News & Events
Member News
The Salvation Army 2024 Special Needs Angel Tree Program
Last year, the Chamber of Commerce graciously took our Special Angels—children with special needs of all ages. When we visited these families this year, they shared the joy your generous donations brought to the children and adults in care facilities. It was heartwarming to witness, and we hope to bring that same joy again this year.
Here’s how you can help:
When you select an angel from the tree, know that the gift you choose will go directly to that child. Your kindness will make a real difference!
All gifts should be returned to the Chamber no later than December 10th to allow us time to pack and distribute them to the families and children in need.
Thank you for your ongoing commitment to serving local families this holiday season. Your generosity is a blessing to many!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Envoy Lynnette Valentine at 978-342-3300 or 330-388-0451.
Together, we can make this Christmas brighter for so many families. Thank you for your heart and your help.
Bitcoin Ben’s Crypto Club Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner Open House
You’re invited to Bitcoin Ben’s Crypto Club’s Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner 
Event Details:
- Date & Time: November 23, 4:00 PM
- Location: 91 Central St., Leominster, MA 01453
Learn More – https://bitcoinbencryptoclubmass.com/events
Employee Workplace Conflict Experience Survey
Mediation Services of North Central MA seeks community input through a new survey aimed at understanding how you experience and handle conflict.
The confidential survey will help this non-profit organization better serve local communities through their conflict resolution programs. All responses will be aggregated, ensuring individual privacy.
How to Participate
Complete the survey by sharing your honest experiences with conflict in your community. Your insights will directly inform how Mediation Services develops and adapts their programs to meet community needs.
Mediation Services of North Central MA is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing conflict resolution services throughout the region.
Mediation Services of North Central MA, Inc. (MSI) provides FREE MEDIATION SERVICES to those at risk of eviction.
Mediation Services of North Central MA, Inc. (MSI) is part of a statewide initiative working in cooperation with the Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration to provide free mediation services to landlords and tenants in order to help people in the Commonwealth remain stably housed.
HOUSING AT RISK?
Those struggling with:
- Rent
- Living Conditions
- Getting along with landlords, tenants or others in your building
Are you concerned about speaking directly to others involved? Have you tried communicating, but nothing has gotten resolved? Are you worried about homelessness?
IF SO MSI MAY BE ABLE TO HELP FOR FREE!
ABOUT MEDIATION
Mediation is a VOLUNTARY and CONFIDENTIAL conversation with the assistance of trained neutral mediators The mediators manage the process that gets the parties to focus on what is important to them and how they want to move forward to meet those needs and explore ideas that might work for ALL parties to resolve the conflict.
OTHER INFORMATION:
- Referrals are accepted from other agencies, local government, friends, family, individuals in crisis, etc.
- Mediations are held either via Zoom or in person and scheduled at a time convenient to the parties.
- We DO NOT provide legal advise or representation
- Referrals to other resources (i.e. legal aid or financial assistance) may be provided in advance of the mediated conversation
- If an agreement is not reached through mediation, legal remedies are still available.
Our agency is a non-profit and has been working with community members for over 30 years providing mediation services and trainings throughout North Central Massachusetts.
Learn MoreHoliday Food Baskets of Hope!
Ginny’s Helping Hand is proud to support hundreds of families in need through our Holiday Food Basket program. Each basket is thoughtfully prepared with essential items to help make the holidays special. While the contents may vary, most baskets include a frozen turkey or ham, stuffing, gravy, carrots, potatoes, onions, cranberry sauce, butter, rolls, and ingredients for pie.
How You Can Help
1. Nonperishable Donations: Attached is a graphic listing the nonperishable items we’re collecting for these baskets. To simplify donations, I’ve created an Amazon Wishlist available at https://tinyurl.com/GHHAmazon. Donors can select items to be shipped directly to us, or they can drop off donations at our location: 52 Mechanic St., Leominster.
2. Monetary Donations: If you’d prefer to contribute financially, donations can be made at https://ginnyshelpinghand.org/donate. Every dollar counts and goes directly toward filling these baskets.
3. Distribution Support: To help distribute the baskets—a deeply moving experience for all involved. Key distribution days are November 23rd and December 21st, both from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.. If you’re available, please sign up: https://forms.gle/4UMbqx3ig6C1E2sc8.
