United Way Pioneer Valley to Host Kickoff for Summer Step Up Initiative
SPRINGFIELD — United Way Pioneer Valley (UWPV) is celebrating the beginning of a new Step Up Springfield season with a kickoff reception at the Community Leadership Connect (CLC) Leaders Lounge. Click here to register.
The event will take place on Thursday, July 9 from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at UWPV’s offices in the TD Bank building, 1441 Main St., Springfield. Speakers will include leadership from United Way of Pioneer Valley and representatives from participating agencies. The event is intended to convene providers and community leaders to learn more about the program’s impact throughout the region, and to identify additional shared resources to enhance service delivery.
The Summer Step Up grant expands access to summer learning in early education across the region. Funded through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and administered by United Way of Massachusetts Bay, the grant is supported locally by United Way Pioneer Valley, which provides oversight and resource coordination for participating agencies. In Springfield, grantees include Square One and the Springfield Boys & Girls Club; in Holyoke, grantees include Valley Opportunity Council and Holyoke Public Schools. Together, these local agencies are receiving $300,000 to broaden summer learning opportunities for area children.
This summer’s funding will support approximately 158 youth in six weeks of summer programming across July and August, with transportation provided so that more families can take part, and will fund 541 hours of professional development for early education staff.
Created in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, the grant helps families with young children access expanded summer education as their children prepare to enter school age and transition into the coming school year. The programming’s earlier success in preparing youth for school led to its continuation and expansion, allowing more children and families to benefit each year. The funding supports increased professional development for early education staff, transportation assistance, and enrollment of children whose families do not have a childcare voucher.
This landmark launch event serves as the cornerstone of UWPV’s CLC Leaders Lounge series, bringing together grantees with the critical community resources identified as essential for family success. The CLC platform focuses on connecting agencies with capacity-building resources that enable them to focus on program delivery. The ceremony will feature direct services from UWPV’s Basic Needs and Financial Wellness programs, alongside regional partners including the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and 413Cares. By formalizing these connections at the start of the season, UWPV ensures a comprehensive support network for the hundreds of households served weekly through its regional outreach.