Speakers
Speaker | Date | Topic |
---|---|---|
Bob Fastie | Apr 03, 2024 12:15 PM |
Agawam/West Springfield Parish Cupboard
Bob Fastie, Executive Director of The Parish Cupboard, will join us to talk about their mission and impact on our community. The Parish Cupboard is a registered non-profit organization supporting families and individuals in West Springfield / Agawam / Feeding Hills. The Parish Cupboard helps those in need with our food pantry and lunch program. The pantry is open to residents to receive groceries once a month. Pantry items include bread, produce, canned and boxed items, and personal care products. They also have books available in our lending library. The dining room is open to anyone in need of a nutritious meal, five days a week, at no charge. |
Mike Tourville | May 01, 2024 12:15 PM |
Healing Voices Project
The mission of the Healing Voices Project is to combat addiction by sharing the stories of those with lived experiences of substance abuse, advancing awareness, and supporting community programs. Through multimedia platforms, the provide education on prevention, intervention, and treatment. Michael K. Tourville, lives in western Massachusetts with his wife Chiara, and is an award-winning author of Voices from the Fallen, and A Promise to Astrid, and also podcast host of Healing Voices Project. A Promise to Astrid was an award-winning true story turned into a movie in 2019 starring Dean Cain. For more information visit his website, http://www. |
Gina Kos | Jun 05, 2024 12:15 PM |
Sunshine Village
Gina Kos is the Executive Director of Sunshine Village. As part of their planning efforts, Sunshine Village made the difficult decision to suspend accepting any new referrals or welcoming back any more returning clients in May of 2023. Since that time, they undertook several initiatives – including investing over $2 million into SSV’s organizational structure and workforce. Calculated planning, hard work and bold decisions have allowed us to better manage the impact of the Workforce Crisis. On March 1, 2024, Sunshine Village reopened its doors – once again – for new and returning clients. The bold investments they made in 2023 have resulted in the organization hiring more competent and caring employees – and although the workforce shortage continues to negatively affect businesses in Massachusetts and the country – Sunshine Village is no longer in crisis. They continue to look forward to the day when they can welcome back all individuals who want to participate in our services – but for now, they are welcoming new clients using CRITERIA that was developed to allow them to grow in a steady way – ensuring the highest level of safety for all involved. |