January 2022

Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Initiative
Meeting Notes


Date: January 13, 2022
Time: 1:00pm to 2:30pm
Place: Zoom Meeting


Mission Statement: The Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Initiative is a partnership between local, state & federal law enforcement; city & state government; civic & human service organizations; faith based organizations; the business community; education providers; property managers; and residents coming together with a goal to create safe, healthy & economically viable neighborhoods through information sharing, identifying at-risk youth, referrals and community efforts in specific Holyoke neighborhoods.


1) Welcome & Introduction 1:00pm - 1:05pm

2) Madeline Fernandez: Director of AISS, Hampden County Sheriff’s Department 1:05pm - 1:20pm

Program director at All Inclusive Support Services (AISS). It is a reentry program in Mason Square in Springfield. They used to be called After Incarceration Support System which started in 1996. They work with those that are re-entering community in an attempt to lower recidivism in Hampden County. Services are free and only mandated through Probation and Parole. They have education program, now called HISET formerly known as GED. They are also a testing site. Job search assistance and work with over five hundred employers that are CORI friendly. Assist with mass health along with their service providers. DTA and SNAP assistance. Emergency food stamps issued within 7 days. They have in-reach case managers that go in jail. Anger and beyond support groups. Mother and Father Groups to help reunite with kids. Credit report correction, DOR, banking assistance. Working relationship with DCF and DMH. Housing assistance program. Consider themselves a one stop shop for all services. Mentorship program, OSHA Training. Specific area that they serve is Hampden County. Located at 736 State St in Springfield and everyone that walks in gets assigned a caseworker. Please refer those that you would feel needs to utilize resources. They have served over 35,000 people since 1996.
All Inclusive Support Services through the Hampden County Sheriff's Department. AISS Program Director Madeline Fernandez we are located at 736 State Street, Springfield, Ma 01109 (Google 28 Buckingham Street) easy accesses to our parking lot. Direct contact (413) 278-5560. Main direct line (413) 781-2050. Walk-in Intake hours: Monday - Friday 9-11am.

3) Agency Overview and Updates 1:20pm - 2:25pm

Zenaida Smiley: ROCA
Program manager from ROCA Holyoke. Target 17–24-year-old males in Springfield and Holyoke. They have a woman’s program where they engage females in the Springfield office. Relentless outreach within the jails and in community. Resources are GED, OSHA, serve safe, music studio and forklift. Mission is to engage youth and get them off the streets.
Zenaida_smiley@rocainc.com Zenaida Smiley 413-333-9444

Joanne Gilman: MSPCC: Elliot CHS
Supervisor at MSPCC in home therapy and outpatient services. Services for a child 0-22 years old with serious behavior or emotional problems and at a crisis level. Offer therapeutic mentoring. Services are for as many hours in a week that is medically necessary. Several hours in a day or in a week. Contact them at 413 532 9446. Please register for their services.

My name is Joanne Gilman, LICSW, and I am a supervisor for In Home Therapy, located in Holyoke, and serving the local communities. We have In Home Therapy and Outpatient Services. IHT includes a master's level therapist and a bachelor's level Therapeutic Training and Support (TT+S), and Therapeutic Mentoring. We serve children 0-22 years old and their caregivers, and families. We serve children with severe emotional and behavioral issues, with crisis level needs. We provide intense services several times a week for as many hours as are therapeutically necessary. Our services are available at homes or a yard/porch, or in the community outdoors. If you would like our services or more information, call us at 413-532-9446. We look forward to hearing from you. Joanne Gilman - I wrote my report quickly and left out important information: Our agency is MSPCC and also as Eliot CHS. Our services are available virtually and/or at homes, indoors or outside, depending on Covid situations. Please call us for more information.

