First Time Home Buyer Workshop

Our June First Time Homebuyers' Workshop begins on 6/7/14.  Join us for an informative workshop designed to provide prospective first-time homebuyers with the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve and sustain homeownership.  Please call 413-263-6500, ext. 0 to register!

Job Fair on 5/22/14 @ 5pm!

Springfield Partners for Community Action 

is hosting a 

Job Fair 

on 

Thursday May 22, 2014 from 5-7 pm 

located at: 721 State Street, Springfield, MA 1st Floor in room 9.

Please use the entrance at the back of the building. Parking will be available at the Walgreens parking lot, or along the street behind the building.                   

Make sure to bring your resume.

Agencies Attending:

¨ Baystate Medical Center

¨ Behavioral Health Network

¨ The Center School

¨ Davidson Media Group

¨ JASM Enterprises

¨ Mental Health Association

¨ Monroe Staffing

¨ New England Business Associates

¨ Mary Kay

¨ Reliable Temps

¨ Soldier On

¨ Square One

¨ TD Bank

¨ United Personnel

¨ Veterans Affairs

¨ Western Mass Training  Program

¨ YWCA

Currently Hiring For:

Light Industrial, Forklift Operators,  CNC Machinists, Customer Service, Clerical/Admin, Human Resources,  Financial Services, Case Management, Clinicians, Therapists, Human        Services, Sales/Cosmetics, Insulation, Weatherization,  Radio/Media, Case Workers for Veterans’ Services, Employment Consultants, Support Specialists, Bus Monitors/Drivers   and much more...

For more information, please call 413-263-6500 or please visit us at: www.springfieldpartnersinc.com. Se habla Español.

Scholarships Now Available

We just released applications for 2014 scholarships. There are ten $1,000 scholarships available. Eligible applicants must:

·       Be a resident of Springfield, MA

·       Have been accepted to an accredited or licensed college or vocational program in Massachusetts

·       Demonstrate a commitment to one’s community, through volunteer work or other means

·       Be able to attend the Scholarship Awards Breakfast on Thursday, June 12, 2014

·       Meet income eligibility criteria, as shown below:

Family Size:	Income not to exceed 200% of Federal Poverty Level Guidelines:
1	$23,340
2	$34.460
3	$39,580
4	$47,700
5	$55,820
6	$63,940
7	$72,060
8	$80,180

Completed applications must be submitted by noon on Friday, May to 721 State Street, 2nd floor, Springfield, MA or via email to maryp@springfieldpartnersinc.com. 

The Awards Breakfast will be held at Springfield Technical Community College and award winners must attend. 

Scholarship awards will only be made payable to the winner’s college or school. 

Please share to someone who could use $1,000 for education. Thank you!

Reflecting on 2013

It is hard to believe that we are reaching a new year. So many things still to do! As I reflect however, there are also so many things that we accomplished. There will always be more to do but a bit of year end reflection can be nice.

So, we weathered government shutdowns and threats to funding. We saw more people in need, started new programs, and served a whole new group of people.

In a partnership with Soldier On, we focused on serving veterans and their families throughout the four counties of western Massachusetts. For those of you not familiar with our area, that is Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire and Berkshire Counties.

A group of Springfield veterans decided that more assistance was needed and so formed the Veterans First Comprehensive Outreach Center and we were, and are, happy to house that program.

A huge feather in our cap this year was getting NAEYC accreditation. That is the gold star for early education and care centers. All the staff at our childcare center, New Beginnings, worked diligently to achieve accreditation. The National Association for the Education of Young Children is the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals.

To earn NAEYC Accreditation, New Beginnings Childcare went through an extensive self-study process, measuring the program and its services against the ten NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards and more than 400 related Accreditation Criteria. The program received accreditation after an on-site visit by NAEYC Assessors to ensure that the program met each of the program standards.

Congratulations again to Childcare Director Tabitha Desplaines and every teacher and staff member at New Beginnings Childcare. We are so proud of you.

One of our New Beginnings teachers started a support group this year. Herself the mother of a child with autism, Carmen Miranda saw the need for help and established Gifted Families. This group is for families of children with special needs. They meet monthly to aid and support each other and to provide information about needed resources.

We also started a Job Readiness Program this year. We hired two energetic, enthusiastic and very knowledgeable young women to provide assistance with all the components needed to help someone get a job; resume writing, interview skills, job search, and much more. The program is only a few months old but already they have facilitated workshops, brought in guest speakers, and even landed a couple of jobs.

