I hope that everyone’s fall is off to a good start. As leaves and temperatures begin to drop, I would like to remind everyone that my office is readily available to assist with fuel assistance applications for you or anyone you my know.
This past Thursday marked World Mental Health Day. In celebration, this week I spoke at Holyoke Community College as a part of my “Let’s Talk about Mental Health” listening session tour. The students and faculty who participated were incredibly engaged and empathetic, and the topics we touched upon ranged over so many of the issues associated with mental health. Stigma around mental health issues remain one of the biggest barriers to those suffering, and I hope forums like this help normalize the conversation and encourage folks to feel comfortable enough to reach out for help when they need it. It is incredibly heartening to know that many of the students who participated in the listening session hope to be the next generation of mental health providers. Thank you, HCC and President Timmons, for providing this opportunity!
Wednesday morning, I joined Rep. Finn at the West Springfield Boys & Girls Club to see some of the new programming they have going on. Our local Boys & Girls Clubs are always working hard to serve our youth, and I appreciated to opportunity to connect and discuss how we can best continue to advocate for them out in Boston. Later that day, I toured the Placon Plastics manufacturing facility, also in West Springfield. Employing approximately 100 Massachusetts residents, this facility provides important employment opportunities for those in our communities. Thank you to Placon for inviting us and for sharing with us your work to achieve a more sustainable future.
