Honoring Resiliency
Valley Opportunity Council • Annual Report • 2020
Our Mission The Valley Opportunity Council, Inc. is dedicated to eliminating poverty by providing the opportunity for our low and moderate-income neighbors, families, and friends in the greater Hampden County area to achieve greater independence and a higher quality of life.
Our Board
Public Representatives
Representing
VOC has a tripartite (three community segments) board structure that is designed to promote the participation of the entire community in the reduction or elimination of poverty. Community Action Agencies seek to involve 1) elected public officials 2) private sector representatives and 3) low-income residents. We thank our Board Members for their service and commitment throughout the year.
Anthony Soto, Clerk Kate Preissler Cory Briere Ken Parsons John Hale
Holyoke Mayoral Appointee Holyoke Mayoral Appointee Chicopee Mayor John Vieau Chicopee Mayor John Vieau Chicopee Mayor John Vieau
Target Representatives Jay Reynolds, President Stefany Escobar-Garcia, Assistant Treasurer
Eric Taub Jolene Monfette
Manuel Contin Gladys Suero
Private Representatives
Representing
Greg Schwartz, Vice President Ana Rodriguez, Treasurer Zuzanna Zaluga Madeline Lopez Willie Spradley, Jr. Tony Diaz Mim Zayas
Holyoke Health Center The Care Center Elms College Westfield Bank Bethlehem Baptist Church Key Foods Chicopee Chamber of Commerce
Resiliency in the Face of COVID
When a crisis strikes a person or an organization, it is impossible to predict how those in the middle of the crisis might react or cope. And when that crisis is global, affecting everyone’s ability to thrive, it can be devastating for those in the lower socio economic scale. At Valley Opportunity Council the impact of COVID-19 was felt by our program participants and their families, by our staff and the communities where we do the work of lifting individuals and families out of poverty. As you will read in this year’s annual report, VOC had to reinvent the way it does business for our nearly 90,000 participants who count on us for energy assistance, early education, nutrition, housing, adult learning and more. As the calendar year ended, we entered 2021 still under the throes of a pandemic that continues to adversely affect our region. What stood out most to me and our Board was not only the resilience of our organization but the humanity and care that led so many that work for VOC to rise up and do more in the service of others. Our staff worked above and beyond in delivering educational packets and holding wave parades for early education families, delivering food and diapers to moms and dads unable to leave home or unable to afford these basics in childcare, and our volunteers helping our adult education students learn English over the phone. All of this was inspiring beyond words. And as we celebrate the resilience and dedication of so many who rose to serve during this most difficult of years, I extend my deepest appreciation. It is an honor to serve alongside such amazing people and everyone associated with Valley Opportunity Council as we work collaboratively on a better future for all.
Steve Huntley Executive Director
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Food Delivery - Serving the Needs of the Community During the beginning of COVID-19, VOC found that families who were already struggling to make ends meet were struggling more, and some families were newly struggling. Due to the shutdown of normal activity, families were not able to get basic supplies, and many needed items were in short supply. The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) recognized these growing needs in the region and established the COVID-19 Response Fund for the Pioneer Valley. Through multiple COVID-19 Response grants from CFWM, VOC was able to serve many of these emergent needs. VOC began a contactless food and diaper delivery program for those experiencing the most need in Hampden County. Staff assembled bags, using a reusable VOC grocery bag, with basic needs supplies including nonperishable foods, toilet paper, diapers and wipes, and information about other VOC programs for additional resources. In addition to providing basic needs, this also became a key way to disseminate information to participants about programming and resources. In total, 2,652 deliveries were made. As the impact of the pandemic continues to affect families, VOC maintains some supplies on hand to support those who need them, and to assess ongoing needs.
Real People.
Real Help.
Picking up a food delivery Melissa Fitzgerald and Kathleen Stark got into the spirit and helped pass out bags of food to people during one of Early Ed’s “Wave Parades” for families.