We were extremely proud and pleased for Elsa Dones, our Community Health Worker and Alzheimer’s Project Coordinator. She was presented with the Self-Sufficiency Employee Excellence Award in a ceremony at the State House in Boston. The Massachusetts Association of Community Action Programs, or MASSCAP, presents this annual award to Community Action Agency employees for their achievement of and dedication to the goals of self-sufficiency.

A citation from the Massachusetts House of Representatives in recognition of Elsa’s compassion to improving the lives of those with Alzheimer’s was presented from State Representative Cheryl Coakley-Rivera. Congratulations, Elsa!

So, some highlights of our year and a gentle reminder that we can always use your help – whether as a volunteer, a donor, or a friend telling others about our work, we appreciate you. Don’t forget to like us on various social media venues and stay tuned for upcoming information as we get ready to mark our 50^th year in the fall.

We Received NAEYC Accreditation

Our early education and care program, New Beginnings Childcare, has earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) – the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals.

To earn NAEYC Accreditation, New Beginnings Childcare went through an extensive self-study process, measuring the program and its services against the ten NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards and more than 400 related Accreditation Criteria. The program received Accreditation after an on-site visit by NAEYC Assessors to ensure that the program met each of the program standards.

In the 25 years since NAEYC Accreditation was established, it has become a widely recognized sign of high-quality early childhood education. More than 7,000 programs are currently accredited by NAEYC – approximately 8 percent of all preschools and other early childhood programs.

 “We are extremely proud of the childcare program staff. They worked hard to accomplish their goal of earning this mark of quality from NAEYC,” said Paul Bailey, Executive Director. “NAEYC Accreditation assures families in our community that children at New Beginnings are getting the best care and early learning experiences possible.”

Pumpkin Picking at Randall's Farm

Yesterday (October 17) was a perfect day to visit Randall's Farm in Ludlow. New Beginnings Childcare enjoyed a field trip to pick pumpkins and play games. Everyone, kids, teachers and parents, had a blast.

A wagon trip out to the pumpkin field was just the start of the fun. And the weather, despite forecasts of showers, cooperated beautifully. There were all sorts of games to be enjoyed and of course, cider and donuts made at the farm. Yum!

Our Childcare Director, Tabitha Desplaines, feels that field trips like this are an important part of the curriculum. "Field trips are so much more than a bus ride and a pumpkin. Field trips like ours to Randall's Farm, start with teaching the children about where we are going and what we will see when we get there. Then we are off on the first part of our adventure; the bus ride! The children love looking out the windows and pointing at the familiar and new sights they see. For many of these children this was their first trip to a pumpkin patch. Their faces are priceless as they begin to experience the world taking in all the sights, sounds, and smells of the farm. Once back at the center, the teachers at New Beginnings extend learning by using pumpkin themed activities and encouraging the children to talk about all the things they learned. Children learn best through hands on experiences, and field trips are the ultimate in hands on experiences!"

And let's not forget the pumpkins! Here are just a few of our adorable kids with their picks:

Hopefully, you will be inspired to get out and enjoy this beautiful weather and visit a New England Farm. We recommend Randall's Farm in Ludlow, Massachusetts. They put on wonderful activities for the children and the adults thoroughly enjoyed themselves too.

For more photos, be sure to visit us on Facebook.

NAEYC Accreditation

We are pleased and excited to announce that New Beginnings Child Care Center is on its way to receiving NAEYC accreditation! Starting back in 1985, the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s accreditation process had a goal of providing a system that would elevate the level of early childhood programs everywhere. Today, NAEYC accreditation represents the mark of quality in early childhood education and the promise that the children will benefit from the program with a greater readiness for and success in school.

There are four steps to receiving NAEYC accreditation. The first step is Enrollment and Self Study. The next is the Application and Self-Assessment process. The third step is when the program submits its application to receive a Candidacy decision. New Beginnings is currently on the fourth and final step toward accreditation: the program has been accepted as a candidate and is currently awaiting a site visit. The visit could happen any time before the end of November. After the visit we'll be informed of NAEYC's decision.

With this accreditation, parents of children attending New Beginnings Childcare may rest assured that their child is receiving the best possible, quality education and care!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Wish us luck!