Yvonne Lomax: Westover Job corps
Outreach and admissions coordinator. Looking for those who need employment. They have a lot of vacancies. Four openings for outreach coordinators. Other openings in Academics, Trades, security positions as well. Always looking to partner with other agencies.
Yvonne Lomax-OA Manager Westover JCC-413-505-6100- Lomax.Yvonne@jobcorps.org

Judge Bill Hadley: Holyoke District Court
Appreciate the Sheriff’s efforts through AISS as Madeline was talking about. Anyone coming through Holyoke Courts can get a treatment plan through a Zoom conference with a clinician. They have recovery coaches from Gandara. Of the fifty people they deal with a day usually twenty get connected to a recovery coach. It is all voluntary. Hope for Holyoke have provided rides to those that need to be brought to a program for treatment.

Will Puello: Ward 2 City Councilor of Holyoke
Appreciate all the great work for the city of Holyoke. Please reach out to him if you need anything.

Tyler Drubych: RVCC
Wise clinical supervisor for students that got to Peck or Veratas Prep Middle school 8-13 years old. Try to engage family and create treatment plans in family events. They do outreach in the community.
Tyler Drubych, clinical supervisor of WISE program through RVCC in Holyoke, Drubych_tyler@holyokehealth.com, work cell: 413 5054801

Tony Simmons: DA’S Office
Director of community safety and outreach through the DA’s Office. Support the C3 initiatives along with youth programs. Three people that work with him on outreach: Gina Anselmo, Zino Temple and Magda Colon. They were just out at a school today doing presentation on social media.
Tony Simmons - Hampden District Attorney's Office, Community Safety and Outreach - tony.simmons@state.ma.us

Sergio Vicente: Masshire
Youth Counselor and operations coordinator for MAsshire Holyoke. Working on a couple of things in terms of their efforts to engage the youth. Early intervention pilot program to try and reach those in middle school before they are of age to work in their employment program. Has information in regard to next upcoming lottery. They have Q & A forms and will be sent out to Eddy and will put out in chat.
Sergio Vicente, MassHire Holyoke, svicente@masshireholyoke.org

Chief Sean McBride: Holyoke District Probation
Thanked Ed for his work and Judge Hadley.

Sarah Lynn: MSPCC
Intake and Outreach coordinator with MSPCC. Offers many programs for parents to assist those twenty-six and under. 1/25/22 is the Fathers and Family Network program. Importance of having fathers with their families.
Sarah Lynn - Intake and Outreach Coordinator for MSPCC slynn@eliotchs.org

Sandy Ward: Friend of the Holyoke Public Library
Fundraiser for library with mini gold on 4/9/22. Contact Nancy Cosmerski to sponsor a hole at the library. Human size fuz ball. Letters to previous sponsors will go out next week. Family friendly event.
Sandy Ward, volunteer, Mini Golf & Games at Holyoke Public Library (fundraiser Sat. April 9, 2022). We seek Sponsors in advance, and volunteers during the event. Contact me (sandy@nonotuck.us) or Nancy Kocsmiersky, Development Associate, Holyoke Public Library, 413-420-8109, nancy@holyokelibrary.org.

Rowan Rosario: Nuestre Raices
Service member with Nuestre Raices. Urban agriculture non-profit. They have many events coming up in the next couple months. Trying to reengage with the community. February fundraiser for community gardens. 2/4 is cut off to place orders. March 5 and 12 they will have an introductory cooking decoration class with HCC Chef. March 2- April 13 every Wednesday evening financial literacy training classes geared to community entrepreneur in Spanish. Serve safe training and exams.
Hello all, my name is Rowan and I am a volunteer with Neustria’s Raices! You can reach me at rrosario@nuestras-raices.org or (413) 535-1789 ext 206

Rosa Tobin: Mass Fair Housing
Serve Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, Worcester and Hampden Counties. Free legal services on mass fair housing. Grant funding to take on a select intake candidate that fall outside specific parameters. Sun program provides assistance to those with Section 8 or MRBP vouchers. Helps them move when facing specific challenges. Would love to collaborate with everyone with their clients and how they can support them.
Rosa Tobin, Communications Associate (also doing education and outreach), Mass Fair Housing, rtobin@massfairhousing.org

Robert Crawford: Springfield Department of Health and Human Services
MASS Call 3 program coordinator. Is an effort to work within cluster within Chicopee and Holyoke to offer substance misuse prevention work.
Rob CrawfordSPG Dept. of Health & Human ServicesProgram Coordinator | MassCALL3Email: rcrawford@springfieldcityhall.com413.787.6718Recently just took over youth substance use/misuse efforts for the SPG Cluster of the grant (SPG, Chicopee, Holyoke). Looking forward to building!