4. Food Drive Pickup at Fall Brook Elementary: Fall Brook Elementary School has organized a major food drive to support our efforts! We’ll be picking up their donation on November 22nd at 1:30 p.m. If anyone would like to assist with this pickup, it would be greatly appreciated.
Gardner CAC Lease Signing
On Friday, November 8, 2024, at 9:00am Mayor Nicholson, State Representative Jon Zlotnik, City Council President Elizabeth Kazinskas, Members of the CAC Board of Directors and other local officials will be meeting at 62 Waterford Street for the Gardner Community Action Committee “CAC” to sign their new lease at the future Community Center on Waterford Street.
In October of 2022, the City’s Administration announced a plan to convert the former Waterford Street School into a new community center to house several non-profits in the City to help improve and expand both the services offered to residents and the collaboration between organizations. Since then, the City, State, and Federal Government have invested in improvements to the building and the construction work at the site in at a point where tenants are now able to enter into lease agreements with the City and begin fitting out their spaces.
The lease provided to the CAC is a Grant Agreement Lease where the City is providing the space to the CAC as an in-kind grant in recognition of the services they provide to the area’s residents in need. The City Council voted to approve this lease at their October 7th Meeting. The City’s Administration and the CAC have completed negotiations and are ready sign the lease.
The remaining spaces in the building are being advertised for RFP for their use.
Fitchburg Community Electricity Aggregation Renewed at Lower Rates through December 2027
The City of Fitchburg announces the renewal of its Fitchburg Community Electricity Aggregation (Fitchburg CEA) program, with new prices for the period December 2024 through December 2027. Fitchburg CEA is a group purchasing program, operated by the City since 2023, which provides electricity supply options to help residents and businesses manage costs and increase renewable energy use. Current participants do not need to take any action to remain in the Fitchburg CEA program and receive the new pricing.
The City is pleased to have secured lower rates for our Fitchburg Community Electricity Aggregation products through December 2027. All products will cost less than the current Unitil’s Basic Service residential supply when the new prices go into effect.
All new Fitchburg CEA prices will be fixed for 36 months, from December 2024 through December 2027. The Fitchburg CEA Program will continue to be served by the supplier, Constellation:
Over 14,000 accounts in City, which includes the vast majority of residents, use the Fitchburg Standard option. They will meet the state renewable energy requirements starting in December 2024. You may switch to another Fitchburg CEA option at any time. To switch options, call our program’s current electricity supplier, Constellation, at (833) 943-0160, or submit a request at FitchburgCEA.com. Income-eligible customers can receive a 40% discount on their entire electricity bill, including the Fitchburg CEA supply prices. You can find a link to sign up for this discount at FitchburgCEA.com.
No action is necessary to receive the new pricing for your current Fitchburg supply option, if listed above. For example, if you currently use Fitchburg Plus, you will automatically receive the new price for Fitchburg Plus listed above. However, if you are currently on the Fitchburg 5 product, it will not be offered in the new contract. Such customers will be automatically transferred to the Fitchburg Standard product, unless they affirmatively select another product.
To check what Fitchburg CEA supply option you currently use, look at the Supply section of your Unitil electricity bill. If you participate in the program, it will include the “Old Price” listed above, or if you use the discontinued Fitchburg 5 product, it will show 17.467 ¢/kWh. FITCHBURG CITY HALL, 718 MAIN STREET, FITCHBURG, MA 01420 | TEL: 978-829-1801 | New prices take effect on your December meter read, which for most of the community is on December 6. The first bill to show the new Fitchburg CEA pricing will be the bill you receive showing usage from your December meter read to January meter read. Most customers can expect to receive this bill in early January 2025.
The City’s current electricity contract has offered fixed prices since March 2023, providing multiple years of price stability. Most participants use the Fitchburg Standard, which has saved about $130 for the typical residential customer over that time. As a reminder, Fitchburg CEA prices only apply to the Supply portion of your electric bill and take effect on your meter read date. Unitil will continue to set the charges on the Delivery on your electric bill and will repair outages and manage all billing. Fitchburg CEA has no impact on any solar benefits, low-income discounts, or budget billing plans.
If you are not currently participating in Fitchburg CEA, you can join any time. To join, submit a request at FitchburgCEA.com. Fitchburg CEA participants may leave the Program at any time, without penalty and return to Basic Service supply with Unitil. To leave the Program, call Unitil at (888) 301-7700, or submit a request at FitchburgCEA.com.