Community Action Pioneer Valley Annual Meeting to Be Held on May 7

GREENFIELD — Community Action Pioneer Valley (CAPV) will hold its annual meeting on Thursday, May 7 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Greenfield Community College Dining Commons. Guests will enjoy a hot breakfast while they learn more about CAPV’s efforts to keep neighbors who are navigating poverty fed, warm, supported, and connected.

The mission of Community Action is to assist people who have low incomes to achieve economic stability and security. In 2025, the organization served more than 25,000 residents across Franklin and Hampshire counties.

The CAPV annual meeting is one of my favorite events of the year,” Associate Director of Community Engagement Jess Thompson said. “We tell stories to see the bigger picture of how our day-to-day anti-poverty work helps our neighbors build community and take action to address the struggles of living with low incomes.”

Annually, Community Action uses the opportunity of this celebration to recognize community partners who have played a meaningful role in supporting its efforts. CAPV will present the following awards at the 2026 annual meeting:

• The Sargent Shriver Award will be presented to U.S. Sen. Ed Markey for his consistent partnership in supporting the most vulnerable members of the community, particularly through his advocacy for the Low Income Heating Energy Assistance Program.

• The Jane Sanders Award will be given to Marianne Winters, executive director of Safe Passage, a Hampshire County organization serving survivors of domestic violence. This award celebrates the Say Something Youth Initiative, a collaboration between Safe Passage and Community Action’s Youth and Workforce Development programs to support young adults.

• The Volunteer of the Year Award will be presented to Gliffy Ennis-Yentsch, lead instructor with the Healthy Bones and Balance Program.

“We have faced significant challenges in the past year, but each time, the community has answered loud and clear: we take care of our neighbors here,” CAPV Executive Director Lev BenEzra said. “At our annual meeting, we’ll talk about how Community Action builds strong community ties both inside and outside our programs. You’ll see how the work we do within the walls of the Family Center or our Youth Leadership Development groups ripples out into a greater community impact. It’s exciting to see.”

Annual meeting sponsors include Greenfield Savings Bank, Greenfield Cooperative Bank, and Whalen Insurance. The event will be open to the public, but guests are required to pre-register. Event registration is available at www.communityaction.us or by leaving a message at (413) 376-1166.