Girls Incorporated ~ July 29th outing at the Farm!

At Girls Incorporated of Holyoke our mission is to: Inspire all girls to be strong, smart and bold by providing them the opportunity to develop and achieve their full potential.

We provide girls ages 5-18 with engaging and educational youth development programs that are cutting edge, research driven and designed to meet the specific needs of girls. Girls are at the center of everything we do; our priority is listening to girls, responding to their needs and providing them with the opportunity to make positive change in both their community and in their own lives. Tailored in response to the many challenges facing youth in the Holyoke community, and with the Girls' Bill of Rights as the philosophical framework in which to design our programs, we offer programs and services that are unquestionably transformative for girls and young women.

At Girls Incorporated of Holyoke our vision for girls is one of an equitable society.
We advocate for and provide an environment in which:

• Girls explore career choices that are not limited by their gender.
• Girls think critically about their economic, social and political environment and actively work for positive change as leaders in the community.
• Girls explore their creativity and self-expression in a setting this is supportive and non-threatening.
• Girls respect and care for themselves in mind, body and spirit.
• Girls embrace all types of diversity within and outside of their community.
• Girls value education as a means to achieve economic independence.

To learn more about Girls Incorporated National, visit http://www.girlsinc.org/

Young children from Square One in Springfield, MA will learn how to fish at Worthington Pond

On July 22nd, Worthington will provide a day of fishing and food for the children of Square One in Springfield.

Formerly the Springfield Day Nursery, Square One has been providing early education and child care support to working families in Western Massachusetts for more than 127 years.  Today, they provide a wide range of services to children and families, but remain grounded in their commitment to providing affordable, learning focused child care for infants, toddlers and preschoolers in a safe, stable and secure environment.  They are guided by research showing that children who begin learning early become better learners for life.  Kids who get off to a good start are better equipped to become successful and happy as adults.  They become more productive and more likely to make a positive contribution to their community.  Moreover, they become better equipped to provide expanded opportunities to their own children.  At Square One, their role is to help build the foundations for both better lives and a better community.

A private non profit organization, Square One receives funding from public agencies along with donations from private sector businesses and individuals, allowing us to provide education and care along with transportation, all at low costs to parents.  Additionally, they are able to provide tuition assistance for some families.

Founded in 1883 to provide care for children of working parents, they have evolved and expanded over the years.  Their programs include both center and home based childcare as well as Parenting Works, a program that provides parent education, support and training through groups, home visitation and case management.  http://www.sdn.org/