News & Impact

Springfield, MA – The Kresge Foundation has awarded the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts , as convener of the Live Well Springfield coalition, a grant of $225,000 per year for three years to address climate change and protect people’s health in communities disproportionately affected by extreme heat, flooding, air and water pollution, and chronic and infectious disease. The Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts is one of 32 organizations nationwide receiving grant funding as part of The Kresge Foundation’s Climate Change, Health and Equity initiative. Live Well Springfield partners on the grant include Arise for Social Justice, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, Way Finders, and Springfield Climate Justice Coalition. With this funding, the Live Well Springfield Climate Change, Health, and Equity Committee (CCHE) will expand its efforts to build a healthier, more resilient Springfield. The Live Well Springfield CCHE Committee will: Work with the City of Springfield to build awareness and adoption of the Community Choice Power Supply Program, which uses collective buying power to secure stable, affordable electricity from cleaner, renewable sources. Live Well Springfield successfully advocated for the City to adopt this program, with support from a previous Kresge grant. Help update the city’s Climate Action and Resilience Plan, ensuring it reflects current challenges and community needs. Explore housing development policies that protect residents from extreme heat. Continue to advance statewide advocacy against polluting biomass facilities. Host community workshops on climate resilience. “Kresge’s continued investment in Springfield is vital to sustaining our momentum in advancing climate justice. We feel proud and empowered to stand tall among the many major cities that were also selected for this honor,” said Samantha Hamilton, Director of Coalition Building and Community Engagement at the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts . “Collaboration is critical to address the impacts of climate change,” said Jessica Collins, Executive Director of the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts. “These Kresge funds will help us advance strategies originally planned with the city and other partners before the EPA unexpectedly terminated the $20 million Community Change grant. We are so grateful that private philanthropy continues to step up and support local and regional climate mitigation work.” “The human health impacts of climate change are profound, and while climate change affects us all, it hits some communities harder than others. The pollution that creates dangerous heat waves and severe storms causes the most harm in communities already experiencing persistent health inequities, like lack of access to safe housing and quality health care, as well as chronic illnesses and respiratory disease, said Shamar Bibbins, Kresge Environment Program managing director . “Equitable solutions must be driven by the communities most affected, and doing so in partnership with trusted health practitioners and institutions can amplify local innovations and build broader momentum for change.” “Long-term change in cities requires strong and sustained cross-sector partnerships. Working together, we ensure that all of us, no matter who we are or where we live, have the opportunity to be healthy and to thrive. Climate action is fundamentally a public health imperative—offering transformative opportunities to reduce mental health burdens, chronic diseases, and infectious disease spread while advancing health equity for all," said Monica Valdes Lupi, Kresge Health Program managing director . For more information on Kresge's Climate Change, Health & Equity initiative, click here . ABOUT THE PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS The Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts supports communities in their efforts to become measurably healthier and more equitable through community engagement, convening collaborative partnerships, communications, data analysis, research and evaluation, and policy advocacy. We are committed to continuous learning, fostering collaboration, and amplifying the voices of those we serve. For more information, visit PublicHealthWM.org ###

In late September, resident advisors (RAs) from the Public Health Institute of Western MA gathered at Regreen Springfield for a Peer-to-Peer Learning Workshop. RAs from the following 5 coalitions shared successes, challenges, and key learnings. A team of RAs representing each initiative led presentations that sparked dialogue, allowing everyone to learn from one another, ask questions, and deepen their understanding of community efforts. Intergenerational Social Connections (ISC): Focuses on bringing youth and older adults together in Springfield to reduce loneliness, build relationships, and strengthen community across generations. Live Well Springfield Climate Change & Health Equity (CCHE): Focuses on advancing community choice energy for Springfield, creating strategies to address extreme heat, and developing a new Climate Change Action Plan for the city. Live Well Springfield Transforming Communities Initiative (TCI): Focuses on addressing Springfield’s housing needs by improving housing conditions, increasing affordability, and expanding opportunities for homeownership. Healthy Air Network: Focuses on monitoring air quality, exploring transportation issues, developing an innovative app, and tackling climate change challenges. The workshop also served as a warm welcome and orientation for new RAs joining the committees, especially our new Parent Advisors for the Youth Mental Health Coalition (YMHC), which is focused on youth mental health and problem gambling prevention. This was the largest cohort of resident advisors for the Public Health Institute and Live Well Springfield yet.

