Tuesday, April 13 from 10am-11am. Join us on Zoom!

A huge thank you to the National Council of Nonprofits for putting together a concise, readable outline of this vital legislation. Click HERE to download an analysis of the key provisions of the Act.

Interrupting Racism Level 3:

This three-part (12 hours total) training is designed for those in leadership, supervisory and decision-making positions interested in solutions for amplifying racial equity and inclusion in employment practices. Activities and exercises address:  

• Hiring practices and policies to amplify diversity, equity and inclusion 

• Salaries, job titles and structural practices embedded with bias 

• HR policy barriers and amplifiers of racial equity 

• Workplace culture: cultural humility and practices of micro and macro-inclusion 

• Supervisory practices that can make or break racial equity 

• Mentorship, placement and paths to leadership 

• Communicating through conflict and across difference 

• Accountability, assessment and strategic planning 

• Using a Racial Equity Impact Assessment Tool for planning and decision-making 

In addition, while prior participation in our Interrupting Racism Level 1/2 is strongly preferred as it outlines the breadth and depth of racism in a socio-historical context and prepares participants with the communication skills to dialogue across difference, we are willing to make exceptions to allow BIPOC participants working in human services to join without that prereq as their lived experiences and voices are vital to consider when we transition to doing the work of organizational change in Level 3 workshop. Register HERE.

COSA's year of anti-racism training is made possible in part by generous financial and technical support from the United Way of Hampshire County. Thank you!

Join the Undersecretary of the Office of Consumer Affairs, the Mayor of Easthampton, and detectives from the Easthampton Police for an informative discussion. They will discuss current scams happening during the COVID-19 pandemic, common fraud during tax season, tactics that the fraudsters use, as well as tips to help keep you safe. See the details and registration info here.

The MA Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation offers a variety of presentations to support consumers, featuring topics such as Identity Theft, Online Safety, and others. Robin Putnam, Events and Outreach Manager, robin.putnam@state.ma.us is available if you want to learn more about scheduling events. A complete topics list is here.

The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) announced the appointments of Briana Wales as vice president for People and Culture, Emma Mesa-Melendez as director of Communications, Keith McKittrick as Development coordinator, and Ullapi Shrestha as program assistant. These appointments are the latest example of CFWM’s ongoing commitment to expand its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts internally and within the nonprofit sector. Read a great piece in Business West about CFWM here.

Please support COSA by becoming a 2021 member.

The Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN) and Philanthropy Massachusetts continue to seek important input from nonprofits about how the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact their organizations.

The survey will close on Friday, March 26. Results will be shared in the aggregate to inform ongoing policy advocacy and other relief efforts for the sector. Please take 10 minutes to complete the survey today. MNN seeks 1 completed survey per organization. Please reach out to Danielle Fleury at dfleury@massnonprofitnet.org or Kelton Artuso at kartuso@philanthropyma.org with any questions.

The Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) seeks written comments from providers and stakeholders on their recommendations on how to use recently released COVID emergency relief funds in order to improve the Commonwealth’s SUD prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery support services systems in the context of COVID-19.

Recognizing the significant impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on people with substance use disorders (SUD), as well as service providers, the Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration recently released COVID emergency relief funding as a supplement to the Substance Abuse Block Grant.

Please provide a brief response by April 16, 2021 at 5PM using this DPH form.

One training is in Sheet Metal Fabrication (160 hours) and will be taught in Springfield at Sheet Metal Workers Local no. 63. That training begins in April. Contact Joanne Lyons at jlyons@masshirehcwb.com. Sheet Metal Fabrication flyer.

The second training is Foundational Manufacturing training (80 hours) which begins in June and is taught mostly online by Greenfield Community College (one week of classroom training in precision measurement at the Greenfield campus). This 4-week training prepares participants to quickly enter the manufacturing field in entry level production, assembly and warehouse positions, and can also be used as the required precursor for a follow-on 8-week CNC Operator shop training for entry into precision machining. To learn more, customers can sign up for a 1-hour Information & Application session on April 5 or May 3. To sign up, call the Career Center at (413) 774-4361 or register online for an Info Session at:  https://gcc.mass.edu/manufacturing. Foundational Manufacturing flyer.

Check out these wonderful upcoming events hosted by the Amherst Area Chamber. of Commerce. These Coffee and Conversation Zooms feature State Representative Mindy Domb on March 26th and State Representative Dan Carey on April 23rd. Thank you to the Chamber for coordinating these events - which are being held free and open to the public! Now more than ever, local citizens want to hear directly from legislators and make sure their own priorities find a voice. Register online so you won't miss these important conversations - and while you're there, check out all the Chamber resources and events.

In a major victory for large numbers of Unemployment Insurance claimants, on a case that Community Legal Aid filed, the Worcester Superior Court has issued a preliminary injunction against several Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) practices.

This injunction will stop a number of practices of DUA that have been extremely harmful to large numbers of claimants, including claimants being put on “hold” for extended periods, approved claimants having benefits stopped because of redeterminations without any opportunity to be heard, and claimants having current benefits stopped to recover old overpayments that are actually under appeal. There is a full press release HERE.

Cooley Dickinson welcomes new interim President and CEO

Welcome to the community! Dr. Brown, chief of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), will serve in an interim capacity while a search is conducted. The search process will be aligned with the Mass General Brigham United Against Racism priority and will include a diverse search committee and slate of candidates for consideration.