Ramona Rivera: Wayfinders
Remind everyone that they have the WRAP program. They provide assistance for those that are in the rears to with rent or utility. Go to website and complete application.

Neil Desroches: US Attorney Office
Talked about the hard work of Ed and Karen with the Holyoke Basketball league entitled “You can be anything”. They bring in people to address the basketball players and inspire them. Project safe neighborhood as allowed them to expand the program throughout the state. Asked if anyone is interested in partnering with them to deliver a positive message to the youth based on personal experiences. DOJ has grants that are offered to programs that you all work for. DOJ administered two grants to BMC for over $1.5 million. Ed acknowledged the work of Walter Rice.

Nayroby Rosa Soriano: OneHolyoke CDC
Thanked everyone for their work on the community dinner during the holidays. Five hundred boxes of groceries were issued to families. Monthly vaccine clinic will continue through June at C Town now Key foods Monday-Sunday. At AMG foods handing out PPE equipment. Purchased an igloo for mobile vaccine clinics in the people’s parking lot.
Nayroby Rosa, OneHolyoke CDC, 413-409-2004, Nayroby.rosa-soriano@oneholyoke.org

Mo McGuinnness: Holyoke Community College
Promoting the trade programs for line cooks end of January. Also offering hotel and training.

Meghan Lemay: Alzheimer’s Association
Regional manager run a 24-7 help line. Anybody is welcome to call looking for information. Tomorrow they will have info session about the new drug that can treat Alzheimer’s at 10am.
Hi all, my name is Meghan Lemay, Alzheimer's Association Regional Manager mlemay@alz.org 24/7 Helpline: 800-272-3900

Megan Gross: UMASS Amherst
Collaborating with Nayrobi and Kelly School. Developed a support group for Spanish speaking caregivers that are raising children with special education needs. It will be Fourth Saturday in June they meet and have guest speakers on Zoom. Eventually will be in person. Lab is starting a new online study for bilingual language development. Goal is to understand the development when they have challenges.
Megan Gross, Bilingual Language Development Lab, UMass Amherst, megangross@umass.edu

Maryann Linnehan: Western Mass Eldercare
Talked about SHINE program in serving health insurance needs of everyone. They have counselor that can answer questions around Medicare. Decisions are made around income. Questions about medicare or programs they can help assist. Work with elders every day and visit in person and deliver PPE. Tried to get everyone a rapid test. Service consumers of all ages to connect to different resources in community.
Maryann Linnehan WestMass ElderCare 538-9020 mlinnehan@wmeldercare.org

Marissa Chiapperino: Holyoke Medical Center
Dietician and offers free diabetes education classes to community on Wednesdays at 5pm. Continue to represent at the Holyoke Farmers Market and educate on utilize incentive program and SNAP benefits. Hospital offers bi-monthly community dinner. Kathy Anderson has been instrumental in passing out tickets to the community that works with.
Holyoke Medical Center FREE Diabetes Classes: Call Marissa at 413-535-4732 Open to the whole community with or without diabetes.

