Hampden County Sheriff’s Posse Donates $50,000 to YWCA of Western Massachusetts

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Hampden County Sheriff’s Posse, an organization created a year ago to support domestic violence awareness and prevention across the county, presented a $50,000 donation to the YWCA of Western Massachusetts on July 20 at Springfield Country Club.

The donation was made in memory of Eileen Monaghan, executive assistant to Sheriff Nick Cocchi, who was tragically murdered by her boyfriend in 2024. Funds were raised during the Sheriff’s Posse’s second annual golf tournament, which drew more than 250 participants and supporters.

The Hampden County Sheriff’s Posse operates under the Jay Caron Community Impact Foundation and works alongside Cocchi to provide vital resources and assistance to victims of domestic violence and abuse. The group is dedicated to improving lives and creating positive change in the community through fundraising and outreach initiatives.

“It was in Eileen’s DNA to help people in need, and I know she’d be proud to know that we are working to help others while remembering her life and legacy,” Cocchi said. “The money raised goes directly to the YWCA of Western Massachusetts because, when it comes to helping people in dangerous domestic situations, they do an amazing job and save lives daily.”

Elizabeth Dineen, CEO of the YWCA of Western Massachusetts, accepted the check and spoke about the pressing need for continued resources to help victims and survivors.

“We deeply appreciate this financial support. Thank you to the Sheriff’s Posse for this fabulous and generous donation,” she said. “A special thanks to Sheriff Cocchi for his ongoing support of the YWCA’s work on behalf of survivors of domestic violence. I am so grateful for our partnership.”

The Children Who Witness Violence program provides trauma-informed counseling and supportive services for children ages 3-18 who have experienced or witnessed domestic violence or sexual assault. The program offers short-term intervention, generally 12 to 15 sessions, in English or Spanish, in a safe and non-judgmental environment.

Dineen also noted that the donation will help expand the YWCA’s Healthy and Empowering Relationship Education Project, which equips young people with the skills and confidence to identify and interrupt cycles of violence. Currently offered in Springfield to youth ages 12-18, the project partners with local schools to deliver three evidence-based programs: One Love, addressing healthy relationships and teen dating violence; Bout That Life, focusing on bystander intervention and challenges faced by BIPOC youth; and Not a Number, addressing risk and protective factors for sex trafficking.

Gary Lavallee, the person who organized and started the Hampden County Sheriff’s Posse, said he is proud of how the group has grown and the assistance it enables.

“I started the Sheriff’s Posse to make a meaningful impact on domestic violence awareness, something that is very important to Sheriff Cocchi,” Lavallee said. “With this year’s $50,000 donation in addition to last year’s $45,000 contribution, we know that we are helping other people in Eileen’s memory. I’m extremely proud of our posse members and what we can achieve when we come together for a good cause.”

The YWCA of Western Massachusetts provides critical services for individuals and families throughout the region, with locations in Holyoke, Northampton, Springfield, and Westfield, as well as an 11-acre campus at 1 Clough St. in Springfield that offers shelter and comprehensive support for women and children escaping abuse.