Brown and his family have strong ties to the Amherst area where he attended high school and his parents have a home. Read more about this appointment HERE.

Nonprofits throughout the Valley are adapting to a second spring with COVID restrictions still in effect. Amherst Survival Center is looking ahead to hosting their iconic Empty Bowls event - adjusted for COVID. They are moving forward with EMPTY BOWLS 2021: COVID EDITION. The pandemic may prevent gathering in person but there is not a limit on our capacity to care and to take action. This year the event will adapt to the challenging times: "No bowls, no soup. Just an appeal for help in filling the bowls of our neighbors in need of food. In a year when we cannot share a meal in person, we can still come together, virtually, to make sure there are no empty bowls in our community." How can you help? There is so much you can do! Check out all the event details here and be a part of this rewarding online event.

Food for Thought: Quick reads this week

NPR: Colleges canceled spring break but students are traveling anyway

Philanthropy News Digest: Nonprofit workforce shed 7.4% of its jobs during the pandemic

Bloomberg: How to rebuild cities for caregiving - a feminist vision for supporting urban caregivers

Mar 24:: Amherst Survival Center Chat

Mar 24: Candid Foster an Inclusive Culture for your LGBTQ+ Staff and Partners

Mar 24: Brazelton Touchpoints Challenging Conversations with Families

Mar 24: Equal Pay MA Roundtable Discussion

Mar 25: Women's Fund of Western Mass Women Leaning Into Leadership begins

Mar 25: Nonprofit Hub The Brand Inside: Efficiency Starts with Empathy

Mar 30: Candid Bending the Arc of Grantmaking Towards Racial Justice

Mar 31: YELO Youth Engage Legislators and Officials Online Event

Apr 01: Children's Advocacy Center This Little Light of Mine

Apr 01 & 08: Human Service Forum Employment Law 101

Apr 06: Human Service Forum Supporting Working Parents

Apr 06: Mayor of Easthampton Presentation on COVID-19 Scams

Apr 06-08: Brazelton National Forum Working Together for Racial Equity

Apr 13: Human Service Forum NXT GEN Institute for Emerging Leaders

Apr 16: Mass DPH How to use COVID funds for SUD systems request for info DUE

Apr 18-25: Big Brothers Big Sisters Daffodil Run

Apr 19-23: Human Service Forum Administrative Professionals Event

Apr 20-22-27: COSA-UWHC Human In Common Interrupting Racism Level III

Apr 22: Amherst Survival Center Chat

Apr 28: Brazelton Touchpoints Center Listening to Transgender Children Webinar

Apr 29: Autism Connections 30th Annual Autism Conference

May 02-09: Cancer Connection Mother's Day Half Marathon Virtual Event

May 12: Brazelton Touchpoints Center Relationships in Indigenous Communities

May 19: Amherst Survival Center Chat

Keep your legislators informed about what matters to you,

your clients, and your organization. Reach out!

Amherst College HERE

Hampshire College HERE

Mount Holyoke College HERE

Smith College HERE

UMass Amherst HERE

Reopening Health and Human Services

MassHealth COVID-19 Resources and FAQs

Mass.gov video PSA about following the mandatory masks rule HERE.

Pandemic EBT Benefits Cards: Check out the FAQ page HERE.

This Healthy Incentives Program document is updated each month, so you can expect this link to be useful through the year. Here is the updated listing of all of the HIP locations throughout the Pioneer Valley. And check out HIP Facebook updates HERE.

Northampton Survival Center has pantry operations located at 265 Prospect Street in Northampton and offers outdoor pick-up. Please check HERE for times and details.

Amherst Survival Center is open for outside food distribution (lunch and fresh food) and pantry pick up (low contact onsite/no contact curbside/no contact delivery). See details HERE. For open positions at the ASC, please check HERE.   

The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts has updated its services. Get information HERE.

Pantry and Meals updates HERE.

Easthampton Community Center continues to serve individuals and families from 22 communities and has modified food pickup to observe social distancing.

Office of Child Care has a new updated COVID-19 Resources page HERE.

COVID-19 Prevention and Response for Homeless Providers: Daily Resource Digest. Get full information and resources HERE.

CDC Resources to Support Homeless Populations HERE.

Mass DHCD has a new website related to COVID-19. Find resources and guidance about RAFT, public housing, rental vouchers, guidelines for shelter providers, the eviction moratorium and loads more. Get it all on Mass.gov HERE.

Learn more about resources for your organization at Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts. Get the details on their COVID-19 Response Fund for the Pioneer Valley HERE.

Many thanks to Massachusetts Nonprofit Network for assembling a helpful list of links to support your nonprofit during this outbreak. Look HERE.

The Western Massachusetts Community Aid is a grassroots movement that provides opportunities to post updates about support and requests for assistance. How can I help? What if I need help? Learn more HERE.

Partners HealthCare COVID-19 Multi-Lingual Information Page in English, Arabic, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish HERE

Massachusetts Form PC Filing Deadline Extended by six months: Get the update HERE.

Roger Anderson

 Big Brothers Big Sisters / CHD

Jan Klausner-Wise

Renee Moss

Jeff Roth-Howe