News from our members

Mount Wachusett Community College Awarded Department of Education Talent Search Program Grants

/in /by

The US Department of Education has selected Mount Wachusett Community College to received funding under the Talent Search Program in two grants totaling $662,926.

Launched in 1965, the Higher Education Act created Talent Search. Along with the Upward Bound Program and Student Support Services, the three services make up the TRIO of federally funded programs aimed at encouraging access to higher education for low-income students.

Talent Search identifies and assists individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who have the potential to succeed in higher education. Talent Search projects provide tutorial services, career exploration, aptitude assessments, counseling, mentoring, financial aid and college application assistance.

The first program, Educational Talent Search, was launched at MWCC in 1990. The grant of $385,551 enables MWCC to serve 695 middle and high school students from Fitchburg, Gardner, and Leominster public schools.

“I am looking forward to building upon the success that Talent Search has had over the past thirty years,” notes Ramon Gonzales, Director of Educational Talent Search.

The second grant program, the North Central Mass. Talent Search (NCMTS) was founded in 2011. NCMTS will use the $277,375 grant to serve 500 middle and high school students from seven public schools located in the communities of Athol, Clinton, Winchendon, Fitchburg, and Royalston, Massachusetts.

“Our Talent Search programs, and their talented staff, provide the critical boost needed for these students to access higher education,” states James Vander Hooven, President of MWCC. “These programs enable us to help students not only see their own potential, but to achieve it.”

The Talent Search programs are designed to prepare students to graduate high school and go on to complete a college degree. Two-thirds of students served under the Talent Search program students are low-income and have the potential to be the first generation in their family to complete college. The program objectives are improved persistence of students to the next grade level, high school graduation, college enrollment and degree completion.

The Talent Search programs are administered by the MWCC Division of Access & Transition, which also manages the colleges Upward Bound Math and Science program, GEAR UP, and Early College programs including Early College Academy, Gateway to College, and Pathways Early College Experience.

RCAP SOLUTIONS PRIVATE WELL PROGRAM PARTNERING WITH NORTH CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS COMMUNITIES TO PROVIDE COMPLIMENTARY ASSESSMENTS

/in /by

The North Central Massachusetts Private Well Program is actively seeking homeowners with private
wells in the communities of Berlin, Bolton, Boxborough, Hubbardston, Princeton, and Sterling who are interested in
learning more about the quality of their water, the condition of their wells, and how to remediate contamination of their
wells.

The Private Well Program is a community partnership created by RCAP Solutions, funded by a Synergy Initiative grant
from The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts to address drinking water issues in the Northern Central
Massachusetts area totaling $629,000 to date. Now in its pilot year, the program is working with local Boards of Health
and other regional and statewide partners to promote better public health and safety for households with private wells.
During the next six months, RCAP Solutions is focusing on the six designated communities to provide complimentary
well assessments and testing to identify contamination and provide public education services to residents. This includes a
limited number of private well assessments, water testing, and additional resources for well owners. The goal of the pilot
program is to assess 40 private wells in each of six the selected towns, for a total of 240 assessments to be completed in
2021.

A second phase of this effort will include public education, advocacy for local and statewide private well regulations that
better protect homeowners and communities and that are on par with regulations for public water systems, and
identification of financial resources for homeowners needing well remediation. Unlike public drinking water systems,
private wells do not have experts regularly checking the water’s source and its quality before it is sent to the tap.
Households that use private wells should take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of their drinking water. Potential
contaminants such as arsenic, radon, and uranium can have both short and long-term health impacts.
The RCAP staff provides homeowners with a free, on-site professional review of their well head and recharge area. The
staff adheres to strict social distancing practices to keep the homeowners feeling comfortable and safe during the
coronavirus pandemic. The assessment concludes with a complimentary water test from a state-certified lab, which
otherwise can be a costly and time-consuming procedure. The water quality analysis tests for the following contaminants:
Arsenic, Chloride, Copper, Fluoride, Hardness, Iron, Lead, Manganese, pH, Sodium, Coliform Bacteria, Nitrate/Nitrite,
Uranium, and Radon. Interested homeowners can visit www.rcapsolutions.org/ma-private-wells for additional information
and to request a well assessment.

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts in this important public
health project,” stated Karen A. Koller, President & CEO of RCAP Solutions. “Because there are no state-wide
regulations surrounding private well maintenance, it’s critical that homeowners in North Central Massachusetts, and
across the state, understand the importance of regular assessments and water testing. We are pleased to be able to fulfill
our mission and meet the needs of rural communities by providing this valuable technical assistance to private well
owners.”