Real Impact.
2,652 emergency basic necessity deliveries were made to support families with emergency needs during the pandemic. Deliveries included healthy foods, diapers, and some toiletries. Over 30 volunteers have made this possible; including staff, community members, and
board members.
Bags distributed at 13 community events have helped Early Education families in
Chicopee that receive free lunch, veterans, seniors, families that receive WIC, and families in need in West Springfield.
Community Needs Assessment In Hampden County, 10% of the population are facing That’s 46,890 people, the 3rd highest percentage in the state. In Chicopee 60% of the (MASSCAP data, 2019).
food insecurity.
population is living in poverty, 20% are children
Living in poverty leads to obesity, poor health and nutritio n. Additionally, children in poverty are more likely to experience homelessness, and they typical ly have lower educational attainment (Kids Count Data Center, 2020).
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Early Education and Care (EEC) The March 2020 shutdown of the Commonwealth required an innovative response by VOC in its early education programs to assure children and families continued to be engaged in learning. Staff, teachers and Home Educators started Zoom classrooms for remote learning, weekly phone calls to families, Facebook activity posts, (including Facebook Live story times) and delivered educational packets to families. July brought the reopening of early education centers along with many restrictions. VOC classrooms operated at reduced capacity, reduced hours, with new screening and safety protocols, social distancing in the classroom and staffing changes. What many would have seen as challenges, VOC’s Early Ed programs saw as opportunities. VOC launched virtual professional development days, virtual educator support groups, virtual intakes and enrollment tours for families, wave parades celebrating students, virtual family engagement, food and diaper deliveries, Zoom staff meetings and virtual clinical playgroups.
Early Ed had a Wave Parade for children and families. The Early Ed staff made posters, dressed up, played music and made this an exciting event for children to see their teachers during the closure.
Zoom staff meetings
Enrollment Specialists and Social Workers have taken on parent liaison roles during the pandemic, going the extra mile to assist parents with submitting documentation and at times delivering important paperwork to their homes or places of work. Without this added assistance during the pandemic, many parents could have lost their funding. The Early Ed department also focused on professional development and a new partnership with the Life is Good (LIG) Playmakers - a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids heal from the devastating impacts of trauma - which has provided virtual training for over 200 Early Ed staff and Home Educators throughout the pandemic. Our childcare programs, teachers, directors, staff and Home Educators showed resilience, strength and fortitude in the ever-changing policies, procedures and guidelines all while working directly on the front lines.
Real People.
Real Help.
Real Impact.
1,252 children thrived in our state-of-the-art early education centers. This includes centers and family-based care, virtual classrooms, and Preschool Expansion Grant programming. 237 early education staff have received ongoing intensive
trauma-informed therapeutic play training.
The Early Ed department purchased 13 new vans in 2020! 4
Parent and child leaving the Center for the day
Shelter Maritza came to VOC’s shelter with two small children. She had some struggles to get there, but had so many aspirations for the future. With her strength and perseverance and a little bit of support from VOC, she was able to achieve stability even during this time of COVID. With the help of her Case Manager, Maritza obtained child care at VOC and has since moved into her own apartment where she has begun a new chapter for herself and her family. The Main Street Shelter is a 14-room congregate family shelter located in Holyoke. The Case Manager and Housing Specialist at the shelter offer intensive case management services around housing, employment, education and child nutrition. VOC provides stabilization services for up to one year after a family has been housed. This program has been funded through Way Finders by the Department of Housing and Community Development, and all participants must qualify for emergency assistance. “My experience in the VOC shelter was amazing,” said Maritza. “The staff was always available and attentive. With the help that they gave us, we also needed to put in our own effort. In time I was out of the shelter with a VOC voucher for a VOC apartment. I couldn’t have done it without the motivation and the extra time they gave me when I needed the help. Thank you once again!” In 2020, 60 individuals were served by VOC’s shelter and nine families were housed. VOC utilized $52K in SRI funds to remove the barrier of eviction histories for families, and leveraged over $60K in HomeBase funds.
