News from our members
Hub International here to help you prepare, respond and recover.
Severe thunderstorms can produce dangerous lightning, hail, flash flooding and tornadoes.
To make sure you are prepared and protect what matters most, we’ve developed and gathered tips, guides, checklists and other resources to help you before, during and after a severe weather event.
Hub’s Hurricane Resource Center can help you prepare, respond and recover when disaster strikes.
Learn MoreCare Central VNA & Hospice, Inc. is excited to announce Dr. Stove Sobel as the keynote speaker for the 16th Annual Executive Leadership Breakfast on Wednesday, September 18, 2024 from 7:30 am – 9:15am at the Great Wolf Lodge in Fitchburg. Sponsorships and individual tickets are still available. For more details, please reach out to Kristin Mattson at .
The City of Fitchburg Health Department invites the public to attend an Overdose Awareness Vigil to be held on Thursday, August 22, 2024 at the Upper Common, Main Street, Fitchburg. A variety of resource tables will be available at 6:15pm and the Vigil will begin at 7pm.
This is a time to join together and remember lives lost to overdose while giving hope to those struggling. Once again, the gazebo will be lit up purple representing overdose awareness. Several speakers will reflect on the impact overdose has had on their lives. This is always a powerful program and enables the community to gather in an atmosphere of fellowship and support. Inspirational music will be featured and food will be available. Residents are welcome to bring a chair to the event which traditionally ends around 8pm with the raising of purple glow sticks in memory of those who have passed from overdose, reminding us that there is help and there is hope.
Narcan training and distribution will be available throughout the evening. Luminary Bags will be available for remembrance and Purple ribbons will be distributed for residents to wear on International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31.
To honor a loved one lost overdose, please email a photograph to . Luminary memorial bags will be available for decoration that evening or can be picked up at the Outreach & Prevention Office, 2nd Floor, 14 Wallace Ave, Fitchburg. The luminary bags will be lit and displayed throughout the event.
What to Expect from this White Paper
This white paper serves as a strategic resource, equipping business leaders with the knowledge and steps needed to
navigate the complexities of AI with a focus on ethical integrity and responsible governance.
| Background on AI | AI Adoption & Barriers | Ethical and Responsible AI | Responsible AI Framework |
| The paper begins with an overview of AI, tracing its evolution and highlighting its transformative potential across various industries. It emphasizes the critical role AI plays in driving innovation, efficiency, and competitive advantage. | We explore the current landscape of AI adoption, examining key drivers such as improved decision-making, cost savings, and enhanced customer experiences. Simultaneously, we address significant barriers, including technical challenges, regulatory compliance, and ethical concerns. | A detailed discussion on ethical and responsible AI is presented, outlining the necessity of aligning AI initiatives with core business values and societal expectations. Key data and case studies illustrate the impact of responsible AI practices on brand reputation, customer trust, and long-term success. | The centerpiece of the paper is the Responsible AI Governance framework, designed specifically for C-suite leadership. This section offers a comprehensive roadmap for establishing robust governance structures, encompassing policy development, risk management, and stakeholder engagement. |
Global insurance brokerage Hub International out of Massachusetts has developed a presentation on how clinical informatics can optimize your company’s benefits plan.
Tools like clinical informatics are revolutionizing the way organizations approach health plan management. By leveraging advanced data analytics and clinical expertise, you can move beyond reactive strategies and proactively anticipate and mitigate risks before they escalate, which helps you make better informed decisions for better outcomes.
Click here to learn more!
Do you have any old technology lying around (tech, batteries, printer, phone, Smart Watch and more)? Bring them to Staples in Leominster and recycle them for FREE with the Staples Recycle Every Day Program! Visit Staples on 114 Water Tower Plaza in Leominster today to take advantage of this free service.
Here’s what you can recycle at Staples in Leominster, MA
“RBT has a long history of supporting organizations who fight against housing insecurity in our area,” said Martin F. Connors, Jr., President & CEO of Rollstone Bank & Trust. “Those who served our country should never have to worry about having a roof over their heads. Rollstone is proud to help MVOC in their efforts to improve the lives of our nation’s heroes.”
MVOC helps over 700 veterans annually. In addition to housing, services include mental health support, veterans benefits, food and clothing assistance, and more.
“MVOC is grateful for the strong relationship we have with Rollstone Bank, who has been a supporter of our efforts for many years,” said Stephanie Marchetti, Executive Director of MVOC. “This donation will help ensure that our housing expansion project gets pushed over the finish line- that we’ll be able to not just construct the property, but furnish apartments for veterans who may come with nothing.”
Pictured left to right: Cathy Stallings McWilliams, President and MVOC Founder; Stephanie Marchetti, Executive Director of MVOC; Martin F. Connors, Jr., President & CEO of Rollstone Bank & Trust.
Nearly $900,000 in Funding Supports Organizations Across Central Massachusetts Region
The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts announced it has awarded eight grants totaling $890,455 through its Activation Fund program to support a wide range of organizations serving the region.
