The Employee Engagement Committee at MassMutual Center came together to support local educators through a cash donation drive aimed at benefiting Springfield’s Gerena Community School. Committee Chairs Rina O’Donnell and Kathryn Campbell presented a check for $415 to the school, which will be used to fund upcoming projects for students and faculty.
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Nearly 100 student support staff at Springfield International Charter School recently participated in Youth Mental Health First Aid training facilitated by Western New England University. This program equips adults with the tools to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among children and adolescents.
The initiative is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act and represents WNE’s multi-year commitment to deliver such training across Springfield schools through 2026. More than 500 faculty, staff and students have been trained at WNE.
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MGM Springfield has donated a $30,000 Workforce Development Grant to Roca Inc. in Springfield.
The $30,000 grant will support Roca’s Transitional Employment Program, which offers high-risk youth real-world job experience while developing the skills and structure needed to succeed in today’s workforce. This funding will also help provide workforce preparation, job-readiness training and essential supplies for young people across Springfield, Chicopee and Holyoke.
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The MassMutual Foundation has awarded $275,000 to eligible nonprofit organizations through its annual Community Service Award program. These charitable contributions – which include two $25,000 awards, 15$10,000 awards and 15 $5,000 awards – are given in honor of financial professionals who demonstrate outstanding commitment to nonprofit organizations in their local communities.
This year’s two $25,000 CSA donations are being awarded to Girls on the Run Western Massachusetts in honor of Jessica Holloway with The Jamrog Group and the Rylee Grace Foundation in honor of Mike Clark with MassMutual Northern California.
At Girls on the Run Western Massachusetts, trained volunteer coaches lead programs that combine physical activity with life skill development.
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Food and beverage establishments and organizations across New England are invited to participate in the upcoming 2025 Local Food Count, a regional effort to measure how much local food they buy and sell within the six-state region.
The Local Food Count is part of the New England Feeding New England initiative, which aims to strengthen the region’s food system and increase local food sourcing.
Participation is open to food and beverage establishments or organizations in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont.
Food related establishments are encouraged to take the pledge now to confirm their commitment to the Local Food Count. Pledge materials, prep worksheets, and past results are available online to help participants get ready for data collection. Data collection will begin in January 2026, with results shared later in the year.
To take the pledge and access materials, visit https://bit.ly/2025LocalFoodCount.
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The Applied Mortgage Team, a branch of HMA Mortgage, is looking forward to hosting Inventory Starts Here: Renovation and ADU Strategies, a special lunch and learn event. This initiative is designed to provide realtors, contractors, and housing professionals with actionable knowledge to better leverage renovation mortgage programs in today’s competitive market on Thursday, Oct. 23, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at The Jupiter Club, 116 Pleasant St., Ste 121, Easthampton.
The presentation, facilitated by Jeff Onofrio, SVP of Renovation at HMA Mortgage, will provide a clear overview of renovation lending options including FHA 203K, conventional homestyle renovation, and VA renovation programs. Attendees will gain insight into eligibility, benefits, and project scope. The program will also explore marketing strategies for fixer-uppers, and investment concepts such as house hacking and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to increase property value and appeal.
Space is limited. Interested realtors, contractors and community members are encouraged to RSVP promptly to secure their place at this event at https://tinyurl.com/Inventory-Starts-Here-Event.
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Recently retired Apple executive and engineer Daniel J. Riccio Jr. ’86 ’24MS will share his extraordinary journey from UMass Amherst to the pinnacle of innovation at Apple as the 2025 Shirley and Ting-Wei Tang Endowment Lecture Thursday, Oct. 30 at 4:30 p.m. in the UMass Amherst Student Union Ballroom at 41 Campus Center Way.
Riccio shaped the last 25+ years of Apple products and will provide exclusive insights into his days at the pioneering tech company, where he played a pivotal role in building the team, culture and processes that delivered category-defining innovative Apple products such as the iMac, iPhone and iPad. He will also discuss his vision for the Riccio College of Engineering at UMass Amherst and the motivation behind his transformative $50 million gift.
A reception will be held from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m., followed by the lecture at 4:30, which will include both a traditional presentation and a Q&A fireside chat. The event is free and open to the public.
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