Samantha Hamilton Named A Pathbreaker by the Kresge Foundation

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This month, Live Well Springfield Coalition proudly served as the host site for the National Transforming Communities Initiative (TCI) Learning Institute at the Marriott Hotels and Conference Center in Downtown Springfield. The event brought together grantees from nine awarded sites across the country, with participants traveling from as far as Illinois, California, and Michigan. Led by our national Trinity Health partners, Jaime Dircksen , Vice President of Community Health and Well-Being, and Beth Geno-Otto , Manager of Operations & Community Initiatives, the conference provided a dynamic peer-learning environment. Grantees shared best practices and strategies for addressing community-based challenges through a policy, systems, and environmental change framework, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange across sites. Across the nine sites, grantees are tackling critical issues such as housing, food security, neighborhood safety, and mental health. These focus areas were identified through an inclusive, community-driven process following a review of each hospital’s Community Health Needs Assessment and additional local assessments conducted over the past two years. During the three-day conference, attendees were welcomed by Jessica Collins , Executive Director of the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts (PHIWM) , along with Robert Roose , President of Mercy Medical Center in Springfield, Johnson Memorial Hospital in Stafford, CT, and Saint Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury, CT. Dan Keenan, Vice President of Government Relations for Trinity Health of New England, also provided remarks. Additional special guests included PHIWM Board President Luz Lopez , Board Chair Dr. Edna Rodriguez , and Valerie L. Powell-Stafford , President of Saint Francis Hospital and Syed A. Hussain , MD Chief Clinical Officer. As part of the conference, grantees participated in three community tours across Hartford, Springfield, and Holyoke, each focused on key issues: housing, food access, and mental health. These tours were coordinated by local community sites with support from grassroots organizations working within their respective coalitions. Highlights from the tours included: A visit to Wellspring Harvest Greenhouse , where Trinity Health’s initial investment through the first round of TCI funding helped provide low-interest loans to support community development. A stop at Gardening the Community and Farm Store , where youth leaders discussed urban agriculture and preparations for the spring planting season. A thought-provoking conversation on housing development led by Keith Fairey, CEO and President of Way Finders . We extend our deepest gratitude to the many organizations that welcomed grantees and shared both the challenges and successes of their work, including Arise for Social Justice , Neighbor 2 Neighbor , Gardening the Community , Wellspring Harvest Cooperative , the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts , Revitalize CDC , and Way Finders . Our community partners showcased their dedication to creating safe, sustainable housing, advocating for tenant rights, and ensuring that families have access to healthy homes and thriving neighborhoods. Their work uplifts communities, allowing residents to live in safe, stable environments where they can grow and thrive. As the conference came to a close, Jaime Dircksen shared her heartfelt gratitude and underscored the importance of continuing this work, despite the challenges posed by the current political climate. Trinity Health remains steadfast in its commitment to investing in the nine sites throughout the remaining three years of this five-year grant. Together, we will continue building healthier, stronger communities through collective action and shared vision.

Program Manager for Green and Resilient Springfield

Over the past six years, the Age-Friendly Coalition has dedicated its efforts to gaining insights into the challenges and needs of older adults in relation to housing, transportation, and community support. The report “Healthy Aging with a Criminal Record in Hampden County MA: A Health Impact Assessment,” (HIA) revealed that older adults have been denied housing due to having a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORIs) despite these records being decades old. This obstacle has made it challenging for many older adults to access stable housing. The HIA includes six potential policy changes to help older adults with CORIs secure housing: Establish formal partnerships between housing and service providers; Limit tenant selection criteria to the two types of convictions that HUD denies; Allow applicants to submit evidence of mitigating circumstances before denial; Create explicit criteria for denial that is available publicly; Share statistics about denials; Allow family members to house people with a CORI. Housing is essential to a person’s overall well-being. Securing housing is pivotal for a successful reentry into the community. Advocacy is needed to address the life-long barriers a CORI creates, especially for older adults. Because of this, the Point32Health Foundation provided an additional $94,000 grant to Live Well Springfield to advocate for “clean slate” legislation. The Clean Slate Initiative is a national coalition working with community-based organizations across the country to pass and implement laws that automatically seal the records of people who are eligible, and expand eligibility. The Age-Friendly Coalition, Men of Color Health Awareness , and New North Citizens Council have joined the Clean Slate Initiative with the goal of making Massachusetts the thirteenth state to enact these types of legislation. This would help change the lives of tens of thousands of people in the Commonwealth. To join the movement contact Andrea Freeman .

Mural in the North End of Springfield by World Renowned Artist Betsy Casañas