Community Action

05/28/2026

"I cook for everyone. One gentleman downstairs, he started crying when I knocked on his door with a birthday cake. Said he hadn’t seen one in years." -- Donna, Center for Self Reliance Food Pantry Client

Help keep Donna and all our neighbors fed. Visit www.communityaction.us to learn more.

05/27/2026

56% of households rely on community programs like food pantries, mobile markets, or community meals. That's where we come in. The Center for Self Reliance Food Pantries in Greenfield and Shelburne Falls serve our neighbors every week. Help us keep our neighbors fed. Go to www.communityaction.us to learn more about how you can help or get help.

05/27/2026

"My wife and I live with my parents. It makes sense, even if it's not the easiest way to live; we share expenses, and I help them keep the house maintained.

They're getting older and they're on fixed incomes, so it's up to my wife and me to help make ends meet as things get more expensive. I do delivery driving when I can, but it doesn't always make enough money to cover what we need.

We all get SNAP (food stamps), but those run out halfway through the month most of the time. We drive to grocery stores farther away, where our dollars stretch more, but that's getting tough because of the cost of gas....

I'm grateful for what I have; I know there are a lot of homeless folks around here, and we have a lot more than some do. But without the Center for Self Reliance, we'd be hurting a lot more than we are."

***

Joseph shared his story with Community Action staff and gave us permission to share his words and photo. His family is one of the 75% of Massachusetts SNAP recipients that need extra help with food each month.

Help keep our neighbors fed. Visit www.communityaction.us to learn more.

05/26/2026

75% of families receiving SNAP still need additional food support. That's where we come in. The Center for Self Reliance Food Pantries in Greenfield and Shelburne Falls serve our neighbors every week. Help us keep our neighbors fed. Go to www.communityaction.us to learn more about how you can help or get help.

05/23/2026

"I cook for all the seniors in my building. I’ve been coming to the Center for Self Reliance for awhile now – at least six years, since I moved into my apartment. It took me a long time to get there.

I used to sleep outside behind the Home Depot. Wouldn’t go into the shelter because I wanted to keep my cat. I bottle fed that cat. But eventually, I went inside.

I was in the shelter for one year and eight months, and then I moved into this apartment building. Within eighteen months, everyone knew who I was. I got another cat.

This building is full of seniors who have no one. No one comes to visit them. They seem to be forgotten. But not me. I knock on doors, I put the word out. People know now. They come to me when they need a good meal.

I cook for everyone. One gentleman downstairs, he started crying when I knocked on his door with a birthday cake. Said he hadn’t seen one in years. I bring meals to some of the homeless behind the church, too, sometimes.

Why do I do it? Because my mother didn’t bring us up to be cold hearted towards people. Because I know what it’s like to be homeless and to feel like no one cares. If I’ve got it, I give it. No one goes hungry on my watch.

When I come here to the Center for Self Reliance, I get plenty for myself, and it’s not easy to feed me. I have medical issues, Crohn’s disease. There’s a lot I can’t eat. But I can always fill up here. They’ve got safe foods for me.

I’m grateful to be able to share. This food doesn’t just feed me. It feeds my whole community. I’m just the cook.”

*

Donna shared her story with Community Action staff and gave permission for us to share her words and photo.

This month, we'll be sharing stories from folks who get food at our Center for Self Reliance food pantries in Greenfield and West County. Support our pantries here and help keep our neighbors fed: https://communityaction.networkforgood.com/projects/300009-2026-keep-our-neighbors-fed

05/16/2026

💕Skylah's story brought the room to a raptured silence as she shared how her early experiences with the Healthy Families Home Visiting program turned into her dream career. 💓

"As a pregnant and parenting teen, it felt like the world was against me, like I was fighting an overwhelming force, until I met one person who met me where I was and jumped into my corner.

I’ve made it my mission to bring the same support, sense of belonging, growth, identity and shared experiences Healthy Families gave me to other new parents.

I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without the foundation Tatiana helped me build; the practice of setting and pursuing my goals has brought me to places I couldn’t have imagined.

Six months ago, I closed on my very first home and I have to give Healthy Families just a little credit for that."

