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Date: 10/24/2023
HOLYOKE — U.S. Rep. Richard Neal (D-Springfield) visited Holyoke on Oct. 16 to announce a $2 million earmark in federal funds to support the renovation of the Girls Inc. of the Valley headquarters and program center at their new location at 480 Hampden St.
Neal was joined by Girls Inc. of the Valley Executive Director Suzanne Parker, Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia, State Rep. Patricia Duffy, and other members of the Girls Inc. and Holyoke community to celebrate the announcement. Girls Inc. operates year round and focuses on guiding girls ages 5 to 18 to make informed health and lifestyle choices, pursue academic achievements and set them on a path of independence.
The allocation was made possible through Congressionally Direct Spending from the Department of Education. Neal included funding for this project in the fiscal year 2023 spending bill that was signed into law on Dec. 29, 2022. The funds will aid in the $7 million renovation of Girls Inc.’s 16,000-square-foot facility.
“What a great personal and professional satisfaction in this moment, largely because of the reputational value that Girls Inc. has derived over a long period of time. Brands become really important in how we allocate federal funding in terms of the investment. As you might expect, there’s considerable competing voices for limited numbers of resources, and I think they’ve [Girls Inc.] made a pretty sturdy argument as to why Girls Inc. ought to benefit from the expenditure of the public treasury,” Neal said.
Neal said that the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on children needs to stay in the focus of people and projects like this are important for helping make up any ground lost in learning from COVID-19. He added it was a fundamental responsibility of Congress to oversee the expenditure of the “public purse,” with earmarking serving as a check on the nation’s spending to ensure regional equity.
“Girls Inc. has a rich history of serving the Western Massachusetts community, with roots going back to the Girls Club of Holyoke in 1981. Supporting an organization that inspires our children and provides them with the opportunity to achieve their full potential is certainly an investment that will be of great benefit to the Pioneer Valley,” Neal said.
The new location will serve as their permanent headquarters and program center where they will serve more than 1,000 girls from underserved communities.
Parker spoke about Girls Inc.’s commitment to serving the youth in the region in order to ensure that the girls they work with have the resources necessary for a successful future. Parker broke down that this funding would continue the work on the second floor of the building where plans are to create official teen and maker spaces, and additional bathrooms.
She added challenges from the coronavirus pandemic impacted the organization and its members and delayed areas of renovation in the building.
“This really demonstrates how we can get things done when we all work together and the impact of the pandemic was felt so deeply by the youth that we serve and by all of our staff,” Parker said. “Construction costs kept going up and up and up, and issues with the supply chain, so having the support is really helping us bring this project to fruition.”
Parker expressed gratitude for Neal’s commitment to helping Girls Inc. with this funding and added the impact would be felt by the thousands of girls the nonprofit serves throughout the valley.
Garcia also was appreciative for Neal securing this funding and thanked him for his ongoing support of citywide projects.
“What we’re seeing in this space is truly a testament to what it means when a community comes together,” Garcia said.
Garcia thanked Neal for being a consistent supportive partner of the city and was excited for Girls Inc. being able to complete their project.
“What’s going to be coming out of this space in support of our kids, particularly our young women and girls, is going to be second to none and I’m just incredibly thrilled to see the level of excitement in partnership that the board and the staff and the community partners have done coming together to make this what it’s going to be,” Garcia added.
To close the conference Emma Pirnie, a Girls Inc. alum and Western New England University student, spoke about her time as a member of Girls Inc. and what it was like to see the new building project move toward fruition. She then led a tour through the new space showcasing the current rooms used, and some rooms waiting for completion from this funding.
Pirnie said the new building was “incredible to see” and compared to the old building this space felt less cramped. Pirnie added she was an intern at Girls Inc. this past summer.
“I’m a Girls Inc. girl, through and through,” Pirnie said.
When showing off the future makers space, Pirnie explained the room would allow for collaboration among age groups and it would be a space for creative minds to come together. In reinforcing the nonprofit’s dedication to empowering girls in the valley, the facility already has a state-of-the-art STEM lab, a health and wellness center, and a café to address regional food insecurity.
This project is one of 15 federally funded projects submitted by Neal, totaling over $20 million in investments throughout the First Congressional District of Massachusetts.