Greenfield domestic violence vigil offers ‘survivor-centered space’

Greenfield domestic violence vigil offers ‘survivor-centered space’

A woman photographs messages written on a T shirt at the Clothesline Project on the Greenfield Common Thursday evening. 

By BELLA LEVAVI

Staff Writer

GREENFIELD — In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, two Greenfield-based groups held a candlelight vigil on the common on Thursday to honor survivors, grieve the lives of those lost and connect survivors with social services.

“This is a survivor-centered space,” Katri Schroeder, community organizer with the New England Learning Center for Women in Transition (NELCWIT), said during opening remarks. “There is nothing in the world like feeling the power of being in a community space where we get to say our truths without shame and without stigma.”

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimates that 47,000 women and girls worldwide were murdered by intimate partners or other family members in 2020. Schroeder noted the U.S. has seen an 8% increase in these numbers over the last decade.

In addition to the candlelight vigil, the event — organized by NELCWIT and the Salasin Project — included a T-shirt display as part of The Clothesline Project. Attendees used markers to decorate T-shirts that were then hung around the Greenfield Common, using an art form to share people’s experiences with gender-based violence…

‘Community Baby Shower’ in Greenfield to share baby items, resources for families

Mollie Hartford, development and outreach director with It Takes a Village, sets up a display at the Community Berkshire Baby Box Shower in 2019. Contributed Photo[/caption]

By MARY BYRNE
Staff Writer

GREENFIELD — A group of local and regional agencies is returning to Court Square on Saturday for a “Community Baby Shower” to raise awareness of the resources available to families with children.

“What’s really great about this type of event is that a family or young parent could come and meet a whole lot of different resources at once,” said Mollie Hartford, development director at the Huntington-based nonprofit It Takes a Village, one of the participating organizations. “It can be really tricky for a parent to navigate finding out about resources on their own.”

The baby shower, hosted by the Franklin County Perinatal Support Coalition, will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Court Square. A series of organizations will provide information, raffle prizes, and other free gifts for parents and parents-to-be. There will also be baby clothes and other baby items available for free.

The organizations include: The Birthplace at Baystate Franklin Medical Center, Center for Human Development, Children’s Advocacy Center of Franklin County and North Quabbin, Community Action Family Center, Community Action Head Start and Early Learning Programs, Criterion Child Enrichment, Healthy Families, Moms Do Care EMPOWER, the Salasin Project, ServiceNet, Collaborative for Educational Services, Greenfield Health Department, and Women, Infants and Children.

“This event is going to have so many resource agencies from around Franklin County,” Hartford said… [READ MORE]

Art, Connectivity, and Community Bring ‘aWAREness’ to Recovery

Terri Thompson of The Consortium and Abaigeal Duda, Peer Recovery Project Coordinator for the Ware Regional Recovery Center (Recovery Center of H.O.P.E.).[/caption]

By Marcella Comerford, Reporter
[email protected] 

September 8, 2022

WARE, MA – A show solely catering to the artworks of those in recovery does not show up often, yet the community impact of such a show can be enormous, bringing out the faces of addiction in ways unusual and profoundly human, opening channels of communication and understanding through art. Workshop13 and ArtWorks Gallery partnered with the new, soon to be opened, Ware Regional Recovery Center to present “Bringing aWAREness to Recovery Art Exhibition,” featuring artists in recovery from drugs and alcohol.

The opening was held on National Overdose Awareness Day, August 31, 2022, coinciding with the start of National Recovery Month in September. [CONTINUE READING] (more…)

Greenfield resident explores topics ranging from racism to mental health in poetry reading

Greenfield resident explores topics ranging from racism to mental health in poetry reading

By BELLA LEVAVI
Staff Writer
Published: 7/24/2022 3:03:34 PM
Modified: 7/24/2022 3:00:32 PM

GREENFIELD — Kimberly “Kemah” Wilson started her poetry reading by keeping the mood light with a song about meatballs.

From this song, the Greenfield resident transported listeners across a variety of topics including LGBTQ pride, racism and America’s future.

Wilson presented her reading at The LAVA Center on Saturday afternoon. Most people in the crowd knew Wilson personally and said they were touched by her work.

“The pieces had such a span of thought and insight,” commented Wilson’s friend, Mindy Bragon.

[CONTINUE READING]

Baystate Wing Hospital Awards $30,000 In Grants

Baystate Wing Hospital Awards $30,000 In Grants

By 
June 17, 2022

PALMER  Baystate Wing Hospital has announced an investment of $30,000 in grants to benefit local community-based nonprofit organizations. The grant awards were given to the Quaboag Valley Community Development Corporation, the Quaboag Connector to support local transportation in the region, the Ware Fire Department to support Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and paramedic training, and to the Ware Regional Recovery Center to increased access to support and expand knowledge about recovery support services and resources in the region.

“Everyone is strengthened when we work together to build and sustain a culture of health and wellness within our communities,” said Molly Gray, president and chief administrative officer for Baystate Health’s Eastern Region, which includes Baystate Wing Hospital and Baystate Mary Lane Outpatient Center. “We are very happy to support the work with our community partners with these grant investments.”

[…]

Growing Strong: Ware Regional Recovery Center’s Next Chapter

The $3500 grant to the Ware Regional Recovery Center, a program of the Western Massachusetts Training Consortium, will support their work in the Quaboag Hills Region to respond with increased momentum in raising community awareness about local access to recovery support and resources, to decrease stigma and to encourage people to seek out recovery support services in a time of critical need.

[CONTINUE READING]

Agency Receives Funding to Support Survivors of Violence

Montague Reporter
By Christina Trinchero
June 2, 2022

FRANKLIN COUNTY – The Salasin Project, a program of the Western Massachusetts Training Consortium, recently received a $127,000 grant from the Massachusetts COVID-19 Survivor Trust Fund to expand its work with Franklin and Hampshire County residents who have experienced the multiple and complex issues related to domestic violence.

Through partnerships with area social service agencies, the grant funding will be used to implement a support group in Spanish and to hire an advocate to increase access to housing and economic empowerment for individuals experiencing domestic violence.

[…]

The Salasin Project will collaborate with Alianza DV Services, a domestic violence program in Holyoke, to support Hampden County participants interested in moving to Hampshire or Franklin counties.

“Searching for housing can be overwhelming,” says Alianza executive director Carmen Nieves, “especially when someone has experienced violence.” The programs will join forces to help survivors relocate.

“With this funding, we will be able to hire a full-time housing advocate who can work with participants to find safe housing and move,” Lockwood says, noting the lack of affordable housing can be a “significant barrier” to someone leaving an abusive relationship. […]

[CONTINUE READING]