Healey, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, Secretary Tutwiler, Commissioner Ortega, Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues, Senate Higher Education Committee Co-chair Jo Comerford, and Speaker Mariano, for making education a priority in Massachusetts.”

“MassReconnect will create life-changing educational and career opportunities through free community college for qualifying residents at institutions such as Quincy College and at other community colleges across the Commonwealth, including for many residents from historically underserved communities. This program will also help to address key labor shortages, while ensuring that Massachusetts possesses a highly trained workforce that is prepared for the industries of the future,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “I want to thank the Healey Administration, Chairman Michlewitz and my colleagues in the House, as well as Senate President Spilka and our partners in the Senate, for working to include this transformative program in the Commonwealth’s FY24 budget.”

Governor Healey invested $20 million in MassReconnect for the first year of implementation in her first budget that she signed earlier this month. This funding covers the full cost of tuition and fees and includes an allowance for books and supplies at each of Massachusetts’ 15 community colleges. Additionally, each community college will also receive $100,000 from this funding to support student and community program awareness, staffing, and program administration. Quincy College also received $1.5 million in the FY24 budget to operate a similar program.

“For adults coming to one of the fifteen community colleges across the Commonwealth, MassReconnect removes one of the biggest barriers to attendance: cost,” said Jim Vander Hooven, president of Mount Wachusett Community College and chair of the Community College Council of Presidents. “By making community college completely free for any adult over 25 in Massachusetts without a degree, the Healey-Driscoll Administration is making an historic investment in our state’s workforce and providing hundreds of thousands of adults with a clear pathway to a career.”

“Community colleges such as MWCC serve as a pathway to enhanced economic mobility for numerous individuals,” Stephanie Williams, MWCC Chief Diversity Executive added. “MassReconnect has the potential to create a ripple effect, generating positive outcomes not only for the individuals directly benefiting from it but also for the broader community and the Commonwealth as a whole. As the Chief Diversity Executive, witnessing Massachusetts’ tuition-free program at this juncture is truly thrilling, as it embodies our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

Massachusetts residents qualify for MassReconnect if they are 25 or older on the first day of classes, have not previously earned a college degree, are a legal permanent resident for one year as of the start of the enrolled term, complete the FAFSA, and enroll in at least six credits per semester in an approved program of study leading to an associate degree or certificate.

“There’s no doubt that with MassReconnect we will be able to change the lives of each of the students who take advantage of this historic opportunity to achieve their degree,” said Secretary of Education Tutwiler. “But beyond our students, this program will also strengthen the Commonwealth’s economy and our public higher education system, By investing in our community college students, the Healey-Driscoll Administration is investing in the future of the Commonwealth.”

MassReconnect will likely support up to 6,500-8,000 community college students in the first year, which could grow to closer to 10,000 students by FY25, depending on how many students take advantage of the new opportunity. They could include current students, new students, or returning students who did not complete their degree. There are approximately 700,000 Massachusetts residents who have some college credit but no degree. MassReconnect will help bring back these students to finish their degrees, with the additional funding and support they may have been lacking the first time.

“With the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s record-breaking investment in higher education, including the highest levels of support for financial aid and scholarships the Commonwealth has ever seen, we will be able to expand access to higher learning more than ever before. MassReconnect is the centerpiece of that effort,” said Commissioner of the Department of Higher Education Ortega. “For all the Massachusetts adults out there who had to put their education on hold or didn’t have the opportunity to pursue it in the first place, now is your chance to pursue a degree or certificate to advance your career and transform your life and that of your family.”

The Commonwealth’s 15 community colleges are a ticket to economic mobility for many Massachusetts residents, and thus are key drivers of our business and our economic success. Nationally, employees who have earned their associate degree are paid 18 percent more than workers with only a high school diploma, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And these well-paying jobs are just waiting to be filled—in July 2023 there were more than 26,000 unique job postings in the Commonwealth that specifically required an associate degree. MassReconnect will harness the power of our community colleges by allowing workers to earn the training and education necessary for their career growth and reinforcing our pipeline of skilled industry professionals entering the workforce.

There is still time to enroll in MassReconnect and access free community college this fall. Visit mwcc.edu/massreconnect for steps and links to information sessions, the application, and FAFSA support.