There's a definite chill in the air! It’s a great time to get cozy in a sweater and sip warm apple cider. It’s also time to start winding down the year by assessing 2021 goals, closing out financials, and preparing for the opportunities that 2022 will bring. Fall is my favorite time of year primarily because of the colors and the cooler weather but I also enjoy using this time to reflect on all we have accomplished.

Our Chamber is gearing up for the end of 2021 with seasonal member programming (PPP forgiveness, taxes, planning), member support (grant applications, State contract RFPs, loans and other forms of obtaining capital), and corporate partner engagement (Hispanic Heritage month panels, fall job fair, corporate partner survey, and the continuing conversation about corporate procurement).

Now is the time to reach out to us for any support you need to meet or amend your 2021 goals, or simply to let us know how we can be helpful to you while you prepare to end this cycle. While it’s not quite the end of the year YET, we are entering Q4 — let’s get ready to end 2021 with a bang!

If you meet the following requirements, you may qualify for a grant opportunity with our Chamber as your supporter:

Grants range from $5K to $100K. Contact Thais De Marco as soon as possible if you're interested in applying.

If you don't own a food service business but know someone in our community who does, make an introduction that will both grow our Chamber and create an opportunity for grant funding! Please connect folks to Thais De Marco via email.

Questions? Contact Thais De Marco, Engagement & Membership Director.

It's our pleasure to welcome two new Chamber team members, both of whom will help us expand our reach and serve more of the community than ever before.

Angie Montalvo-Greene joins the Chamber as our new Western Massachusetts Engagement Director. Angie brings a breadth of experience with companies both large and small, having previously worked at IKEA for nearly two decades and currently also owning Chill Out, a small business selling frozen treats. As our eyes and ears in the Western part of the state, Angie will help connect with and support LGBTQ-owned businesses throughout the region, as well as develop programmatic work specialized for the needs of local communities. Originally from the Bronx, Angie is now based in Easthampton, Massachusetts.

Reina Ysaguirre-Boersma joins us in the position of Corporate Partner Engagement Manager. Reina boasts a long history of nonprofit work, and is extremely well-connected to the local LGBTQ+ community as well as the nonprofit sector. Her expertise will help the Chamber bring new corporate and strategic partners into the fold, growing our network and therefore increasing our impact throughout the state.

Our Chamber welcomes Ronald Molina-Brantley, Vice President, Relationship Manager, Team Leader at Berkshire Bank, to our board of directors. Ron is a community-oriented father of two and considers himself to be a passionate community servant with the ability to motivate and inspire individuals in identifying their potential to create financial security. We are honored to have Ron serve on our board.

We proudly welcome Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and MFS Investment Management as our newest corporate partners! We are thrilled to have both of these companies onboard and look forward to working together with them as we support LGBTQ+ small businesses.

Congratulations to Scott E. Squillace, Esq., founder of Squillace & Associates, P.C., for receiving Boston Estate Planning Council’s highest honor — the BEPC Excellence Award! This annual award recognizes Scott and his firm's outstanding contribution to the estate planning profession.

A warm welcome to these small businesses that have joined us as members since our last newsletter!

Promoting your business on the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism website could be as easy as submitting a few details to their online portal — go ahead and do it now! Let’s make sure our LGBTQ+-owned and ally-owned businesses are fully represented!

Chamber members are invited to join our statewide Facebook networking group.

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