Florence Bank Donates $5,000 to Tech Foundry

FLORENCE — Florence Bank has donated $5,000 to Tech Foundry of Springfield in its 10th-anniversary year, supporting its newly established Innovation Fund to help enhance the organization’s digital-literacy curriculum and grow its reach.

Serving Hampshire, Hampden, and Franklin counties, Tech Foundry provides tech training and mentoring, increases access to careers and jobs in the tech field, builds talent and opportunity pipelines, drives digital literacy, and promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the region.

Training and mentorship are available at its classrooms in Springfield and across the region at organizations such as libraries and councils on aging. A new learning lab called Tech Hub in Holyoke also focuses on digital literacy, training, device distribution, and tech support.

“Tech Foundry helps connect people to living-wage jobs in the tech sector and increase equity and access for all in our community while driving economic development,” said Tricia Canavan, CEO of Tech Foundry. “We want to raise awareness of the ways in which we offer opportunity to residents and also partner with employers.”

Founded in 2014, the organization surged after the pandemic, doubling the number of classes offered annually and now serving roughly 400 people a month, up from roughly 90 per year before Tech Hub opened in October 2023. Students and mentees are trained for jobs that include IT help desk, digital imaging and deployment, network administration, and field technician.

“We’ve long been aware of Florence Bank’s deep and broad community support,” said Canavan, expressing gratitude for the recent grant. “They understand the unique needs of the community and can leverage their generous financial donations to really make an impact.”

Florence Bank President and CEO Matt Garrity added that “it’s a win when organizations like Tech Foundry are successful, so we are happy to provide support that will strengthen the organization and the community.”

To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Tech Foundry hosted a workforce-development luncheon in the spring and held a casual fundraiser, called Gaming for Tech, at the Quarters in Hadley on Sept. 19. On Oct. 24, a gala fundraising event was held at MGM Springfield.

Canavan said the goal is to raise $325,000 for the Innovation Fund to drive growth. Roughly $294,000 has been raised so far, and there is roughly $60,000 left of $100,000 in matching funds.

To donate, visit thetechfoundry.org/donate.