Page 14 - BusinessWest February 3, 2025

EDITORIAL >>
Supporting the Local Food Economy
In talking with Alisa Klein about Grow Food Northampton for the story that begins on page 25, she shared some sober- ing statistics in explaining why the nonprofit’s work is so
important.
One is 30% — that’s the percentage of families in Hampden
and Hampshire counties that are not able to access enough healthy, nutritious food on a regular basis. Many of those are single-mother households, and for families of color, the rate is much higher.
Alarmingly, that 30% figure actually shot up to close to 50% during the pandemic a few years ago. In response to that crisis, GFN launched a community food-distribution project along with the Northampton Survival Center, which delivered food weekly to 16 low-income housing sites.
“Each of our organizations has continued to do our work separately since the pandemic ended,” Klein told BusinessWest, “but it was the pandemic that kind of set off community insecu- rity in a new way.”
Adapting to changing needs is critical to the work that she and Michael Skillicorn, the organization’s co-executive directors, along with their teams of dedicated staffers and volunteers, do. In fact, Grow Food Northampton has been evolving since its origin in 2009, when a group of individuals banded together to
OPINION >>
save a couple of Florence farms — land that has since become a community farm that benefits local farmers, a community gar- den used by more than 400 local residents, a giving garden that grows thousands of pounds of food annually for food pantries and community meal sites, and much more, including a robust educational program.
The pandemic may have drawn sharp lines around the impor- tance of a local food economy, Klein said, but it doesn’t take a crisis to understand why it’s always important to support farm- ing, help low-income people access food, and, as a byproduct, reduce the pollution created by transporting fresh food long distances.
In Western Mass., any support of local agriculture is wel- come, whether it’s the grants, foundations, and donations that fuel GFN’s efforts to help small-scale growers or the many fund- ing partners of the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation’s Local Farmer Awards, which have assisted with capital proj- ects on farms for the past 11 years (the latest winners will be announced in April).
Because, as Klein said, “if you lose farmland, you can’t grow your own food, and you become dependent on the national food system.” And if national crisis strikes — and even if it doesn’t — it’s good to have a safety net close to home. BW
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The Role of HR in Workplace Well-being
BY KIMBERLEY LEE
Human-resources professionals are often the unsung heroes of organizational well-being, navigating the delicate bal- ance between business priorities and the human needs of
employees. This became profoundly clear to me during a recent conversation with Sandy, the HR director at Commercial Distrib- uting in Westfield. While coordinating the logistics of our meet- ing, Sandy shared a story that has stayed with me — a story that underscores the essential, and often deeply personal, role HR professionals play in the workplace.
She recounted a moment when a colleague in HR had been approached by an employee who was contemplating suicide. The employee, overwhelmed by personal struggles, saw their HR department as a beacon of hope.
This story is not unique. Across industries, HR professionals find themselves in similar situations every day, quietly stepping in to provide support during moments of crisis. While much attention is rightly given to employee engagement, benefits, and retention strategies, it’s time to shine a spotlight on the critical mental-health support HR teams provide — and the emotional toll it can take on them as individuals.
The workplace has evolved into more than just a place of employment — it’s a community where people seek connec- tion, purpose, and, sometimes, solace. The pandemic, economic uncertainty, and rising rates of mental-health challenges have only amplified the need for robust support systems within organizations.
HR professionals are increasingly tasked with addressing these challenges, but they can’t do it alone. It’s imperative that organizations prioritize equipping HR teams with the tools, resources, and partnerships needed to foster a culture of mental well-being.
At MiraVista Behavioral Health Center, we see firsthand how access to mental-health and substance-use services transforms lives. Yet, many employees remain unaware of available resourc- es or hesitate to seek help due to stigma or fear of judgment.
This is where HR professionals can make a profound difference — not just by offering benefits, but by actively creating an envi- ronment where employees feel safe reaching out for support.
Supporting employee mental health starts with supporting HR. Here are three ways organizations can empower their HR teams to create a culture of care:
• Offer education and training. Provide HR profession- als with training on mental-health first aid, crisis intervention, and recognizing early warning signs. Empower them with the knowledge to respond effectively while maintaining their own well-being.
• Partner with local resources. Establish connections with community organizations like MiraVista to ensure employees and their families have access to comprehensive care. These partnerships can also provide HR teams with guidance and addi- tional support.
• Normalize mental-health conversations. Leadership must set the tone for destigmatizing mental-health challenges by speaking openly about these issues and integrating mental health into the company’s broader wellness strategy.
The story Sandy shared is a powerful reminder that HR pro- fessionals are on the front lines of addressing mental health in the workplace. The work you do saves lives, builds resilience, and creates the foundation for a more compassionate workforce.
At MiraVista, we stand ready to partner with HR teams across industries to offer support, guidance, and hope. Together, we can create workplaces that not only meet business goals, but also uplift the people who make them possible.
Let us work together to ensure that no one feels alone in their moment of need — and that HR professionals feel support- ed as they continue to make a difference. BW
Kimberley Lee is chief of Creative Strategy and Development at MiraVista Behavioral Health Center.
14 FEBRUARY 3, 2025
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