Hear the rest of Skylah's story here: https://youtu.be/mmQdglJnsyY?si=fWtquQP1CJh1O7eC&t=1850

05/14/2026

😍Dani blew us all away at the Annual Meeting with her story of resilience, determination, and the search for community. 💞

"When I arrived at the hospital, the midwife asked me the most important question: “What do you need?” I knew the answer right away. I told her, “We need community.”

"Shortly after my baby was born, I started reaching out. Staff from the Community Action Family Center came to the shelter and visited us....They offered us transportation to activities at the Center. As soon as we arrived, I felt like I could breathe. The Family Center became our safe place away from the noise and chaos of the shelter. They let me use their kitchen when I wanted to cook a meal for my family...."

Hear the rest of Dani's story here: https://youtu.be/mmQdglJnsyY?si=GVi0wxPcwVnR0-0o&t=2363

05/13/2026

On Tuesday, May 19th, The Food SNAP Coalition is hosting a special 1-hour Coalition meeting starting at 10 AM with DTA's Lorraine Ward.
https://www.mass.gov/massachusetts-sun-bucks-program

Here’s the special meeting Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81672182570

WHAT ARE SUN BUCKS?
SUN Bucks are extra dollars that can be used just like SNAP. They help families afford extra food when school is out of session and kids don't get school breakfast and lunch. This year, it's $120 per eligible child for the whole summer.

HOW DO I GET THEM?
SUN Bucks go on a special SUN Bucks card. If you have one from last year: great! Keep it! This year's SUN Bucks will go on it. If you didn't get one last year, or lost or tossed yours, DTA will send you a new SUN Bucks card (keep it for next year!)

HOW DO I KNOW IF I QUALIFY?
Most families will be automatically issued SUN Bucks for this summer if the child is part of a household - during the current 2025-2026 school year - that received SNAP, DTA cash benefits, or certain types of MassHealth coverage. Children on SSI with a relative caregiver or who were in foster care also automatically qualify.

The above listed families do not need to apply. They will automatically get SUN Bucks on their SUN Bucks EBT card.

HOW MUCH MONEY?
This summer, each eligible kid will receive $120 - $40 each for June, July and August.

I DON'T GET ANY OF THOSE BENEFITS. CAN I STILL APPLY FOR SUN BUCKS?
YES! Families whose children are not automatically enrolled can apply now:

Here's a link to DTA's SUN Bucks program with Q and As on SUN Bucks in 2026, including the SUN Bucks application form. : https://www.mass.gov/massachusetts-sun-bucks-program

In 2025, thousands of Massachusetts families did not use their SUN Bucks benefits - either because they moved and did not get the SUN Bucks card, they did not understand how to use the card, or they were not automatically issued the benefit and did not know how to apply. We're going to fix that.

Here’s the special meeting Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81672182570

05/12/2026

A more affordable way to get around the Pioneer Valley is here! 🚲💚

We’re proud to partner with to provide access to the ValleyBike Equity Membership, making clean, reliable, and affordable transportation available to more neighbors across our region.

If you’re enrolled in an income‑based assistance program, you may qualify for 60 minutes of FREE e‑bike riding every day for just $4/month. With 75+ stations across 10 communities, ValleyBike makes it easier to get to work, run errands, or explore the Valley.

And now, riders can go even farther using ValleyBike stations to connect with PVTA stops, giving you a seamless access to the region’s largest public transit network. Whether you’re heading to work, school, or appointments, ValleyBike helps bridge the gap between where you are and where the bus can take you.
Community Action Pioneer Valley works every day to help residents build stability and thrive, and we’re excited to expand mobility options for the people we serve.
👉 Check eligibility or learn more: ValleyBike.org

Let’s ride toward a more connected, equitable Pioneer Valley — together. 💛

05/11/2026

05/07/2026

So grateful to spend the morning honoring our long-time volunteer and previous staff member Gliffy for her years of service. Gliffy was honored by Community Action for her role in bringing the Healthy Bones and Balance program to the valley 27 years ago through the RSVP of the Pioneer Valley volunteer program and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Since then, Gliffy has trained countless instructors and maintained a weekly program at the Easthampton Council on Aging. We are so grateful to volunteers like Gliffy for inspiring us and helping our community thrive.