The Franklin County community has always been there to support our local non-profits. Local community members volunteer their time, attend events, and donate money to support our local organizations which better our community and provide invaluable resources. This past year, with the Covid-19 pandemic, many local non-profit organizations have been hit hard financially. The organizations have had to cancel or restructure fundraising events which meant they received less proceeds than in past years. Plus, this year has been tough financially on most households, and therefore people have not been able to donate as much money as they had in past years.
However, now more than ever is when our community needs the work of these nonprofits to help everyone through these incredibly tough times. Below are four Franklin County non-profit organizations whose work is crucial to the wellbeing of our community. I encourage you to take the time to learn about these organizations and if you can donate any money to them, even if just a small amount, please do so. If we support them, then they can support our community.
Children’s Advocacy Center of Franklin County and North Quabbin Area
Efforts to contain the Covid-19 Coronavirus and to protect global health, such as lockdowns, social distancing, and staying at home, have consequently exposed children and adolescents to an increased risk of family violence. At the same time, these victims have been isolated from the valuable people and resources that could help them in these situations.
The mission of the Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) is to prevent and end child abuse in our community by providing education, safety, healing and justice. By working with the Child Abuse Unit of the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office, CAC is dedicated to minimizing secondary trauma to child victims by streamlining the handling of cases of child sexual abuse, serious child physical abuse, and child exploitation. They envision a community in which children are respected and free from harm and their services can make that happen. Learn more about CAC on their website and donate to the CAC here.
Hilltown Food Pantry
The Covid-19 pandemic has led to a deep economic crisis in the country. Millions of Americans are facing hunger due to lack of access to sufficient food. The Hilltown Food Pantry has been serving the Northern Hampshire Hilltowns since 1990, and this year especially, their services are needed. The pantry is located in Goshen and serves eligible residents of the surrounding towns. Over 350 individuals from over 150 families share in the monthly distribution of emergency supplemental foods.
The Hilltown Food Pantry is a program of the Northampton Survival Center. In normal times, the Center could accept items of unopened and undamaged non-perishable food and fresh produce. Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, they can currently only accept financial donations. These donations are used to buy items on sale and in bulk, pay salaries, maintain the buildings, and keep the refrigerators running. Donate however much you can here. One donation of $50 provides monthly groceries plus weekly supplements of fresh produce to one person for two months. Learn more about the Hilltown Food Pantry here.
Dakin Humane Society
The Dakin Humane Society is a community-supported animal welfare organization that provides shelter, medical care, spay/neuter services, and behavioral rehabilitation for more than 20,000 animals and people each year. They provide veterinary services such as spay/neuter, vaccines, and humane euthanasia as well as pet services such as grooming and pet food aid. Their mission is to deliver effective, innovative services that improve the lives of animals in need and the people who care for them. They operate under the belief that when people are provided with information and resources they will make good decisions for their animals.
The Dakin Humane Society is reliant solely on contributions from individuals and the dedication of nearly 600 volunteers who work alongside their staff to help care for the animals, deliver their programs, and govern the organization. If you care about animals and wish to be a supporter of this wonderful organization, you can make a donation of whatever amount you can here. A donation of $25 provides 20 meals for 20 animals. Learn more about the Dakin Humane Society at dakinhumane.org.
United Way of Franklin County
United Way of Franklin County is part of the largest privately-funded nonprofit in the world with more than 2.8 million volunteers and 9.3 million donors in 41 countries. Locally, United Way of Franklin County is dedicated to improving the quality of life in Franklin County through the mobilization of people and resources to strengthen our communities and advance the common good. They operate many programs throughout the year which support the building blocks for a good quality of life: education, financial stability, and health. These programs provide books and school supplies to local children and adolescents, diapers to families with babies and young children, prescription medication to families who cannot afford their medications, and more. United Way of Franklin County also acts as a voice for other local agencies which are in need of support or supplies. Donate today to the United Way of Franklin County here and learn more at uw-fc.org.
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