Ocean State Job Lot, a discount closeout retailer headquartered in Rhode Island with stores in New England, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania was named a winner at the 2024 Inspiring Workplaces Awards in Chicago.
The Inspiring Workplaces Awards honor organizations that prioritize their employees and foster a supportive and dynamic work environment. The awards evaluate companies based on six categories: culture and purpose, leadership, wellbeing, inclusion, employee voice and employee experience.
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The town of Belchertown announces the launch of its new website at www.belchertown.org.
The new website features an intuitive interface and streamlined navigation. Additionally, the back-end system has been improved to facilitate easier updates by town employees, ensuring that information remains current and accurate. It also features a mobile-friendly design.
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Monson Savings Bank has donated $2,500 to the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Presbyterian Church Fire Fund.
In late December 2020, the Springfield church was set on fire by an arsonist. The fire caused an estimated $2.5 million in damages to the church, which was established in 1897. The church’s members have been forced to worship elsewhere.
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The Chamber of Greater Easthampton announces a contribution of $20,000 from Five Star Building Corp. towards its co-workspace project, WorkHub on Union.
The WorkHub on Union, at 33 Union St. in Easthampton, will provide access to mentorship programs, networking events, educational programming and other support services designed to accelerate the growth of startups and small business.
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Tech Foundry announces the graduation of its spring 2024 cohort. The organization celebrated the achievements of graduates who completed an 18-week IT support training program, mastering technology skills through classroom activities, internships, and earning Google IT Support Certificates. The event was held at the Community Music School of Springfield. Dianne Fuller-Doherty, Tech Foundry board member and founding donor, commended the graduates and highlighted their preparedness for IT careers.
During the celebration, keynote speaker, William Medina, Tech Foundry’s Tech Hub director, said, “Equitable access to knowledge and training is essential not only for personal success but also for building our community and strengthening our economy. Let us ‘receive freely and give freely,’ enhancing our Tech Foundry community.”
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The Asian Community Fund at the Boston Foundation announced the recipients of its 2024 grantmaking cycle, awarding $450,000 to 52 nonprofits serving Asian American Pacific Islander communities across Massachusetts. This year’s grants bring the fund’s cumulative grantmaking to more than $1 million, which has been dispersed to 81 nonprofits since 2022.
The Chinese Association of Western Massachusetts received a $15,000 cultural heritage grant.
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Freedom Credit Union is offering the opportunity for western Massachusetts residents to securely purge unwanted paperwork. In cooperation with Proshred Springfield, Freedom is offering its free Community Shred Days at four of its branches this fall.
— Saturday, Sept. 7, 9 to 10:30 a.m. at 1976 Memorial Drive in Chicopee; 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 645 Center Street in Ludlow.
— Saturday, Sept. 14, 9 to 10:30 a.m., Tri-County Fair Office, 54 Fair Street in Northampton; 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 74 Main Street in Greenfield.
The public is invited to bring old bills, bank statements, tax returns and other sensitive documents for free, quick and secure on-site shredding.
Members and nonmembers alike may bring up to five file boxes or paper bags (per vehicle). There is no charge for this service.
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Citizens and NECN are accepting applications for Citizens’ 2025 Champions in Action grant program focused on mental health and well-being. Nonprofits who are delivering and advocating for mental health and well-being services and resources needed to help people achieve their potential are encouraged to apply for the opportunity to receive $50,000 in unrestricted funding from Citizens, media coverage from NECN and volunteer support from Citizens colleagues.
Applications can be completed online at www.citizensbank.com/champions and must be submitted by Sept. 13.
To be eligible for consideration, an organization must:
— Be a Massachusetts-based nonprofit organization that provides direct access to mental health services and resources; delivers education and advocacy around mental health and well-being; is actively working to remove barriers to adequate care for the populations they serve; and/or is working to address root causes of mental illness via programming.
— Have a total operating budget between $250,000 and $5 million.
— Be able to provide one to two volunteer projects, including at least one skills-based volunteer project, for Citizens colleagues to engage in.