The Activation Fund supports organizations in building capacity in sustainable ways as they work to address community-identified health issues. More than 85% of the 2024 Activation Fund grantees had not previously received funding from The Health Foundation.
“We received a record number of applications this year, and our application process was refined and streamlined to be more responsive to the needs of community organizations seeking our support,” said Dr. Amie Shei, President and CEO of The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts. “We are excited to partner with seven organizations receiving grants for the first time as well as one returning grantee in support of their varied projects aimed to help them move to the next level of capacity or effectiveness in improving health in the region.”
The grant awards are as follows:
African Community Education – $125,000 to renovate and better equip the kitchen at its Worcester facility, expanding the organization’s capacity to serve culturally appropriate meals for youth, offer nutrition classes, and provide space for newly arriving Haitian families to prepare meals.
Center of Hope Foundation – $125,000 to modernize bathrooms and plumbing systems in a Southbridge facility housing its day habilitation program, which serves nearly 120 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Children’s Advocacy Center of Franklin County and North Quabbin – $86,900 for construction costs associated with establishing an outpatient clinic in Orange, thereby expanding its capacity to provide specialized mental health services for child victims of sexual abuse and their families in the North Quabbin region.
Choices Inc. – $80,250 to purchase a 15-passenger van, equipment and supplies for the organization’s Early Diversion Worcester program, a comprehensive system of care that diverts, intervenes and disrupts the school-to-prison pipeline in collaboration with community partners.
Gardner Community Action Committee – $115,000 to renovate and relocate to a 5,800-square-foot facility made available rent-free by the City of Gardner, significantly enhancing the organization’s capacity to provide food distribution, emergency assistance and other services for those in need throughout the Greater Gardner community.
Growing Places – $109,041 for development of a customized IT solution integrating disparate platforms and new software for inventory management to enhance efficiency, expand service capacity and better support local food consumers, institutional buyers and small farmers in North Central Massachusetts.
Quinsigamond Community College – $124,254 to replace six outdated dental chairs and equipment stations at its Worcester-based dental clinic, which trains an average of 40 dental hygiene students and 20 dental assistant students annually and provides free or deeply discounted oral health care to vulnerable Worcester County populations.
Worcester RISE for Health – $125,000 to build out and equip clinical space and implement an electronic medical record system for the organization to provide maternal child health care services for newly arriving refugees and immigrants in Worcester.
The Fitchburg Parks and Rec Summer Playground Program, supported by a DESE grant, offers a variety of fun and educational activities for children ages 6-12.
United Way of North Central Massachusetts (UWNCM) recently distributed $874,325 in grants to 45 agencies across the community. These funds were allocated through two grant programs aimed at tackling regional challenges and providing after-school and out-of-school time opportunities for local children and youth.
In the 2024-25 cycle, UWNCM’s Community Impact Fund awarded $588,335 to 29 agencies, supporting 37 programs in areas such as Early Education, Youth Development, Basic Needs, Economic Opportunity, and Financial Literacy. This funding, distributed in the third year of a four-year cycle, is expected to benefit over 97,000 households, building on a 32% increase in households served from the previous year.
Pathways for Change, Inc received funds for their Sexual Assault Youth Education (SAYE) Program. Kim L. Dawkins, President & CEO, expressed gratitude, stating, “As Benjamin Franklin said, ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!’ We are incredibly grateful to the United Way of North Central Massachusetts for funding the Sexual Assault Youth Education (SAYE) Program. The goal of the SAYE Program is to raise adolescents’ awareness of the incidence and myths about sexual violence and to have a role in building and expanding the resiliency factors and strengths of communities. By working in positive ways toward shared goals with the community, we can have an impact on the root causes of sexual violence.”
UWNCM also recently distributed $285,990 to 16 agencies through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) After School and Out-of-School Time (ASOST) Program. Funds were made available through a $1 million grant awarded by DESE to a regional effort of United Ways located in Central, North Central, and South-Central Massachusetts with the goal of helping after school and out-of-school time programs.
This seventh round of grants will support summer programming, providing diverse experiences from camp to museum visits for youth. In total, UWNCM has distributed nearly $1.6 million in DESE grants to local non-profit organizations, public school systems and towns and municipalities, with an additional round to come.
The City of Fitchburg received a DESE grant to support their Summer Playground Program. James Bunnell, Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Fitchburg, says, “The city of Fitchburg Parks and Recreation department is thrilled to be working with the United Way of North Central Massachusetts and the DESE summer grant opportunity for the second year in a row. The summer playground program allows children to attend events and visit various places like the Worcester Bravehearts baseball game, the EcoTarium, and Southwick’s Zoo. Bunnell adds, “We take pride in offering diverse events and opportunities to the community at a nominal or no cost, made possible by the support from the United Way of North Central Massachusetts and DESE.”
“Judy Tomlinson, UWNCM Director of Community Impact, highlighted the significance of the grant programs, saying, ‘These initiatives allow us to empower agencies addressing vital community issues with both tested and novel approaches. Our heartfelt thanks go to our donors, community partners, and volunteers for their unwavering support in offering immediate assistance to those in need and fostering a better future for everyone.”
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.