Dr. Jan Yost, President & CEO of The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts, added, “The Foundation is pleased to
continue its support of this important project that seeks to improve private well water quality through increased
knowledge and enhanced local and statewide regulations to protect the public’s health. The project’s pilot this year is an
important step towards ensuring that private well owners have access to clean and safe drinking water free of harmful
contaminants, which is essential to good health.”

RCAP Solutions is working closely with the Montachusett Public Health Network and the Nashoba Associated Boards of
Health to assist communities with promotional efforts and to ensure positive outcomes for homeowners. In addition,
RCAP is collaborating with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and ongoing efforts to address
per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water.

For more information about the North Central Massachusetts Private Well Program, or to request a private well
assessment, please visit: http://www.rcapsolutions.org/ma-private-wells/
About RCAP Solutions, Inc.

RCAP Solutions is a thriving integrated community development corporation working with a multi-faceted suite of
services and opportunities. Established in 1969, RCAP Solutions’ mission is to foster personal and public self-reliance
and improve the quality of life for individuals, families, and the communities in which they live. For more information,
please visit www.rcapsolutions.org.

About The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts
The Foundation was established in 1999 with the proceeds from the sale of Central Massachusetts Health Care, Inc., a
physician-initiated, not-for-profit HMO. As of March 2021, the Foundation has assets of around $90 million and has
awarded grants totaling approximately $48 million to improve the health of those who live or work in Central
Massachusetts. For further information about the Foundation’s grant programs, please visit the Foundation’s website at
www.hfcm.org.

Mount Wachusett Community College Physical Therapist Assistant Students Complete Clinical Rotations Thanks to Care Central VNA

/in /by

This spring, the Mount Wachusett Community College Physical Therapist Assistant program students were in danger of a delay in their graduation due to the lack of clinical placement sites. The lack of clinical placement impacted all health students, with the impact on physical therapist assistant students more pronounced due to fewer facilities available in the area.

In early 2021 Margaret Jaillet the Dean of Health Professions, Public Service Program & Social Sciences needed the services of the Care Central VNA for a family member. The visiting physical therapist from Central Care VNA turned out to be a friend and colleague of the Dean, Eileen Hurley.

Following the visit, Jaillet and Hurley were discussing the challenges the pandemic presented, preventing students from completing their clinical rotations. Hurley suggested that the VNA may be able to help.

Within days of that conversation, meetings were taking place and the rehabilitation team and the Director at Care Central VNA, Kristin Mattson, Jennifer Scampini and Lisa Waller, were coordinating with their staff to participate. Numerous Care Central VNA clinicians agreed to mentor students, many agreeing to take concurrent students if needed.

“The Care Central VNA rehabilitation team did a fabulous job and I could not be more appreciative,” commented Jennifer Gentile, Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education at MWCC. “Many students expressed how grateful they were to have this unique educational experience.”

“I was a little hesitant to accept the idea of finishing my clinical experience in the home health environment. My heart was set on a skilled nursing facility experience,” stated PTA student Daniella Caetano. “As I’m reflecting on the past seven weeks, I realized that I’ve grown to absolutely love home health care and I can see myself working in this setting in the future.”

Thanks to the help from the Care Central VNA team, students were able to complete their final clinical rotations and have been awarded their degrees. They will sit for their state licensure exam in October.

“These students can get on with their lives having completed their educational journey and moving onto their career paths,” stated Dean Jaillet.

Students who successfully completed their clinical rotations with the help of Care Central VNA are Younglan Cho of Acton, Alexandra de Melo-Shay of West Boylston, Matthew Robertson of Tewksbury, Ruth Honthumb of North Brookfield, Shannon Caira of Orange, and Daniella Caetano of Leominster.

North Central Mass Welcomes Secretary Chen

/in /by

Aging Services of North Central Massachusetts (ASNCM) was pleased to welcome Secretary Elizabeth Chen of the Executive Office of Elder Affairs to make visits to consumers in their homes.

Secretary Chen was accompanied by Chief Executive Officer, Lori Richardson; Program Specialist, Shane McCormack; and Program Manager, Leeanne Kelly.

“I can tell, from my time spent with Secretary Chen, that the elders of our state are in good hands. She is a kind, down-to-earth, and understanding individual,” said McCormack. “More importantly, the elder we visited truly felt heard by Secretary Chen, as she explained to me afterwards. And that, ultimately, is our goal – to give voices and support to the individualized needs of elders.”

