News

Kicking off the fall with some BIG news and a fond farewell. WCAC stands ready to keep people warm with opening of Fuel Assistance program and Annual Coat Drive for Kids. Click here to read more.

Worcester Community Action Council, Inc. today welcomed Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, Congressman James P. McGovern and other state and local officials for the announcement of public resources totaling $1.1 million dollars to support its renovation of the former Webster senior center located at 116 School Street in order to relocate four of the agency’s Head Start classrooms to Webster. Read full story here.

Worcester Community Action Council, Inc. recently welcomed two new staff members to its Job & Education Center team – Case Manager Jacqueline Cox and Job Developer Kwesi Foster. The two will focus on creating employment opportunities for local individuals. Read more here.

While the summer months are most commonly associated with vacations and time off, the work of Community Action Agencies never truly stops. Whether coordinating the YouthWorks Summer Jobs Program, implementing culinary training through Working Cities or a host of other programs and activities, we are most appreciative of the many various partners who support our efforts to help individuals and families reach economic self-sufficiency. Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much. Read more here.

WCAC hosted its 11th Annual Action Hero Celebration on Wednesday, May 24, 2017 at Mechanics Hall, 321 Main Street, Worcester. Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito was a special guest, along with keynote speaker Noah Berger, President of the Mass Budget & Policy Center. This year’s honorees included UMass Memorial Health Care, Charlton Oil, Biodun Akande and the agency’s own Head Start program. Read additional details about the event and the 2017 honorees here.

WCAC’s Head Start will host a free performance of The Fairy Circus by the Tanglewood Marionettes on Tuesday, May 23rd at 5 p.m. at 25 Cole Avenue, Southbridge. This is the third of three performances funded by a grant from the Southbridge Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, as part of WCAC Head Start’s 25th anniversary. Learn more here.

Worcester Community Action Council, Inc. will host its 11th Annual Action Hero Awards on Wednesday, May 24, 2017 from 7:30- 9 a.m. at Mechanics Hall in Worcester. We are pleased to welcome Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito and Mass Budget & Policy Office President Noah Berger as our special guests. Read more about this year’s honorees here.

Worcester Community Action Council, Inc. was among eight partnerships funded through the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund and the Health Care Workforce Transformation Fund as announced recently by the Baker-Polito Administration. WCAC was awarded $25,000 to design training programs to prepare individuals for positions as Certified Nursing Assistants.

For this initiative WCAC has partnered with the Central MA Workforce Investment Board, WorkForce Central, Ascentria Care Alliance, Quinsigamond Community College (QCC), Worcester Community Connections Coalition/YOU, Inc., Christopher House, Veteran’s Inc., Salmon Health Care, the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance. Over a three-month period, the partnership will develop occupationally-specific training and placement programs designed to support individuals with limited attachment to the labor force in making a successful transition to employment in occupations in demand by local employers. These grants will be followed by Program Implementation grants of up to two years.

Read full story here.

The deadline to apply for Fuel Assistance has been extended until May 12th. The program can provide benefits to households for heating expenses incurred between November 1st and April 30th. Click here for further details.