Zonta Club of Quaboag Valley Awards Service Grants to Local Nonprofits
BELCHERTOWN — Dr. Mary Ann Rubis and Liz Reeves, service committee chairs for the Zonta Club of Quaboag Valley, announced that spring 2025 service grants have been awarded to four organizations: Girls on the Run Western Massachusetts, Ware River Valley Domestic Violence Task Force, YWCA of Western Massachusetts, and Girls Inc. of the Valley.
Grants ranging from $100 to $2,000 are awarded twice annually, in May and November, by the Zonta Club of Quaboag Valley as part of Zonta’s mission to make a better world for women and girls.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary this spring, Girls on the Run is the only national out-of-school-time program of its kind, underscoring the important connection between physical and emotional health and empowering adolescent girls to build healthy physical and mental habits that last a lifetime. Program Manager Coleen Ryan said Zonta’s gift will help support youth who could not otherwise afford to participate.
The River Valley Domestic Violence Task Force is a community-driven, community-led task force covering Ware, Warren, and Hardwick. Its goal is to prevent and respond to domestic violence through community-led projects. Deb Shepard from Behavioral Health Network said Zonta’s gift will help support the Library Book Project on Consent and Boundaries for ages 0-8.
With a mission to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all, the YWCA of Western Massachusetts serves women and children who are survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and homelessness. CEO Liz Dineen and Communications Director Tiera Wright said the grant from Zonta would boost their efforts to educate families in the Y’s shelter about eating locally sourced, fresh fruits and vegetables, and to show that it’s not just healthier, but more affordable, too.
A positive youth development organization serving Hampden County girls and young women ages 5-18, Girls Inc. of the Valley provides hands-on programs that focus on long-term academic/literacy support and enrichment, social emotional skill building, college and career readiness, and leadership training to empower youth and prepare them for successful futures. Executive Director Suzanne Parker and Lakisha Coppedge, director of the Licensed School Age Program, said Zonta’s gift will underscore the girls’ connection to the organization, increase their safety, and increase the visibility of the organization in the community.