Real People.
Real Help.
Real Impact.
Homeless 257 individuals without a place to live were provided shelter and stabilization services.
63 formerly homeless families were provided stable, supportive housing and support services.
Homeless Prevention 51 households avoided eviction and received intensive supports to maintain stable housing and self-sufficiency.
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Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Over the past year, WIC has adapted many of its vital services to meet individuals and families where they are, such as having appointments over Zoom instead of in the office, and understanding the community’s increased needs during this unprecedented year.
Real People.
Real Help.
Real Impact.
7,170 pregnant and new mothers were provided with
nutritional supports for themselves and their little ones through WIC.
WIC Diaper Bank The WIC Diaper Bank opened in February 2020 with a sponsorship from Tufts Health. Some 300 families have received diapers through this program. WIC Community Coordinator, Flor Diaz, shares, “Hearing from our WIC participants, the struggles to meet their needs, especially to purchase diapers, we wanted to help.”
Josue Aviles-Hernandez, a Family Support Coordinator for WIC, has witnessed many success stories from this year, such as a single mom of three children who is unemployed and struggling with her finances. The same day AvilesHernandez met with her, he referred her to the Pantry and assisted her with a SNAP application. She was able to get much needed food immediately from the Pantry and now receives regular SNAP benefits.
WIC Cooking Classes, the Reboot! Part of WIC’s programming is sharing healthy, simple recipes and menu items with families and the community. Though in-person cooking classes were not possible, WIC Assistant Director Andrea Desjardins had a plan. She began virtual cooking demos over Zoom, and also recorded short ‘bite-sized’ demos and posted them to Facebook, the VOC website and YouTube that people could watch whenever it was convenient for them.
All participants also received a free copy of “Good & Cheap. Eat Well on $4 a Day,” by Leanne Brown.
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Diaper Bank storage at WIC’s Holyoke location.
Adult Education Staff and Teacher Team
Adult Education FY2020 started off like any other, but sure did not end up that way. Students showed up ready to learn and to take charge of their lives, but the pandemic upended everyone’s lives including our adult learners. Students, staff and volunteers all put in extraordinary effort to keep everyone safe while still learning. Many students were working or caring for children and going on WhatsApp or Zoom to speak English with their teachers and classmates, to prepare to take the HiSET test, and to get ready for college. Teachers employed creative ways to reach students including phone, texts, emails, online in Google Classroom or Canvas or Zoom, taking photos of assignments and texting them, mailing books to students’ homes and more. Volunteers worked over the phone with students, reading to them and listening to them read. Staff worked on non-academic help for students as well. Advisors tracked all the possible sources of help for students, from food and diapers and masks to unemployment, healthcare, shelter, and rent assistance, and were always there to listen and offer encouragement and reassurance. One student made hundreds of masks and Adult Ed staff shared them within the VOC community.
losing loved ones to the illness. And they persevered, despite enormous challenges. As Laura Dintino, a teacher of English for Speakers of Other Languages, writes, “The resilience of my students has been amazing this past year. They attend classes in spite of challenges at home. A Level 1 student works the night shift, but gets up early to attend class after only a few hours of sleep. She knows she needs better English to get a better job. Another attends class while her kids are in their online classes at home. She is a single mom and has to assist them while working hard to keep up in her English class. In Level 2-3, a student from the Ukraine signed onto class from the hospital where she was being treated for COVID-19. Another attended class while caring for his new infant son. His wife had to return to work at the hospital and he is the caregiver, but he has dreams of going on to a career in health care. Similarly, a student who is the full-time caregiver for her mom with Alzheimer’s disease attended class while helping her mom. They all work around their home situations and find ways to attend class and move toward achieving their dreams.”
As the year wore on, many students and staff were personally affected by COVID, becoming ill themselves or
Real People.
