Springfield College Partners with MassDevelopment, Earns Green Bond Designation
Springfield College announced it has partnered with MassDevelopment to issue $106,675,000 in bonds, of which $50 million has received the Green Bond designation by Kestrel Verifiers, approved verifiers accredited by the Climate Bonds Initiative. Sustainability remains a key strategic focus for Springfield College, and pursuing a Green Bond was an intentional decision to demonstrate that…
State Awards $3.5 Million for Local Technology Infrastructure
Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito announced $3.5 million in grants to 70 municipalities through the Community Compact Cabinet Information Technology grant program. The Baker-Polito administration has now issued 749 grants worth $19.2 million through this program to help Massachusetts communities become more efficient and innovative while improving their technology infrastructure. “Technology systems support so many of…
Behavioral Health Network Receives $125,000 Donation Commitment from PeoplesBank
Behavioral Health Network Inc. (BHN) announced it has received a $25,000 donation from PeoplesBank to benefit the Katherine B. Wilson Staff Excellence Fund. It is the first installment of a $125,000 commitment over the next five years. BHN established the Katherine B. Wilson Staff Excellence Fund to support the career and professional development of the…
Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Receives $5 Million for Food-distribution Center
On Monday, state Sen. Eric Lesser was joined by Chicopee Mayor John Vieau, members of Chicopee’s legislative delegation, and Andrew Morehouse, executive director of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, to announce $5 million in funding secured to build a food-distribution center and headquarters in the city of Chicopee. Lesser acted as lead sponsor in…
The Gray House receives ARPA funding
More than one dozen Springfield non-profits on tight budgets are sharing in a windfall of federal money distributed to the city. The Gray House, an agency that cares for North End families in need, received $23,000 to replace its windows this winter. 22News broke the news to executive director Kristen McLintock. “This is a huge…
PeoplesBank Builds a Presence in Commercial and Industrial Lending
For a bank that’s been around for 136 years, PeoplesBank came across commercial lending fairly recently. “My predecessor, Doug Bowen, started commercial lending at PeoplesBank probably 35 years ago,” Tom Senecal, the bank’s president and CEO, told BusinessWest. “We didn’t do any commercial loans until then, and we started out with just commercial real estate.…
Projects Keep Longmeadow’s Momentum Going
While two major construction projects reached completion in 2021, it’s no time to slow down for Longmeadow officials, who are planning several more projects for 2022 and beyond. In June, Department of Public Works staff moved into their new $24 million facility on Dwight Road. Town Manager Lyn Simmons said the new location provides a…
Food Bank of Western Massachusetts in Chicopee secures $5M in funding
The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts is receiving $5 million in secured funding to build a food distribution center and headquarters in Chicopee. According to a news release sent to 22News from Senator Eric Lesser, an announcement is being held at City Hall on Monday with Senator Eric Lesser, Chicopee Mayor John Vieau, Senator Adam Gomez,…
BusinessTalk with Dr. Robert Roose, chief medical officer for Mercy Medical Center
BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien has a lively, wide-ranging discussion with Dr. Robert Roose, chief medical officer for Mercy Medical Center. The two talk about everything from the state of the pandemic and the arrival of the Omicron variant, to the immense challenges facing hospitals today, to the ongoing workforce crisis and the many ways it is…
Valley Community Development Names Alexis Breiteneicher Executive Director
Valley Community Development announced Alexis Breiteneicher has been named executive director. She comes to Valley after almost eight years at Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA), where she served as director of Development. Before that, she was the Development manager for the Trustees of Reservations and worked for the Melville Charitable Trust in Boston. She…
Farmers’ Market at Forest Park receives funding from ARPA
Senator Eric Lesser was in Forest Park Friday to announce funding to support staffing, website development, outreach, and education for the Farmers’ Market at Forest Park. Senator Lesser acted as lead sponsor in the Senate, securing $75,000 dollars from the ARPA spending bill signed into law this week. The funding will allow the market to…
Holyoke Vision Center celebrate grand opening
Holyoke Health Center celebrated the grand opening of their new and improved Vision Center Friday. The new Vision Center has a total of eight exam rooms, including two special testing rooms. The Vision Center was recently rewarded a $75,000 dollar grant from MassHealth to expand its eye care services to patients for whom English is…