Page 68 - BusinessWest October 28, 2024

PICTURE THIS >> Email ‘Picture This’ photos with a caption and contact information to [email protected] Helping Families
in Need
Freedom Credit Union’s annual campaign for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts extended over three months this summer, raising enough to cover the cost of more than 10,000 meals. Freedom collected donations of cash, non-perishable food, and personal-care items at all its branches, raising a total of more than $3,350. In addition, food donations weighing in at nearly 1,435 pounds were delivered to the Gray House, a member organization benefiting from the Food Bank. Pictured, from left: Stephen Phillips, Kara Herman, Nathaniel Claudio, and Natasha Cassidy from Freedom Credit Union, and Kristen McClintock, executive director of the Gray House. (Photo courtesy of Freedom Credit Union)
Worthy Namesake
On Oct. 15, UMass Amherst celebrated former Springfield Urban League President Henry Thomas III by officially unveiling the university’s location in Tower Square as the UMass Amherst Henry M. Thomas III Center at Springfield. Thomas was a leading advocate for establishing the center in his hometown and, in 2012, became the first person of color to lead the five- campus UMass board of trustees. He also chaired the board’s committee on academic and student affairs and was vice chair of the UMass Building Authority. Pictured, from left: UMass Amherst Chancellor Javier Reyes; U.S. Rep. Richard Neal; Henry Thomas III and his wife, Devonia Thomas; UMass President Marty Meehan; and former UMass Boston Chancellor J. Keith Motley.
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Symbol of Hope and Recovery
In recognition of World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10, Easthampton photographer Daniel DesPlaines donated one of his large, framed photographs to MiraVista Behavioral Health Center in recognition of the center’s work. Kimberley Lee, chief of Creative Strategy and Development at MiraVista (pictured with DesPlaines) noted that the image of a boat “holds profound meaning, symbolizing the journeys our patients embark on when seeking mental-health and substance-use treatment. Just as the boat navigates through rough waters, many who come to MiraVista face challenges on their path to recovery. But with the compassionate care and support they receive, those turbulent waters eventually become calm.”