Real Help.
Real Impact.
155 individuals worked toward a brighter future through VOC’s Adult Education and Citizenship programs.
137 individuals developed stronger English skills in our English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes that opened up additional educational and job opportunities. 7
Beginning Here Written by Samaa Mohammed, an Adult Education student
I was born in Baghdad, Iraq, to an Iraqi father and a Lebanese mother. I am 31 years old and have 3 daughters—Malak is 12 years old, Mariam is 10, and Myriam is 2. I grew up in a family of 9, who were very loving for each other. I don’t have many happy memories of childhood because of the wars that took place in my country of Iraq at the time, the dangerous circumstances my country was going through. But in spite of that, my brothers and sisters always tried to make beautiful memories that we could keep and retrieve whenever this life brought us together as a family in the future. I was an excellent student, and I had good relationships with my teachers and with other students in my school because of my social and ambitious personality. Then my husband, who is Kurdish, was lost to the war. So I took care of my children and worked at two low-paying jobs. I helped care for my elderly parents, especially my mom who had cancer, and my younger brothers and sister. In my country, the absence of the simplest elements of living and comfort, such as freedom of expression and a sense of security, makes it very hard to try to improve yourself, or even feel you could have goals. But this did not stop me from dreaming. I strived to build a better future for me and for my children. In 2017, I moved to the USA. I still remember the moment when the plane landed at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. My fascination with this big city at that moment was the beginning of a new life for me. I didn’t know what was waiting for me outside this big airport. I didn’t know much about this place. But in my heart I felt it—my life, that as long as I dreamed, it would begin from here. Here I could fulfill my dreams that I always dreamed of before. Two years ago, I started studying at Valley Opportunity Council to try to improve my English. My class has been like a family for me here. Now I want to find a good job to help myself care for my baby. I plan to volunteer in childcare at VOC, and train, and hopefully get a position working with kids. I got my permit and am preparing to get my driver’s license. 8
I applied for citizenship and want to get a college degree. Someday, I would like to learn to write, to try to use writing to help others and share encouragement. During my four years in America, I have faced many struggles. It took over a year to get my Green card, which made everything hard, like opening a bank account or finding a place to live. I made it through a difficult period recovering from a frightening case of COVID, which caused a heart condition that I suffered from for many months, when I couldn’t do anything. And always I felt the absence of my family, missing my family that still lives in Iraq. But I feel lucky to be in a country with sovereignty, laws, and freedoms. I have great hope that the future will be more beautiful, and I can work to achieve all of my wishes for my family and me.
YouthWorks Program From first jobs to leadership development, from skills training to career exploration, YouthWorks provides Massachusetts teens and young adults with a chance to work, learn and thrive. For the past two decades, income-eligible teens and young adults ages 14-21 from 31 cities across Massachusetts have taken part in one of the few statefunded youth employment programs in the country. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, YouthWorksStrong was developed, a program that focuses on building essential skills, increasing career awareness and fostering positive connections to professionals and peers. Khamaze Ferguson-Gaynor, 17, from Springfield participated in one of several virtual programs offered through YouthWorks. In this virtual environment, she displayed immediate leadership and initiative skills and was chosen to lead a group of five teens in researching and creating a final product, a PowerPoint presentation highlighting various resources for both physical and mental health. At the end of the course, Khamaze and her team presented the project to Commonwealth Corporation staff in a statewide Showcase Celebration. Khamaze finds joy in taking care of children and babysitting. Dance has been her passion since she was little, and she’s been taking dancing classes for 16 years. With the help of the YouthWorks program, she aims to become a strong, independent woman that knows how to do things on her own.
Real People.
Real Help.
Real Impact.
Youth Services 95 youth were provided with job community.
training, coaching, and employment within the
40 youth had new opportunities and experiences through VOC’s
neighborhood-specific summer camp and after-school program.
