I am so proud to be celebrating 10 years as Executive Director of Worcester Community Action Council where I work with an amazing team of staff and volunteers who help thousands of people move forward to economic self-sufficiency every year.
As one of 24 Community Action Programs throughout the Commonwealth, WCAC is responsible for developing and implementing programs designed to address the needs of the area's low-income population. As you can imagine, those needs have changed during the past decade.
What hasn't changed, however, is our commitment to identifying the programs that work well and doing more of what works.
While you'll hear the word hero used in the media quite often these days with regard to sports "heroes" or even Hollywood "heroes" one need only look into the eyes of a child first learning to read in one of our Head Start classrooms to know our teachers are true heroes...
or see the creased smiles of appreciation from elderly individuals able to stay in their own homes thanks to the work of our energy weatherization team or local oil delivery vendor to know a true hero...
or witness the pride as a young person puts on that interview suit for the first time, wholly confident in their ability to land a job after graduating from our Job & Education Center.... to know their mentors are true heroes.
And to those of you who support WCAC and enable us to make such a positive impact on the lives of so many day after day - thank you!
Please join me on Wednesday, May 25th at the Beechwood Hotel at 5:30 p.m. as WCAC hosts its 10th Annual Action Hero Awards, honoring this year's heroes who have gone above and beyond to support the agency's important work!
Jill C. Dagilis
Executive Director
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Cheers for VITA volunteers!
Worcester Community Action Council recently hosted a thank you reception for its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program volunteers. This year's WCAC team logged 620 volunteer hours, preparing a total of 895 returns and generating nearly $1.5 million dollars
in refunds!
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Follow WCAC on Facebook and Twitter throughout the month of May as we celebrate Community Action Month!
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Making a difference in the lives of those we serve
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"I do want to take this opportunity to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your past assistance. As the mother of two young boys, working part-time, trying to make ends meet, your program was essential. I don't mean it was "nice" that you paid a part of my electric bill, I mean we would have gone without heat if it wasn't for the help of your organization."
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Carol from Douglas
"I would like to let you know that the VITA (volunteer income tax assistance) tax preparers at WCAC went above and beyond to help one of our students last week. The student completed the FAFSA based on a tax return that incorrectly listed the family income. The WCAC staff worked with the family to file an amended tax return within the week so that we could make corrections to the FAFSA and ask for a review of the financial aid packages. Without their assistance, it is unlikely that the family would be in a position to send their two sons to college in the fall. I am grateful for their hard work and willingness to go the extra mile for this family."
- College Access Advisor from Doherty High School
"I want to take this time to thank you so much for installing a new furnace for me, and also a new tank for fuel. There would be no way for me to afford a new furnace, you came to my rescue. Also, for allotting me so much for my fuel assistance. You are a big blessing to me. Again I thank you!" -
Connie from Sturbridge
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Be a Head Start Hero!
Help Turn Up the Heat for those struggling with home heating bills!
Make a difference in the life an at-risk young person today!
Support WCAC programs with a tax-deductible donation!
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BABY BOUTIQUE
Donations of new and very gently used infant and toddler clothing being accepted for WCAC's Healthy Families Baby Boutique - providing support for first time teen parents and their children. To make a donation please contact 508.929.0061
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Support WCAC when you shop!
Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to Worcester Community Action Council, Inc whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.
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Head Start hosts multicultural celebration |
Demonstrating you're never to young to learn about the importance of embracing and celebrating the diversity among us, WCAC's Head Start program hosted multicultural celebrations last week at 25 Cole Avenue, Southbridge and at 68 Central Street Auburn. In Southbridge, classrooms celebrated more than twenty different countries with artwork, crafts, activities and sample tastings. A true highlight of the evening was a special performance by
Crocodile River Music, supported in part by the Rex L Allison Educational Foundation. View pictures from the evening here. Meanwhile in Auburn, children decorated images of themselves to encircle a globe, sampled dishes from around the world and enjoyed musical entertainment by Mr. Kim of Apple Tree Arts. View pictures from the evening here.
WCAC's Head Start program currently serves 221 children, ages 3-5, and their families in the two center locations, Southbridge and Auburn. Classrooms range from full day, full year; full day, school year; and half-day, school year. The center-based programs provide developmentally appropriate curricula, health and nutrition services, breakfast, lunch and snacks, special educational opportunities and family services. All classrooms are nationally accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Services are provided at no charge to families meeting income-eligiblity guidelines.
WCAC's Head Start program serves families from the communities of Southbridge, Webster, East Brookfield, Leicester, Millbury, Oxford and Spencer. Additional information as well as a pre-application for interested families is available online.
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Applications for youth summer jobs available
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Think back to the very first job you had - the new skills you learned, the new responsibilities you were given... and ultimately the new freedoms that came with a first real paycheck! There's little doubt there is a great and positive impact that employment opportunities can have on young people. That is why WCAC is pleased and proud to manage the YouthWorks Summer Jobs program for the City of Worcester.
