Work Opportunity Center Receives Grant from Springfield Rotary

SPRINGFIELD — Work Opportunity Center Inc. announced it is the recipient of a grant to help purchase outdoor seating. The Rotary Club of Springfield contributed $2,000 toward obtaining picnic tables for program participants of the community-based day-services program (CBDS).

The program will use the funds to obtain at least two ADA-compliant picnic tables that will be placed under a covered walkway on the side of the building, located at 73 Market Place in the heart of downtown Springfield. Outdoor seating will provide program participants and the general public a safe, clean place to eat or rest, or for the agency to use as programming space.

As COVID-19 continues to be prevalent the community, the tables will provide Work Opportunity Center, as well as others, an outdoor area to use to help reduce the spread of the virus. In addition, the downtown location provides the surrounding businesses and their customers a safe place to utilize when they are there. Adding an outdoor seating area benefits the Springfield community by providing them a safe space to socially distance themselves and be outdoors. It is also a chance to bring together the agency’s neighbors and their customers to make connections and form relationships.

CBDS enables individuals with developmental disabilities to enrich their lives and enjoy community activities by providing activities in five core fundamentals: education, social, health and wellness, life skills, and employment/volunteer. Career exploration, community-integration experiences, skills development and training, volunteer opportunities with local nonprofits, health and fitness classes, and socialization experiences are some of the activities provided within the program. The CBDS program currently services 84 individuals in the Greater Springfield area, with 32 individuals attending the program at Market Place.