College Access and Career Pathways 2,655 individuals worked toward greater self-sufficiency for themselves and their families by receiving assistance preparing for college, career training, and coaching.
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Energy Assistance The Energy Assistance Program has worked diligently throughout this time to ensure that every household could still get their needs met in a timely and efficient manner. With the elimination of in-person contact, a new, simplified process was implemented, including the installation of drop boxes for documents at both the Chicopee and Holyoke locations, and all intakes were done by phone. Milagros (Millie) Claudio and Myrna Martinez, staff members on the Fuel Assistance team, asked participants for feedback on the Fuel Assistance Program. Below is one perspective.
Miagros (Millie) Claudio
Myrna Martinez
Mr. Xenophon Beake: “I have been with the program for four years and it has been great. The service has been ideal, [my] caseworker is very informative, friendly and cordial. I have had absolutely no difficulties from day one. Even though it was difficult to realize I needed the assistance because of my financial situation after the passing of my beautiful wife Fran, I was treated with respect and dignity.”
Real Help.
Real People.
Real Impact.
Kept 11,597 households warm through VOC’s Fuel Assistance Program. Assisted 62 households with additional emergency funding to keep homes warm and utilities on. Helped 795
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households with low or no-cost heating system repairs and replacements.
Homeless Prevention VOC has started a Homeless Prevention Program funded through several different grants and local partnerships, including the cities of Chicopee, Holyoke and Westfield. This program provides intensive case management, referrals and financial assistance for rent or mortgage for those who qualify and have been impacted by COVID-19. With minimal outreach, there has been an overwhelming response to this program - the need in the community is clear. Since the beginning of the Homeless Prevention Program in August, VOC has assisted 21 families with rent or mortgage so they will remain housed; connected and provided information on services to 167 individuals; and referred 27 families to Fuel Assistance, three to WIC and eight to the food and diaper delivery program. Jessica King, Director of Homeless and Supportive Services, shares, “Together with friends from the cities of Chicopee, Holyoke, and Westfield, in addition to the United Way and the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, we have seen what we can do as a community to help support each other during challenging times.” Virginia works for the School Department. She is 70 years old with several underlying health conditions. Although she has typically only worked 15 hours a week, she has always been able to pay her rent and bills. Due to the pandemic, her place of employment closed. She began to fall behind on her bills but was hesitant to reach out for help. Her landlord heard about the program and reached out on her behalf. After speaking with Virginia it became very clear that she was a hard working woman who, like many, was hit hard financially by the pandemic. VOC was able to assist her with her past-due rent and also utilize other programs within the agency. She is a current fuel client and between the two programs she is able to maintain her independence, and pay her bills without having to make a choice between her medications and her rent and utility bills. She looks forward to sharing her experience with her friends.
“This program is a blessing and I am glad that VOC is doing such good things helping out people from the community and helping so quickly really made the whole thing feel less stressful,” Virginia said.
Employee Training VOC invests in training as an investment in staff, programs and the community as a whole. This year we began a training series for all staff titled ‘Feel Good 5.’ This training series focuses on a different topic each month. All staff receive a weekly email with a short video (5 minutes or less) and some discussion questions. Each staff member watches the video, then processes that video later with their supervisor or team. This allows for ongoing training and development that is attainable for everyone during this very unique time. Topics have included Self-Care, Teambuilding, Self Awareness, Customer Service, Giving and Receiving Feedback, and Managing Challenging Situations. Other employee training opportunities include the Healing Racism Institute, two full days of intensive training that aligns with the work of VOC; Microsoft Outlook and Excel training which takes place over two sessions and includes assigning a mentor to each participant for additional one-on-one support; and Early Education and Care Department (EEC) Life is Good Playmaker training for all EEC staff, including teachers and home educators in this therapeutic play model.
Real People. Over
Real Help.
Real Impact.