Lt Maria Pelchar; Holyoke Fire Department
Please stay safe and look at smoke detectors. Local departments doing free smoke alarm instillation.
Maria Pelchar- pelcharm@holyoke.org. 534-2254 Ext 105 Fire Dept

Mandy Goulet: Hope for Holyoke
Peer Outreach Coordinator. Great services 9-5 Monday – Friday. Highway to Hope in collaboration with Judge Hadley. Rides to treatment. Requirement is a tie to Holyoke. Have to take membership orientation. They have two vans to transport participants to treatment.
Mandy- Peer Outreach Coordinator/Hope for Holyoke Recovery Center/ mgoulet@gandaracenter.org

Magda Colon: DA’s Office
Community safety outreach team. Coordinates Hampden County Addiction Task Force. Meets once a month and platform for many agencies. Provide space to have conversations around trends and services. Invite to attend meeting.
Magda Colon - Hampden County District Attorney's Office Community Safety & Outreach/ Hampden County Addition Taskforce magda.colon@state.ma.us

Lucy Freedman Bell: Safe Roots to School
Outreach coordinator for Holyoke safe roots to school amongst elementary and middle school. If interested in supporting contact her. Info in Chat.
Lucy Friedman-Bell, MA Safe Routes to School, lucy.friedmanbell@aecom.com

Luby O’Connor: Healthcare for All
Bilingual coordinator for Healthcare. Organization that does advocate work for health justice in MA. Offer free help line navigate complicated healthcare system. Spanish/ Portuguese/English counselors. Would like to collaborate with agencies.
Luby O'Connor =Loconnor@hcfama.org. https://www.facebook.com/healthcareforall We are here to help. Resources, tips, and tools to help build a stronger health care system for Massachusetts. Need to reach the HCFA Helpline? Click to call 800 • 272 • 4232

Kimberly Maende: 413 Cares
Project coordinator provides outreach, coordination and promotion. Hopes that agencies have claimed programs on 413Cares. Urged agencies to reach out to her. Info in Chat. Springfield healthy homes is something that she is promoting.
Kimberly Maende413Cares Project Coordinator Work Phone: 413.794.3042Email: kmaende@publichealthwm.orgPlease sign up for our e-newsletter!https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/u74JLGl/413CaresPlease like, share and follow our Facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/413CaresWe are available to present at your regularly staffed meeting or with your organization! Just let me know. We also have readily available 413Cares informational material.

Khyarah Gaston Feliciano: Generation Teach
Summer program for middle school students. Recruiting college students in any major that is interested in teaching students in the summer. Info in chat.
Khyarah Gastón Feliciano - Generation Teach Campus Champion (recruiter and alumna)- kgastonfeliciano@baypath.edu

Kevin Spivy: En Lace de Familia
Resource Coordinator that assists members of community to link to services. Offer clinician services through RVCC and have onsite clinician. Lawyer to help with legal problems with health issues or with children. Alternative lifestyle community: House of Colors. Provide safe space for them. They have been handing out PPE and rapid testing. Provide food and clothing and ultimately would like to be a bridge for community.

Kaydence Scotto: AmeriCorps Dial/Self
Program matches AmeriCorps members at specific schools and community centers. They serve full time to support positive youth development. Applications are open for those interested.
Kaydance Scotto, DIAL/SELF AmeriCorps Coordinator, kscotto@dialself.org. Our applications are open for the 10-month term (August - June). AmeriCorps members serve full-time at a school or community center to support programming and services for young people. We have a new program beginning in the Fall focused on restorative practices in schools.

Justin Chellman: Springfield Health and Human Services
Want to introduce and support new staff member Robert Crawford. New grant offers creativity to address substance abuse prevention and root causes.

Officer Colon: Holyoke Police Department
208 Race St. Officer Josh Colon Holyoke Police Dept264@holyokepolice.org working out of 208 race st suite 201

John McCarthy: US Citizen Immigration Services
Hold webinar in February for law enforcement only. HARD TO TRANSCRIBE based on connection.
John.j.mccarthy@uscis.dhs.gov Community Relations USCIS District N-11 Boston. I am on audio by phone last 4 5441USCIS is providing a webinar for Law Enforcement Agencies or agencies authorized to certify Form i-914 & I-918 on February 17, 2022 from 1 PM to 2:30 PM Titled "Examining the Role of Law Enforcement & other Agencies An Overview of Immigration Options Available for Victims of Crime" for a flyer email John McCarthy at john.j.mccarthy@uscis.dhs.gov

