News

The city of Worcester was recently named one of just five cities to be awarded a $475,000 grant from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and its  partners as part of the second round of the Working Cities Challenge in Massachusetts. Winning cities will receive three-year grants of $475,000 to carry out the initiatives they have developed through design grants awarded last fall.

Through this grant, Working Cities Worcester (WCW) will convene and inspire workers, employers, government, universities, nonprofits, and communities to create equitable short- and long-term employment opportunities in the local food service economy to uplift individuals and communities from poverty, with livable wages. The initiative will provide workforce training and career paths for disadvantaged workers in cooperation with local employers, increase career opportunities and operational support for ethnic food vendors and retailers in disadvantaged neighborhoods, and create a learning community to ensure workforce development is a strategic priority in the local food service economy as well as a key item on the economic policy agenda for the City of Worcester.

“Food service is a critical and growing segment of our economy, and this funding will allow us to support it with skilled labor, while providing good job opportunities for our residents,” said City Manager Edward M. Augustus, Jr.

The WCW core team includes: Worcester Community Action Council, Inc., Clark University, Regional Environmental Council, Sodexo, Chartwells, City of Worcester, Central Massachusetts Workforce Investment Board, and the Latino Education Institute of Worcester State University.

We are Community Action – join us as we celebrate diversity as well as the heroes among us! Don’t miss out on upcoming deadlines to file applications for fuel assistance as well as summer job applications. Read more here.

A special thank you to Bank of America who is supporting WCAC’s YES (Youth Employment Seminar) program with a $6,000 grant. Pictured here are WCAC’s Executive Director Jill Dagilis, Job & Education Center Director Charla Hixson and Bank of America’s MJ Driscoll. YES offers small cohorts of disconnected youth soft skills, work and financial readiness training as well as case management and any required wrap around services required to get them job ready.

Southbridge Savings Bank’s Charitable Donations Committee recently announced the donation of $36,000 to Worcester Community Action Council to assist local residents with home heating costs. The bank is committing to a total of $4,000 to each community it serves. Read more here.

Learn about the volunteers at the heart of the Worcester Free Tax Service Coalition, resources recently directed WCAC’s way to support various programs, as well as continued outreach for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Read more here.

As winters go, the winter of 2015-16 has, thus far, been a welcomed departure from the record setting snow fall and frigid temperatures endured last year. Despite the milder weather and decreases in the cost of home heating oil, Worcester Community Action Council knows there are families struggling and wants to ensure they know – help is available. Read more here.

WCAC is pleased to join Massachusetts Education & Career Opportunities, Inc., (MassEdCO) in welcoming Massachusetts State Treasurer Deb Goldberg for a FREE Financial Literacy Summit: Financing a Postsecondary Education on Friday, March 11, 2016 at the Beechwood Hotel in Worcester. Additional details and registration information available online. Download a flyer about the summit below.

2016-03-11 MassEdCO Financial Literacy Summit Invitation

Fallon Community Health Plan recently awarded WCAC’s Healthy Families of Southern Worcester County program $1,000 through its Pay It Forward program, where Fallon employees select an area charity to support. The resources will be used to support Healthy Families outreach,  home visits, education and community referrals for first-time parents. Pictured at the check presentation are Cheryl Schmaltz, Sharon Nolli, Christine Taylor and Christine Cassidy all of Fallon, along with Mimi Shea, Jilma Valdes and Charlotte Operach of Healthy Families.