Economy still in flux as holidays approachDate: 11/29/2010 Nov. 29,2010
By Katelyn Gendron
Assistant Editor
GREATER SPRINGFIELD -- If Santa's velvet sack of presents was an allegory for the state of the economy in Western Massachusetts, those here would be receiving a mixed bag of coal and gifts.
This holiday season marks the fourth of the current economic recession and total recovery is still far off. The state's unemployment rate remains at 8.1 percent and one in eight residents in Massachusetts' four western counties receives emergency food assistance. However, other initiatives are producing positive results, such as the city of Springfield's efforts to end homelessness, down 22 percent since 2007.
"The pressure is on us and food distribution is much greater ... people are returning, on average, to the emergency food system 6 percent more than they were a year ago," Andrew Morehouse, executive director of The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, said, noting that 13 percent of residents in Western Massachusetts are food insecure.
The Food Bank has been unable to keep up with the demand some weeks, due to the Food Bank's level-funded fiscal year 2011 budget, which equates to fewer deliveries from the Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program, he explained.
"We knew there would be times in the year where we wouldn't be able to meet the demand. Fortunately, some of our large food donors have stepped up to the plate," Morehouse added, noting that Big Y donates 50,000 pounds of dried and canned goods each month, while Stop & Shop gives 5,000 pounds of meat.
The increased demand on The Food Bank has prompted them to start a new program, which helps people sign up for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), he noted.
"We're hearing from the state that they're still receiving 26,000 applications for SNAP every month and we view that as a critical resource. We're investing considerable staff and time to help people sign up for SNAP, therefore taking pressure off the emergency food system, which was not designed for chronic emergency food [needs]," Morehouse said.
Martha Tighe, executive director of the Parish Cupboard in West Springfield, said her organization has provided emergency food assistance to more families this month than it has all year, a total of 200 families and 186 children.
Future Works Career Center in Springfield is also posting record service numbers. They've served 21,000 job seekers this year and noted a 90 percent increase in job openings over the same time period last year.
"We're much, much busier. At least 95 percent of customers are unemployed. We haven't seen that in quite a while," Rexene Picard, executive director of Future Works Career Center, said.
She noted the health care and manufacturing fields are still the industries posting the greatest number of jobs. The center posted 38 hires in those fields during the month of October, followed by administrative, support and waste management services.
The city of Springfield is also making progress in its 10-year plan to end long term homelessness, Homes Within Reach. The city reported a 70 percent decline in the number of homeless single individuals living on the street as of Nov. 10.
The program places an emphasis on stable housing placement with support services as opposed to shelters. The Friends of the Homeless recently opened the Homeless Resource Center, 755 Worthington St., which allows homeless individuals to access health care, conduct job searches and receive support services 24 hours a day.
"Springfield has done more than its fair share for this cause. I am again calling out to surrounding communities to assist with a regional approach to housing the homeless," Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said.
Others affected by layoffs from 11 Massachusetts companies -- Big Y Store No. 2, Blackstone Medical, Callaway, Durham Manufacturing, Harvey Industries, Hasbro Inc., MassMutual Financial Group, Pyramid Management Group, Russell Corp./Spalding, TD Bank and the Holyoke Soldiers' Home -- will also receive a leg up thanks to a $2 million grant issued by the U.S. Department of Labor.
"No worker should ever have to face a layoff, but we can help when jobs are lost. This funding means that workers will have access to the training and employment services they need to get good jobs in promising industries," Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis said.
The grant, operated by the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County, will allow those who were laid off access to services not included through Trade Adjustment Assistance.
"We do see some promise but it's not going to be fast enough for some people," Picard said.
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