Bank seeks donations for Stone Soup Cafe

GREENFIELD — Greenfield Cooperative Bank has announced a food and hygiene drive to benefit Stone Soup Café. The drive aims to replenish the shelves with groceries and personal care items.

Stone Soup Café is a nonprofit pay-what-you-can community meals program that also provides weekly access to groceries, produce and personal care items. To support these efforts, Greenfield Cooperative Bank is calling on the community to donate unopened pantry items and personal care products throughout the month of April.

“Stone Soup Café is a cornerstone of our community, offering critical support to those facing food insecurity and hygiene challenges,” Jackie Charron, senior vice president of strategy and implementation at Greenfield Cooperative Bank, said in a statement. “We are proud to partner with them and invite our neighbors to join us in making a tangible difference.”

Donations of the following items are appreciated: unopened pantry items, personal care items, toothpaste, soap, deodorant and socks.

Donations can be dropped off at the Greenfield Cooperative Bank branches at 63 Federal St. in Greenfield or 277 Federal St. in Greenfield through April 30.

GCC welcomes two new board members

GREENFIELD — Andrew Morehouse and Linda Dunlavy have joined Greenfield Community College’s board of trustees, bringing GCC’s board to its full membership of 11.

Morehouse has served as executive director of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts since 2005, where he guides the organization in providing food assistance and building long-term solutions to end hunger. In addition to joining GCC’s board, Morehouse serves on several other nonprofit boards, including Kestrel Land Trust, Way Finders and the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“Joining the board of Greenfield Community College is an exciting venture for me, as I believe community colleges are essential in breaking down barriers like food insecurity through the food bank’s support of the GCC food pantry,” Morehouse said in a statement. “GCC empowers individuals through quality academic programs and also plays a pivotal role in fostering a strong, skilled workforce that is vital for our region’s prosperity.”

Prior to his work with the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Morehouse was the founding director of a community development corporation devoted to asset-building strategies of, for and by low-income residents in Holyoke. Morehouse has also worked in Washington D.C. in community-based programs in the Salvadoran refugee community and in public policy think tanks on U.S. foreign policy in Latin America.

Morehouse has a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Bates College, a master’s degree in economics from the University of Massachusetts and a Master of Business Administration from UMass Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management.

Dunlavy is executive director of the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG). She has worked for FRCOG since 1993 and has been executive director since 1999. The organization serves the 26 towns of Franklin County and provides regional services that include economic development, transportation, emergency preparedness, climate resiliency, community health and advocacy, as well as municipal services such as building inspection, public health and town accounting.

In addition to joining GCC’s board, Dunlavy sits on the boards of the Massachusetts Broadband Institute, Common Capital, the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce and Rural Development Inc. She is also chair of the Massachusetts Rural Policy Advisory Commission.

“In joining the board of Greenfield Community College, I see a tremendous opportunity to strengthen our community’s educational landscape,” Dunlavy said. “Education is the foundation for a thriving economy, and I am committed to ensuring that GCC continues to innovate and provide accessible learning opportunities for all residents of Franklin County. Together, we can empower students to realize their full potential and contribute to the resilience and growth of our region.”

Dunlavy has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Boston College and a master’s degree in regional planning from the University of Massachusetts.

Freedom Credit Union collecting donations for Way Finders

SPRINGFIELD — During April, Freedom Credit Union is inviting the community to donate money at any of its branches throughout western Massachusetts to benefit the Springfield-based Way Finders, an agency that helps people facing challenges to secure housing.

“Safe and secure housing is a basic essential,” Freedom Credit Union President Glenn Welch said in a statement. “Financial instability combined with a shortage of affordable housing in our region has forced many people into dire circumstances. We hope they know they’re not alone.”

Way Finders provides services such as emergency housing assistance, support for renters and help for those facing foreclosure. The agency also helps people secure employment, economic mobility and home ownership.

Every month, Freedom Credit Union collects donations for a different charity as part of its Month of Giving campaigns. This year, Freedom Credit Union asked its members to nominate charities for support.

“We’re so thankful to those who generously contribute to our collections,” Welch said. “Investing in community is what Freedom Credit Union is all about.”