SPRINGFIELD — On Saturday, April 25 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Revitalize CDC will lead more than 800 volunteers in a transformative day of service across the city of Springfield.

As part of its 34th annual #GreenNFit Neighborhood Rebuild, the nonprofit organization will repair 18 homes and also complete a spring cleanup at the Springfield Boys & Girls Club at 481 Carew St. and the Boys & Girls Club Family Center at 100 Acorn St. Volunteer check-in takes place at 481 Carew St., along with a welcome from Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno.

The impact will be felt by some of the city’s most vulnerable residents, including military veterans, seniors, and families with young children. Of the homes being repaired, three are owned by military veterans, one who served in the U.S. Air Force in Vietnam and two others who served in the U.S. Army. In total, 15 of the homeowners are seniors, and six households include children.

Laurie Caraid now has a safe wheelchair ramp thanks to Revitalize CDC. And once the #GreenNFit cleanup is completed on April 25, her backyard will be ready for gardening, afternoons sitting in the sunshine, and a Memorial Day cookout.

“We’ll have lots of room for a backyard oasis out here, and I cannot wait,” Caraid said. “Having my own yard again, and one I can access, it’s a really big deal. I’m just excited to have that independence and that joy back.”

Laurie, a retired behavioral therapist, and her wife, Jamie, bought their Tyler Street home seven months ago. Coming from a non-accessible apartment in Central Mass., they were happy to find a home in Springfield that offered a sizable backyard, in a community with good public transportation and close to Laurie’s primary doctor.

Laurie has Charcot-Marie-Tooth, a genetic neuromuscular disease, which has progressed to her needing to use a wheelchair full-time. Jamie, her partner of 27 years, is legally blind. Their son, 16-year-old Hayden, lives with them; Laurie and Jamie also have four adult children.

Their new neighborhood has been wonderful, Laurie said, with the neighbors always looking out for one another. Unfortunately, their backyard was loaded with trash, and Laurie’s first wheelchair ramp turned out to be unsteady and unsuitable. Luckily, she connected with Revitalize CDC, which installed a new wheelchair ramp.

On April 25, Revitalize CDC will send dozens of #GreenNFit volunteers to clear the backyard debris and make room for raised planters, among other improvements. Of course, Laurie will share produce with her neighbors. “Raising my kids, I’ve always said, what you put out there is what you get back,” she said.

Laurie helped others for years as a behavioral therapist, first as a program manager at a residential facility for boys, and later, providing in-home therapy and counseling for children and adults living with substance abuse and mental health diagnoses. Now it’s come full circle: Laurie and her family getting help from others in her new community.

“Don’t be surprised if I cry,” she said. “It’s huge, the difference it’s going to be for us.”

Revitalize CDC’s signature #GreenNFit Neighborhood Rebuild event showcases the power of community coming together to improve health, safety, and quality of life, one home, one park, and one neighbor at a time.

“This is more than just repairing houses; it’s about uplifting entire communities,” said Colleen Shanley-Loveless, president and CEO of Revitalize CDC. “When we invest in homes and community spaces, we invest in people’s futures. It’s powerful to see hundreds of volunteers and neighbors helping neighbors all united to make that happen.”

Frank Robinson

SPRINGFIELD — Revitalize Community Development Corporation (CDC) announced the election of two new members to its board of directors: Frank Robinson, retired vice president and Public Health officer at Baystate Health, and Nikki Gleason, vice president and branch manager at Florence Bank in West Springfield.

Nikki Gleason

Robinson has made decades of contributions to public health, education, and community development across Western Mass. and beyond. Early in his career, he advanced health equity through leadership roles in the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health and the Northeast Ohio Developmental Center. He went on to serve as the founding executive director of Partners for a Healthier Community and director of Community Health Planning at Baystate Health, where he championed upstream approaches to community well-being.

Moyah Smith

From 2015 to 2024, as vice president and Public Health officer at Baystate Health, Robinson played a pivotal role in establishing the Baystate Academy Charter Public School and the Baystate Springfield Educational Partnership, both designed to empower Springfield students through academic excellence and college readiness. He also led regional initiatives such as the Anchor Collaborative and the Alliance for Digital Equity, and in 2023, he secured a $5.1 million grant from the Massachusetts Broadband Institute to expand digital literacy and public connectivity.

Robin Youmans

Gleason brings more than 25 years of experience in commercial and community banking to the board. As vice president and branch manager at Florence Bank, she is known for her dedication to helping businesses and individuals achieve financial stability through personalized, relationship-driven service. She has also demonstrated her long-standing commitment to community revitalization by volunteering for more than a decade as a Revitalize CDC #GreenNFit Neighborhood Rebuild house captain, helping transform homes and neighborhoods across Springfield.

The organization also announced new board leadership with Moyah Smith, owner of B-Side Entertainment & Memories Matter, elected as board chair, and Robin Youmans of the Center for Human Development elected as board clerk. Smith, who has served on Revitalize CDC’s board for 10 years, succeeds John Robinson, who led the board for the past five years and will continue to serve as a member after more than two decades of volunteer leadership.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Robinson and Ms. Gleason to our board, and to have Moyah and Robin step into new leadership roles,” said Colleen Shanley-Loveless, president and CEO of Revitalize CDC. “Their experience, dedication, and shared commitment to equity and community empowerment will strengthen our ability to make homes and lives healthier, safer, and more energy-efficient across Western Massachusetts.”