Worcester's "YouthWorks Summer Jobs Program" was established in 2005 to create summer jobs for low-income, inner city youth between the ages of 14 and 21. Each summer, youth are provided with 18 hours of pre-employment training, along with 6-7 weeks of meaningful paid work experience, and daily supervision and support.
WCAC is responsible for all phases of the YouthWorks program; job development and placement, recruitment and eligibility, professionally developed pre-employment training, site monitoring and safety adherence, distribution of a weekly payroll, and constant communication with all interested parties. WCAC works closely with all state and local representatives to secure additional youth employment funds, as well as with many of our public and private sector employers to increase job availability for our youth.
Applications for summer 2016 employment are now available
online. Area businesses interested in hosting a youth are encouraged to call Carrick O'Brien at 508.754.1176 x228
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Application deadline extended to mid-May
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As winters go, the winter of 2015-16 was 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 as the winter moratorium is lifted and shut off notices arrive. Help is available.
The deadline to apply for fuel assistance has been extended until May 13th.
WCAC's Fuel Assistance Program is designed to provide relief to those households that are most vulnerable to high home heating costs. The federally funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) targets assistance to households with the lowest incomes and highest average energy costs. The LIHEAP is intended to help defray the cost of heat during the winter months, November 1 - April 30 of each year.
Eligibility is based on the number of individuals who live in a household, their combined income, housing status and fuel type.
First time applicants must complete a face-to-face interview as part of the initial application process.
WCAC has outreach workers available - by appointment only - to accept applications one day each week at the Webster Senior Center, Webster and at the Jacob Edwards Public Library, Southbridge. Appointments can be made
online
or by calling 508.754.1176.
New applications can also be submitted at the Worcester Office located in the Denholm Building, 484 Main Street, Worcester on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. No appointment is necessary.
In 2015, WCAC processed more than 15,000 applications for fuel assistance with more than 2,200 being first time applicants. Thirty-four percent of households receiving fuel assistance were elderly; 14% were households with children under the age of six.
WCAC's fuel assistance program serves the following communities:
Auburn, Boylston, West Boylston, Brookfield, East Brookfield, West Brookfield, North Brookfield, Charlton, Douglas, Dudley, Holden, Leicester, Millbury, Oakham, Oxford, Paxton, Rutland, Southbridge, Spencer, Sturbridge, Sutton, Warren, Webster and Worcester.
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Community Baby Shower planned for new & soon-to-be parents |
WCAC's
Healthy Families of Southern Worcester County program will host its annual
Community Baby Shower on
Wednesday, May 25th from 1- 4 p.m. at Notre Dame La Salle Hall, 444 Main Street in Southbridge. New and expectant moms and dads are invited to attend to meet and mingle with
representatives from over 25 local non-profit and government agencies providing resource information to new and expectant parents. Attendees will received gift bags, prizes, free food and more! Bring a friend and both will receive an additional special gift! There is no charge to attend. For additional information contact Charlotte Operach at 508.909.0061.
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Seven to be honored at 10th Annual Heroes Event
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Worcester Community Action Council will celebrate its
10th Annual Action Heroes Celebration on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Beechwood Hotel, 363 Plantation Street, Worcester. This year a slate of seven will be honored with an Action Hero Award for their invaluable support of WCAC and those we serve. Festivities will include a keynote address by noted community philanthropist Mary DeFeudis, hors d'oeuvres and cash bar, a reunion of Action Heroes from the past decade, and the Action Heroes Awards presentation.
2016 Honorees will include:
Southbridge Savings Bank for their incredible generosity and support of our fuel assistance fund with resources dedicated to those most vulnerable households within the bank's service area;
Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Timothy Murray,
Worcester Interfaith organizer Frank Kartheiser, and
Worcester City Manager Edward Augustus for their tireless efforts to advance employment opportunities for youth, in particular at-risk youth;
United Way of Central Massachusetts CEO and President Tim Garvin for his support of WCAC's Project Excel high school equivalency program, emergency fuel assistance and never ending advocacy for non-profit organizations throughout Central Massachusetts. Few make as great an impact with 140 characters or less than he;
Webster Superintendent Dr. Barbara Malkas and
State Representative Joseph McKenna for their leadership and staunch support as WCAC works to locate Head Start classrooms within the Town of Webster.
Please join us in honoring these individuals who have done so much to advance WCAC's mission of helping people move to economic self-sufficiency through programs, partnerships and advocacy. Tickets, just $50 per person, now available
online. All proceeds to benefit WCAC programs and services.
Special thanks to all of our sponsors for supporting our 10th Annual Action Hero celebration: National Grid, Imperial Distributors, Unum, Umass Memorial Medical Center, Bay State Savings Bank, Polar Beverages, PENTA Communications, Benefit Development Group, Anna Maria College, United Bank Foundation, EverSource, Webster Five, Mutual of America, Fidelity Bank, Bollus Lynch, Reliant Medical Group, Worcester State University, AllCom Credit Union, Providence and Worcester Railroad, Massport, Bowditch & Dewey Attorneys, Saint-Gobain, Curry Printing, Dexter Russell, and Eastern Bank.
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