“Aging Services of North Central Massachusetts is a wonderful place to work. You are supported by the agency but also the Executive Office of Elder Affairs. Secretary Chen is well versed in the needs of our consumers, barriers that we are facing as an agency and the importance of what we do every day,” said Kelly.

Lori Richardson stated, “I am grateful to Secretary Chen for her commitment and leadership. The pandemic impacts everyone and has a significant impact on the older adults we serve. Secretary Chen, her team at the Executive Office of Elder Affairs, ASNCM, and the 24 other Aging Service Access Points (ASAPs) that blanket the Commonwealth of Massachusetts continue to work tirelessly to make a positive difference one person at a time. The visits I made with Secretary Chen certainly made a positive difference.”

To learn more about the Aging Services of North Central Massachusetts—including programs and services being offered, ways you can donate or volunteer, or to learn more about this historic rebrand, please visit www.AgingServicesMA.org or contact David Ginisi, Chief Marketing Officer, at (978) 466-1571 or by email at

From left to right: Shane McCormack, ASNCM Program Specialist; Secretary Elizabeth Chen, Executive Office of Elder Affairs; Leeanne Kelly, ASNCM Program Manager; and Lori Richardson, ASNCM Chief Executive Officer.

Ms. Patricia Crawson chatted with Secretary Elizabeth Chen about the support she receives from Shane McCormack of ASNCM.

3 Media Web Joins the 2021 Inc. 5000 List of Private Companies

/in /by

This week, Inc. magazine revealed that 3 Media Web is No. 3747 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies.

Every year this list provides a breakdown of the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

3 Media Web Listed at No. 3747 on Inc. 5000 List

“We are thrilled to be placed on the Inc 5000 list,” said 3 Media Web CEO Jessica Hennessey.  “We have an amazing team that has made this possible and look forward to watching our continued growth.” Companies that made the list, on average, have grown sixfold since 2016. During a stretch when the economy grew just 15 percent, that’s a result most businesses could only dream of.

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this year’s list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020’s unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

“The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled,” says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. “Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis we’ve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.”

3 Media Web has been busy growing for the past twenty years, helping medium and enterprise businesses build their presence to achieve success on the internet. This year we were also awarded a National and Local Excellence award by UpCity. To be named as not only one of the best B2B service providers in the Boston area and one of the Top B2B providers in the United States by UpCity, and this recent honor from Inc. magazine––what a year it’s been! At the same time, we kept ourselves busy with the latest website redesign of our own website.

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this year’s Inc. 5000.  Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.’s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media

The world’s most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

For more information on the Inc. 5000 Vision Conference, visit conference.inc.com/. 

‘A Day of Apples and Art’ on Saturday, September 4 at Sholan Farms

/in /by

“A Day of Apples and Art,” the first “traveling” event for a proposed New England Museum of Apple and Cider, will be held at Sholan Farms in Leominster, Massachusetts, Saturday, September 4, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The day will feature plenty of fresh cider and early season apples, presentations about cider and the early varieties, a demonstration with an antique cider press, plein-air artists painting throughout the orchard, a hands-on painting workshop for children, live music, food, and more. More than one dozen early apple varieties will be available for display and sampling.

“We are thrilled to be launching the museum idea at Sholan Farms,” says Russell Powell, executive director of New England Apple Association and author of America’s Apple, Apples of New England. “The proposed museum will be a way to mark New England’s unique place in the history of apples and to continue to connect families to apple orchards and the new, booming cider industry in the region. It is fitting that it will be in Leominster, birthplace of John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed).”

“We are delighted to host this historic event, and we are looking forward to getting people out to our beautiful orchard to showcase the many varieties available this time of year,” says Joanne DiNardo, president of Sholan Farm’s board of directors.

Admission is free and open to the public. Updates will be posted on newenglandapples.org.

The traveling museum will make stops at orchards around New England over the next two years with unique events that celebrate the history and future of New England apples and cider. The proposed museum is a project of the nonprofit New England Apple Association. It will be the first of its kind in the country.

For more information, write to .

Sitka Creations welcomes Joanna Belanger to the team!

/in /by

Ms. Joanna Belanger freelanced for Sitka Creations during 2020 and early 2021. Sitka Creations is pleased to announce that Ms. Belanger is now part of our in-house team, as of July 2021.

In early 2016 Ms. Belanger began working in social media while employed at a day spa in Central Massachusetts. Her commitment to working in social media became stronger when she saw the importance of these digital connections during the spring of 2020 as face-to-face connections were greatly reduced because of the pandemic. During this time, Ms. Belanger found creative ways to use social media connections to buoy sales of beauty products for the day spa while services could not be provided because of Covid-19 restrictions.