230 VOC staff members spent over 3,400 hours in training.
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Giving Tuesday This year VOC utilized its social media platform to participate in #GivingTuesday, a national movement that raises awareness, funds, or volunteers for nonprofit organizations. Throughout the month of December, VOC used its Facebook page to post short videos of staff and participants - using the theme Real People. Real Help. Real Impact. - to raise awareness of its programs and show appreciation for those who work and/or have been touched by VOC. Staff and participants were asked to tell a story about VOC by addressing a couple of questions: “What is it that sets VOC apart?” “What makes you the most proud of your work at VOC?” or “Describe what VOC does for the community.” The campaign was a success, resulting in the posts reaching 9,450 individuals, 46 new page likes (a 70% increase in new likes from previous month); and 578 page views (up 16% from previous month) Lora Reyes, Family Day Care Provider, shared her story as part of the initiative: Valley Opportunity Council has been a part of my life for over 20 years. I had my first child at 16 years old and they helped me find childcare so that I could continue my high school education. The social workers at VOC supported me emotionally through some very difficult times and encouraged me to pursue a career as a Nursing Assistant. Without childcare and assistance from VOC, I would not have been able to accomplish this. I worked as a Certified Home Health Aide for seven years after I graduated High School until the birth of my second child. When my daughter turned two, I decided to become a licensed Family Child Care Educator and joined the VOC family once again. It has been 16 years now and VOC has continued to support and encourage me, whether it be guiding me towards higher education and career goals or just an ear to listen to when times get tough.
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Our 2020 Financials ASSETS Current Assets Cash Accounts Receivable: Grants and contracts Other Related party Prepaid expenses Other current assets Total Current Assets
243,959 119,282 $5,178,160
Property and Equipment - net
10,631,318
$3,000,337 1,646,651 167,931
Other Assets Related party receivables, non-current Investments Other Assets Total Other Assets TOTAL ASSETS
687,674 70,242 2,000 759,916 $16,569,394
LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS Current Liabilities Accounts payable Accrued expenses Long-term debt - due within one year Refundable advances Total Current Liabilities Long-Term Debt Total Liabilities
5,676,904 8,182,135
Net Assets - without donor restrictions TOTAL LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS
Source of Funds 2020 Transportation Income 3.12%
Rental Income 4.57%
Other 2.16%
$870,377 688,506 290,376 655,972 $2,505,231
8,387,259 $16,569,394
Use of Funds 2020 Other Programs 3%
Management & General 3%
Property Management 7%
In-Kind Contributions & Interest 0.39%
Educational Opportunities 5% Fuel Assistance & Weatherization 35% WIC 12%
Grants & Contracts 89.77%
Child Care Services 35%