Jennifer Fernandez: United Way THRIVE Program
Financial coach through United Way of Pioneer Valley. Still running through pandemic, doing appointments by phone and in person. One stop financial success that is confidential. Can come out and present about program. Info in Chat. Home office in Springfield at 1441 Main St will have a ribbon cutting. They have food pantry. First day will be Wednesday, February 16th from 9-1. First business day of every month they will be open from 8:30-10:30. Chicopee cupboard open Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Hi, Jen Fernandes and Emmanuel Reyes from the United Way of Pioneer Valley. We are financial coaches with the THRIVE program, which is a one stop financial success center. Jen-413-333-8365, Emmanuel- 413-302-3871

Israel Rivera: Elder Protective Services
Investigate on abuse financial exploitation on elders over the age 60. Have many programs and services that elder community can take advantage of. They have intake and referral department. Israel Rivera Protective Services Director Greater Springfield Senior ServicesIsrael.rivera@gsssi.org413.781.8800 ext 195

Iris Sosa: Boy Scouts of America
Looking for organization to partner with to expand.
Iris Sosa, Outreach Specialist Boy Scout of America Western Massachusetts Council, iris.sosa@scouting.org, 413-594-9196 x 7030

Erica Hensel: Tapestry
Harm reduction, Narcan and outreach. Offered training to agencies. Info in Chat.
Erika Hensel, Overdose Engagement Coordinator for Tapestry Health Holyoke. Ehensel@tapestryhealth.org

Ellery Poole: Service Member
Offer information sessions on Health incentive program to get SNAP benefits. Additionally, present at Holyoke Farmers Market with twenty vouchers this Saturday, 2/5 and 2/9.
Ellery Pool, TerraCorps Service Member at Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture508-498-9057 or Ellery@buylocalfood.orgEllery Pool - service member at Community Involved in Sustaining Agricultural run info sessions on how SNAP and HIP works. HIP gives everyone in MA with SNAP free extra money for fruits and veggies and can really increase people's SNAP budgets. Let me know if you want to schedule something! Ellery@buylocalfood.org or 508-498-9057Also the Holyoke Farmers' Market is on this Saturday 1/15 and 2/5 and 2/19 10am-2pm at in the War Memorial 310 Appleton St. Ellery Pool, CISA02:01:24Meant to add you can use SNAP and HIP at the farmers' market as well!

Abby Germain: Western Mass Moms Partnership
Happy to collaborate. Offer help for mothers that display depressive symptoms. 8 week stress management course and build healthy relationships. Offer employment services along with referring to local agencies when additional resources are needed. Research study: Next Gen Study. Aiming to enroll one thousand women over the next 2 years. Will get up to 50$ for involvement along with other incentives. Hoping to partner up with other agencies so as many women can take advantage of program.
Abbie Germain- Senior Intake Community Mental Health Ambassador, Western Mass MOMS Partnership, agermain@viability.org, 413-561-7413

Adrienne Nunez: Community Education Project
Offer courses for those that speak English as a second language. Also adult basic education in Spanish. Offer day and evening classes. Have rolling admission. Looking for volunteer that is bilingual on Monday and Wednesday morning.
Adrienne Núñez(She/They) Community Engagement Specialist Community Education Project (CEP)anunez@cepholyoke.orgAdrienne Núñez (she/they) Community Education Project01:53:58Hey everyone! I may need to jump off early. If so: Adrienne Núñez(She/They)Community Engagement Specialist Community Education Project (CEP)anunez@cepholyoke.orgWe offer English for Speakers of other languages and Spanish language Adult Basic Education courses. Evening and daytime. Free. Virtual. Devices available. For potential students:enroll@cepholyoke.orgCall or text 413-349-9876***Looking for Spanish/English bilingual Volunteer to help with teaching math in our Spanish Adult Basic Ed. course Monday and Wednesday mornings. ***

William Courchesne: HCSD Ward 6 Coordinator
Nothing new, please reach out to him.
Bill Courchesne Hampden County Sheriff's Dept. HSNI Ward 6 Coordinator 413-858-0015 william.courchesne@sdh.state.ma.us

Ed Caisse: Hampden County Sheriff’s Department
Ed explained if an agency is looking to secure a date to speak for the fifteen minutes during one of our networking meetings, we are currently booked up to June of 2022. Send him email to reserve spot to present for 15 minutes.