SPRINGFIELD — Revitalize CDC’s 32nd annual #GreenNFit Neighborhood Rebuild will work on 12 homes in the North End of Springfield (Chapin Terrace and Jardine, Lancashire, and Massasoit streets) with the help of more than 700 volunteers and 80 supporters on Saturday, April 27 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

A welcome and pep rally will be held at the Walgreens on the corner of Montmorenci and Chestnut streets from 8:30 to 9 a.m. The volunteers will be welcomed by Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno.

One of the homes is owned by a military veteran who served in the U.S. Navy, while another home is owned by a U.S. Navy veteran who served in the Vietnam War. Six homes are owned by families with children, and six are owned by seniors.

One of the #GreenNFit recipients is the Borrero family. Pedro and Libby Borrero have been together since 1983. Both were born and raised in Springfield and met at a library where Libby was working. Pedro is a veteran who served four years in the Navy. Libby and Pedro would write letters to each other when he was serving, and they still have those letters today. They bought their home in 1993 and raised their two daughters and their niece, whom they adopted when she wasn’t yet 2 years old. They now have one of their daughters and two grandchildren, ages 2 and 4, living with them.

They love their neighborhood, as it’s very family-oriented, and they are friendly with neighbors who have owned their homes for just as long as they have. On April 27, Revitalize CDC will surprise the family by constructing a brand-new swing set for the two grandchildren with the help of the volunteers.

Revitalize CDC focuses on making meaningful improvements on homes to help reduce energy use, save money, and create a safe, healthy, and sustainable living environment for residents and the community. Improvements include installing or retrofitting HVAC systems to allow for a transition from fossil fuel to renewable energy, such as solar conversions; new roofs; energy-efficient windows, doors, and appliances; water-saving plumbing fixtures; electrical upgrades; mold remediation, lead abatement, and pest control; interior and exterior painting; and modifying homes for aging or disabled homeowners, such as building exterior access ramps.

Each year, hundreds of volunteers from Maine to Florida work alongside residents of Springfield on a targeted neighborhood. Also, families who benefited from past #GreenNFit events volunteer to help their neighbors on the next block.

SPRINGFIELD — Revitalize CDC’s #GreenNFit Neighborhood Rebuild is back after a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19. This year, a total of 12 homes in Springfield’s Memorial Square neighborhood — owned by low-income families with children, aging adults, military veterans, and people with special needs — will be worked on by 1,000 volunteers and more than 100 supporters. In addition, vacant lots will be cleaned up and Calhoun Park improved.

Volunteers return each year from Maine to Virginia and work alongside the residents of Springfield. Families who benefited from past #GreenNFit events volunteer to help their neighbors on the next block.

Revitalize CDC focuses on making meaningful improvements on homes to help reduce energy use, save money, and create a safe, healthy, and sustainable living environment for residents and the community. Improvements include installing or retrofitting HVAC systems to allow for a transition from fossil fuel to renewable energy, such as solar conversions; new roofs; energy-efficient windows, doors, and appliances; water-saving plumbing fixtures; electrical upgrades; mold remediation, lead abatement, and pest control; interior and exterior painting; and modifying homes for aging or disabled homeowners, such as building exterior access ramps.

Revitalize CDC is still seeking donations, sponsors, and volunteers. Visit www.revitalizecdc.com for more information, the current list of supports, and to register.

SPRINGFIELD — Revitalize Community Development Corporation (CDC) and the BeHealthy Partnership accountable-care organization (ACO) made up of Health New England, Baystate Health Centers, and Caring Health Center, have been doing innovative work to understand patients’ social and medical needs throughout Western Mass. These needs are addressed under MassHealth’s Flexible Services Program.

Since early November, the partnership, as part of COVID-19 and nutrition emergency response, has supported patients at risk of contracting COVID-19 by providing them with essential supplies and access to nutritious food at home. The program specifically serves vulnerable members of the community who may face food insecurity and homelessness to allow them to remain safe and healthy in self-isolation.

Patients enrolled in the program are insured through the BeHealthy Partnership and are identified as high-risk for contracting COVID-19 or have already contracted the virus with a risk factor of nutritional imbalance. The program will run through the end of the year and is making contactless deliveries that also include COVID-19 prevention supplies, including disinfectants, microfiber cleaning cloths, face masks, cleaning gloves, dish detergent, food-storage containers, hand soap, disinfectant wipes, paper towels, hand sanitizers, and food from local pantries.

In addition, over Thanksgiving, Wildwood Elementary School in Amherst, CCRC Manufacturing in Springfield, and an individual donor donated turkeys with all the fixings. Revitalize CDC is also collaborating with Stone Soul to deliver turkeys, hams, and chickens to families over the December holidays.

“The BeHealthy Partnership ACO jumped at the opportunity to utilize the Flexible Services funding provided to them by MassHealth to help our community in need during this pandemic,” said Preeti Nakrani, Medicaid and BeHealthy Program manager at Health New England. “The prevalence of food insecurity has risen to unseen levels in recent months, and the COVID-19 food-delivery program that the ACO has launched in partnership with Revitalize CDC aims to promote social distancing while simultaneously addressing the food crisis. Our high-risk community members will no longer need to leave their homes and risk exposure in order to buy groceries. In a very short amount of time, we have seen significant demand for this service.”

Libby Lord, Revitalize CDC COVID-19 Program Assistant, noted that “the people I’m delivering to are cooperative and appreciative despite the hard times they’re having. They inspire me, and they’ve made me feel the holiday spirit — which I really haven’t felt for quite a while.”