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VOC Program Directory Adult Basic Education 35 Mt. Carmel Avenue, 3rd Floor Chicopee, MA 01013 (413) 612-0206 Before/After-School & Summer Programs Mt. Carmel Center 35 Mt. Carmel Avenue, 1st Floor Chicopee, MA 01013 Montgomery Street Center 374 Montgomery Street Chicopee, MA 01020 (413) 552-1559 Cabot Manor After-School Program 106 Stonina Drive Chicopee, MA 01013 (413) 612-0120 Cabot Manor Summer Camp 106 Stonina Drive Chicopee, MA 01013 (413) 612-0120 Cabot Manor Year-Round Youth Work Experience Program 106 Stonina Drive Chicopee, MA 01013 (413) 612-0120 Center-Based Child Care Beaudoin Village Early Education & Child Care Center 16 Barret Avenue, Holyoke, MA 01040 (413) 420-0107 Cabot Manor Early Education & Child Care Center 106 Stonina Drive, Chicopee, MA 01013 (413) 594-3230 Churchill Homes Early Education & Child Care Center 334 Elm Street, Holyoke, MA 01040 (413) 534-2480 Montgomery Street Early Education & Child Care Center 374 Montgomery Street, Chicopee, MA 01020 Mt. Carmel Early Education & Child Care Center 35 Mt. Carmel Avenue, Chicopee, MA 01013 (413) 533-6407 Chicopee Farmers Market Chicopee Street, Willimansett (413) 552-1545 Citizenship 35 Mt. Carmel Avenue, 3rd Floor Chicopee, MA 01013 (413) 612-0206 VOC at Sullivan School 400 Jarvis Avenue, Holyoke, MA 01040 (413) 256-8869
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VOC at Morgan School 596 South Bridge Street, Holyoke, MA 01040 (413) 537-0529 VOC at Lawrence School 156 Cabot Street, Holyoke, MA 01040 (413) 348-2987 Comprehensive Integrated Employment Services (CIES) 300 High Street, 3rd Floor Holyoke, MA 01040 (413) 612-0206 ext 217 Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) 300 High Street, 3rd Floor Holyoke, MA 01040 (413) 437-2040 English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) 35 Mt. Carmel Avenue, 3rd Floor Chicopee, MA 0101 (413) 612-0206 ESOL and Family Literacy William G. Morgan Elementary School 596 S. Bridge Street, Holyoke, MA 01040 (413) 552-1559 Family-Based Child Care 35 Mt. Carmel Avenue, 3rd Floor Chicopee, MA 01013 (413) 552-1559 Fuel Assistance (LIHEAP) (Main Office) 300 High Street, 2nd Floor Holyoke, MA 01040 (413) 552-1548 35 Mt. Carmel Avenue, 2nd Floor Chicopee, MA 01013 100 Elm Street, Westfield, MA 01085 (WG&E office) GEAR UP 300 High Street, 3rd Floor Holyoke, MA 01040 (413) 437-2040 Heating Emergency Assistance Retrofit Task Weatherization Assistance Program (HEARTWAP) 300 High Street, 2nd Floor Holyoke, MA 01040 (413) 552-1548 Homeless Prevention 300 High Street Holyoke, MA 01040 (413) 534-2466 Housing Management 516 Chicopee Street Chicopee, MA 01013 (413) 594-3267
Main Street Shelter 300 High Street Holyoke, MA 01040 (413) 534-2466 Scattered-Site Permanent Supportive Housing 300 High Street Holyoke, MA 01040 (413) 534-2466 Senior Companion Program, AmeriCorps Seniors 516 Chicopee Street Chicopee, MA 01013 (413) 612-0229 Summer Lunch Program 35 Mt. Carmel Avenue, 2nd Floor Chicopee, MA 01013 (413) 552-1554 Good Food for Great Families 35 Mt. Carmel Avenue, 2nd Floor Chicopee, MA 01013 (413) 552-1554 Summer Lunch Program 35 Mt. Carmel Avenue, 2nd Floor Chicopee, MA 01013 (413) 552-1554 United Way Basic Needs and FEMA Grants 300 High Street, 2nd Floor Holyoke, MA 01040 (413) 552-1548 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) 35 Mt. Carmel Avenue Chicopee, MA 01013 (413) 552-1554 WIOA Out-of-School Youth 35 Mt. Carmel Avenue, 3rd Floor Chicopee, MA 01013 (413) 612-0206 Women, Infants and Children (WIC) (Main Office) 300 High Street, 1st Floor Holyoke, MA 01040 (413) 534-2460 35 Mt. Carmel Avenue, 2nd Floor Chicopee, MA 01013 (413) 612-0214 14 Chestnut Place, Ludlow, MA 01056 (413) 589-1551 70 Court Street, Suite 10A Westfield, MA 01085 (413) 568-1007 YouthWorks 35 Mt. Carmel Avenue, 3rd Floor Chicopee, MA 01013 (413) 612-0206
Staying Connected During the pandemic, a longtime WIC participant shared a photo of her triplets with WIC Program Director Gail Domeracki.
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Valley Opportunity Council 35 Mt. Carmel Avenue • Chicopee, MA 01013