Always looking for agency volunteers to partner on community efforts. We are currently looking to expand basketball and table tennis, if anyone is interested in volunteering, please send Ed an email. It is good to have long list of volunteers that have a passion to work with the youth. If it interests you, the commitment is between 1-3 hrs. a week.

Working hard to work with families of the youth they are engaging. Start planning for Back-to-School event with HPS and Cradle to Crayons. August 20th or 27th is date that they have targeted. Always looking to enhance. It takes about three hundred volunteers and has capacity for fifty service provider tables.

Please join next month Networking Meeting on February 10. Always 2nd Thursday of month. Ed thanked everyone for everything that they do.
Ed Caisse, Hampden County Sheriff's Department, (413) 858-0225, ed.caisse@sdh.state.ma.us
From Chat:
Juan Anderson-Burgos (Rep. Duffy)47:33
Juan Anderson-Burgos-Legislative Aide to Representative Patricia Duffy

Walter Rice
Walter Rice Westover Job Corps Center Hi Everyone, Happy New Year! rice.walter@jobcorps.org
Brianna Owen, Brianna@weriseabove.org, funding activities such as sports, camp, theme park tickets, concert tickets, study abroad programs, and more for kids in the care and custody of the department!
Flor Diaz, Holyoke/Chicopee WIC Community Coordinator/ (413)612-0214 fdiaz@valleyopp.com

Trooper DeShawn Brown, Massachusetts state Police Community police Liaison. 857-262-7040. Deshawn.Brown@pol.state.ma.us also a certified car seat tech. if anyone knows of anyone who might be in need of these services, please let me know

Aliza Ansell, Youth Advisor, Tutor Coordinator, Valley Opportunity Council, Chicopee, MA aansell@valleyopp.com

Damaris Lopez, Case Coordinator at Boston Children's Hospital. Damaris.lopez@childrens.harvard.edu 413-537-0102

Happy New Year Everyone! My name is Laura Soderbaum, I work at Holyoke Housing Authority. Unfortunately, my video and audio are not working. Noting much going on, we are still open to the public. My contact information is 413-539-2220, ext. 218. Thanks :)

Will PuelloCity of HolyokeWard 2 councilorPlease reach out for ANYTHING7814917427puelloforward
Justin ChellmanProgram Director, Opioid Overdose PreventionSubstance Use Disorder Prevention ServicesSpringfield Dept. of Health and Human Services

Hello Everyone, Mo McGuinness, Holyoke Community College promoting two free Workforce training programs starting at the end of January. Free Line Cook Training and Free Hotel and Front Desk Training at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute, Holyoke. I have flyers, contact me if you are interested. Thank you. 413-531-0450 mmcguinness@hcc.edu

Giselle Gaines Sevita Adult Day Health Centers Giselle.gaines@sevitahealth.com 4133173100 we have four centers Holyoke, West Springfield, and Springfield.

Madeline Medina (Administrative Assistant) Springfield Family Resource Center18 Gaucher Street | Springfield Ma. | 01109Office: (413) 733-7699Cell: (413) 949-0735Fax: (413) 732-5168Email: mmedina2@gandaracenter.orgWebsite: https://www.frcma.org/



Old Business / New Business
• Next Meeting is Thursday, February 10th, 2022 (ZOOM).

Close Meeting 2:30pm
Contact Information:
Edward Caisse
Hampden County Sheriff’s Department
(413) 858-0225
ed.caisse@sdh.state.ma.us
Friend Request us on Facebook @ Shsni Holyoke