From the outset, leaders running the Worcester Together nonprofit fund envisioned three phases spanning emergency, intermediate and longer-term needs for area agencies.
Almost a year after the coronavirus pandemic hit, the fund has now given $1 million in its third and final phase, which it calls Reimagining, with a goal of helping organizations plan for the future after the health crisis. Six groups got funding that the Worcester Together fund announced Wednesday:
Legendary Legacies, Inc.: $125,000 for creating a youth-led civic engagement academy to increase voter registration and turnout among 18-25 year olds.
Pernet Family Health Service: $150,000 for providing in-home neonatal visits for all Worcester parents.
Worcester Together awards $1 million in Reimagining Grants; 6 nonprofits benefit
WORCESTER Six local nonprofits will share $1 million in Reimagining Grants from the Worcester Together Fund.
The fund is a joint effort between the Greater Worcester Community Foundation and the United Way of Central Massachusetts. It works in partnership with the city.
In the last year, Worcester Together has provided over $10.6 million to assist Central Massachusetts nonprofits that work to help families facing issues such as lost income, unstable housing, food insecurity and more.
The Reimagining Grants are the fund’s final phase of grant making and were designed to encourage local leaders to step back from the immediate consequences of a social issue and address the root causes. The scale of these grants, at over $100,000 each, will position organizations to make lasting and fundamental changes,” said GWCF President and CEO Barbara Fields.
Politics and the City: Advocates want more from Green Worcester Plan
WORCESTER The City Council last week tabled a report on the latest draft of the Green Worcester Plan.
But local environmental advocates didn t wait to give some feedback on the plan, which was developed over the past year with the goal of making Worcester one of the most sustainable and climate-resilient midsize cities in the U.S. by 2050.
Speakers Tuesday coupled praise for elements of the draft plan with criticism that it doesn t go far enough.
The Green Worcester Plan lays out sustainability goals across several sectors of city government, including green building, water management, emissions, waste and food resilience.
The City of Worcester is contracting with five local housing agencies to administer $1.9 million in rental assistance to certain eligible residents, the city announced on Tuesday.
Successful applicants may receive up to $3,000 per tenant to pay for backlogged rent and utility costs.
Partnering agencies, who will help facilitate applications, include the Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance, Friendly House, Inc., Open Sky Community Services, Worcester Community Action Council and Worcester Community Housing Resources.
“We know that renters and landlords are suffering right now, and this program, along with other available assistance, can be a much-needed lifeline in this time of need,” said Mayor Joseph Petty in a statement.
Worcester residents may be eligible for up to $3,000 in rental assistance through program launched by city amid COVID pandemic
Updated Jan 19, 2021;
Some tenants in Worcester may be eligible to receive up to $3,000 in rental assistance as part of a new program launched by the city amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Five city housing agencies - Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance (CMHA), Friendly House, Inc., Open Sky Community Services, Worcester Community Action Council and Worcester Community Housing Resources - will provide about $1.9 million in assistance to those living in Worcester.
The funding is meant to help cover rent and utilities, including heat, hot water and electricity.