For nearly five decades, DIAL/SELF Youth and Community Services has worked to make sure young people in Western Massachusetts have access to the resources, support, and opportunities they need to build independent and fulfilling lives. Founded in 1977 by a local doctor and community members concerned about the lack of services available to at-risk youth, the Greenfield-based nonprofit has now served more than 40,000 young people throughout Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden Counties and the North Quabbin region.
As part of the Notice Non-Profits series, DIAL/SELF is a local organization worth knowing about—not only for the direct services it provides to young people, but also for the network of schools, community organizations, volunteers, and AmeriCorps members that help make its work possible.
Photo credit: Massachusetts Service Alliance
Supporting Young People Where They Are
DIAL/SELF's mission is to help young people build personal and community strengths and develop greater autonomy by connecting them with housing, income, education, and civic opportunities. The organization works from a Positive Youth Development philosophy, recognizing that young people have their own strengths and should have opportunities to make choices about their lives.
Its outreach work focuses particularly on young people who may be experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness and sexual exploitation. Youth, parents, school counselors, and other professionals can reach out to DIAL/SELF for information and referrals, counseling, case management, advocacy, and emergency shelter.
The organization meets young people in a variety of settings, including schools, community meal programs, resource centers, and through street outreach.
Greenfield Drop-In Resource Center
DIAL/SELF operates a drop-in resource center at:
277 Main Street, 3rd Floor
Greenfield, MA
The Greenfield Drop-In Resource Center is open Mondays from 2:00–5:00 p.m.
The center provides a welcoming place for young people to access practical resources and support. Services include a food pantry, hygiene products, clothing, referrals, intake and case management, and access to the Coordinated Entry System for housing-related services.
The organization also provides emergency shelter support for young people, including limited emergency housing for youth under 18 through its NightOwl overnight teen warming center.
Resources in Orange
DIAL/SELF also operates a Resource Center in Orange at:
Orange Innovation Center
131 W. Main Street, Suite 226
Orange, MA
The Orange Resource Center is available by appointment. Young people can call to schedule a visit.
The shift from open drop-in hours to appointments allows DIAL/SELF to continue offering the same range of resources while creating additional opportunities to connect with young people throughout the week. Services include:
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Food pantry
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Hygiene products
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Clothing
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Referrals
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Intake and case management
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Coordinated Entry System access
DIAL/SELF also remains the service provider for youth apartments at 15–17 E. Main Street in Orange, while the Franklin County Regional Housing & Redevelopment Authority manages the property.
Safe Place: A Path to Immediate Help
Another important DIAL/SELF program is Safe Place, part of a nationwide effort to connect young people with immediate help and safety.
A young person who feels scared, unsafe, or confused can look for the familiar yellow-and-black Safe Place sign displayed at participating locations. By approaching a Safe Place location and asking for help, the young person can be connected with DIAL/SELF staff who can provide support and help determine appropriate next steps.
Safe Place can also offer supportive services to families.
The program provides an important reminder that help doesn't necessarily begin at a social service office. A young person may encounter a Safe Place location while out in the community and have a way to ask for help when they need it.
Building Skills and Connections Through AmeriCorps
DIAL/SELF's work extends beyond direct resource and housing services. Its AmeriCorps program creates opportunities for members to work directly with young people throughout Western Massachusetts.
AmeriCorps members build relationships with youth and support them in developing skills, confidence, and connections. Activities can include arts and music, alternative approaches to learning, restorative circles, and collaborative coaching.
Rather than simply telling young people what to do, the program focuses on helping them set their own goals, make decisions, learn through experience, and develop greater autonomy.
DIAL/SELF AmeriCorps has been operating since 1996, partnering with schools and youth-serving organizations across the region. Members serve in communities ranging from Greenfield to Springfield and in both rural and urban settings.
A Community-Wide Effort
DIAL/SELF's work is built around collaboration. Over the years, its AmeriCorps program has partnered with a wide range of schools, nonprofits, community organizations, and youth programs throughout Western Massachusetts.
These partnerships allow young people to encounter support in places where they already spend time—whether that's a school, community center, recreation program, or another local organization.
The organization's guiding values include collaboration, accountability, innovation, respect, and equity. Its vision is for young people to have what they need to experience well-being and to be meaningfully engaged in and valued by their communities.
How the Community Can Help
Organizations like DIAL/SELF demonstrate how local nonprofits can address challenges facing young people by combining direct services with long-term relationship building and community partnerships.
For families, educators, community members, and other local organizations, simply knowing that these resources exist can make a difference when a young person needs somewhere to turn.
DIAL/SELF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and community members can support its work through donations or by learning more about volunteer, partnership, and AmeriCorps opportunities.
Learn More
DIAL/SELF Youth and Community Services
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