Ms. Belanger says of Sitka Creations, “I’m feeling very blessed to be working with the Sitka team! I love working with this group of strong, creative, and inspiring women! Sitka Creations has a lot to offer companies that are looking to stand out in both the physical and digital marketplace. I am excited to see what we will produce as we learn from each other and work together.”

Sitka Creations is a design studio that provides creative solutions for businesses through WP website design, graphic design, social media management, web hosting, photography, PR, and content writing. Women-owned and operated, located in Shirley, MA.

Fitchburg’s Victor Rojas Named GEAR UP Professional of the Year

/in /by

Victor Rojas, Assistant Director of GEAR UP, has been named GEAR UP Professional of the Year by the National Council for Community Education Partnerships (NCCEP) at their annual conference.

The Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) initiative is one of the largest and most effective programs focused on increasing college and career readiness of low-income students in communities nationwide. GEAR UP targets entire grades of students, partnering with local organizations and business, and matching Federal Department of Education funds with local contributions, allowing projects to support large number of students. The NCCEP leadership awards honors students, family leaders, community partners, and professionals from the GEAR UP community.

The GEAR UP Professional of the Year is awarded to an individual who is committed to the GEAR UP movement and the goal of ensuring that college access and success is available to all students. Through their work with GEAR UP, the awardee demonstrates the passion and perseverance to assist low-income students in their quest to attain a college education.

“As an educator, a soldier, a husband, a father, and proud grandfather, Victor encapsulates the GEAR UP mission,” NCCEP noted in a statement.

“In the past ten years, Fitchburg High School has achieved its highest level of attendance, graduation rates, students earning dual enrollment credits, students passing Advanced Placement tests, and our lowest suspension and dropout rates,” states Fitchburg High School Principal Jeremy Roache. “Mr. Rojas dogged efforts have much to do with those results.”

Twenty co-workers and community members submitted letters of recommendation to the NCCEP in support of Rojas nomination as Professional of the Year, detailing his qualities, accomplishments, and contribution to the success of the GEAR UP students.

“Victor is always committed to making sure 100% of students are receiving the support that GEAR UP promised. His work goes above and beyond,” noted Peter Chirichiello, GEAR UP Director. “When the school day is over, he is helping everyone with their college applications and financial aid forms. Even when our students were in sixth and seventh grade, he would stay late and make home visits. GEAR UP is not a job for Victor, it is a way of life.”

Born in Puerto Rico, Rojas moved to Fitchburg when he was very young and without speaking any English. Despite this hurdle, he excelled as a student in the Fitchburg Public School system, and went on to become the first in his family to graduate from college, earning his bachelors from Fitchburg State University and his Masters of Education from Cambridge College.

He became involved in the GEAR UP Program in 1999 when it was first introduced in Fitchburg. In addition to the countless students he has impacted, he has personally trained and mentored dozens of college access staff. His experience coupled with a strong sense of duty and responsibility has helped to build an entire cadre of dedicated college access professionals who are culturally competent, willing to go the extra mile for students, and who fully understand the importance of this work to the entire community.

“I have had the pleasure of working and supervising many passionate professional educators, but Victor stands in a special place amongst his peers. I have known Mr. Rojas for over twenty years and have witnessed, firsthand, his innate ability to build strong relationships with our students and extended families,” noted Craig Chalifoux, Director of Finance and Operations for Fitchburg Public Schools. “His passion is outweighed only by his compassion for families and the incredible obstacles they face as they enter the financial aid process and try to understand how this is even a possibility for their child. Victor is kind, understanding, and presents a sense of great hopefulness for families and students as they face longstanding institutional bias and systems that are set-up to disenfranchise so many of our families.”

“Victor is known as Mr. GEAR UP. He has worked on every GEAR UP grant at our institution since the very first grant in 1999,” added Shaunti Phillips, Academic Counselor. “Having walked the same path as many of his students, Victor is able to lead and guide them to be the best that they can be and achieve their dreams.”

“For years I have heard stories about Victor Rojas’ impact with students at Fitchburg High School. I have come to know first-hand how much Victor has transformed lives over the past twenty years,” says Fagan Forhan, Assistant Dean, K-12 Partnerships & Civic Engagement at MWCC. “Every time we are at a community event former students approach him to share their successes and tell the rest of us how much he helped them.”

Visit mwcc.edu to learn more about the GEAR UP Fitchburg program.