Lowell women bolster citys businesses running from behind the scenes
Lowell women bolster citys businesses running from behind the scenes

Lowell Women Keep City’s Small Businesses Running from Behind the Scenes

Influential Women in Lowell 

Influential women in Lowell, by the Homage to Women statue on Market Street. From left, Franky Descoteaux, Christine McCall, Germaine Vigeant-Trudel, Danielle McFadden, Allison Lamey, and Soumita Acharya. JULIA MALAKIE/LOWELLSUN

By AMY SOKOLOW | asokolow@lowellsun.com |

March 21, 2021 at 10:39 a.m.

LOWELL — Although their work may be behind the scenes, Lowell’s business-minded women in leadership positions have arguably done more than many to keep the city’s small businesses afloat through the pandemic.

An informal group that began around the start of the pandemic to help Lowell’s business community has turned into a bridge-building experience between groups in Lowell, but also a tight-knit support system for these women, now known as the Lowell Business Recovery Task Force.

The group began when Christine McCall, just weeks into her new role as Lowell’s director of economic development, could see that the pandemic looming on the horizon could have detrimental effects on the city’s businesses. She quickly assembled a group of business leaders, many of whom are women, to discuss how best to support Lowell’s business community and how to disseminate information to them about how state regulations may affect their operations.

“It was Christine that kind of kicked us all off back in March, to really rein us in and say, ‘we’ve got to, you know, respond to the needs of the business community,’” said Allison Lamey, economic development director of the Lowell Plan and the Lowell Development and Financial Corporation. “Things were changing so quickly, and it was hard to get a handle on (the situation).”

Over the past year, the group has been involved with several initiatives to support the city’s businesses, each bringing their own expertise and network with them. The group’s initiatives have included a video package, spearheaded by Soumita Acharya, director for community programs at Lowell Telecommunications, to promote local businesses around the holidays, a “Lowell Shopping Network” similar to HSN, a “Five Star Frenzy” to encourage patrons to leave positive reviews at their favorite local businesses, and a “Takeout Tuesdays” weekly event, to name a few.

The group’s members will have also given $900,000 in flexible grants for small businesses by the end of this fiscal year, excluding marketing programs the city has done, according to McCall, and have helped businesses with moratoriums on other payments. Franky Descoteaux, who runs the Entrepreneurship Center at Community Teamwork, added that her organization raised $850,000 to provide free consultants to Lowell-area businesses during the pandemic.

“We’ve been meeting quite regularly to talk about how we can support the business community through the closures that were felt of the pandemic, and you know, what we could do about it,” Lamey said. “A lot of the work has been behind the scenes and not getting some of the recognition it probably deserves.”

Recognition is not ultimately the goal, though. “We all know what the common goal is, and it’s to help, and that’s really all we care about,” said Danielle McFadden, president of the Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce. “We don’t care how it gets done, or who does it, or who or who gets credit. It’s just that we get it done. And that’s what I think is the power when you get a bunch of women together.”

McFadden added that many of these women face the added challenge of running their households during the pandemic. “You’re dealing with the challenges that you’ve always dealt with: the work-life balance, but now you have the kids at home, and worrying about everybody else’s mental health and everybody being happy, and a lot of times we put ourselves to the backburner,” she said.

These same challenges that affect the women in the group affect the women-owned businesses they serve, and likely do even more so. McCall said that the unemployment rate in Lowell is currently around 8%, higher than the state average, and that women have filed more unemployment claims than men overall, partially due to their outsize employment in the hard-hit hospitality industry and partially because of their childcare duties.

Kathleen Plath, co-owner of Cobblestones restaurant and others in the region, as well as director of marketing and communications and development at Community Teamwork, described the challenges she faced starting up her own business years ago, while also parenting three young children and earning her master’s degree. “How did I ever do that? But I think as women, we just put our heads down and get it done. You just do it. You’re not looking for credit, you’re not looking for any help,” she said.

Descoteaux added that the women the group serves often bear a heavier emotional burden when their businesses fail than men because of their childcare roles in the family and because now a majority of women take care of the finances in their businesses. She said that women may also have trouble accessing grants and loans because they are the predominant owners of sole proprietor-type businesses.

“It was very surprising to me as we were working with businesses… how many women felt that they had done something wrong, even though this is obviously a pandemic, many of the women still internalize their struggling business. And so we as women who are coaches and providing support, I know we carry that (burden),” she said.

Because many of these women also may not speak English as their first language, the group has teamed up to provide support and information in four languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese and Khmer. The group agreed that businesses owned by women of color were among those hardest hit by the pandemic.

Germaine Vigeant-Trudel, assistant director of the Local Development Financial Corporation, added that even as the pandemic subsides, she’s worried that women may not return to the workforce in full force, which some are calling a “shecesssion.”

“A lot of these women, even if they could go back to work, really couldn’t go back to work now, because they have to help their children and childcare was too expensive for the type of jobs (these women have), so it just adds the layers on and on,” she said. Plath said she has seen this first-hand as she tries to ramp up employment at Cobblestones.

Even though the situation now may look bleak, the group is encouraged by their successes so far, and plan to continue meeting, brainstorming and helping well after the pandemic ends.

“Yes, we’ve had some business closures in the city, and I’m sure there will be more, but I actually think, through the efforts of this group, we’ve done a really good job of supporting businesses and that’s why so many of them are still in business today, McCall said. “That should be our biggest success.”

McFadden agreed. “What I’m most proud of are the businesses that are still here, how fierce they are. I mean, really, you could just crawl into bed and put the blanket over your head and say, ‘I’ll deal with this when this is over and figure things out.’ But just the fighting spirit that Lowell has I think is amazing,” she said.

And she attributes some of that success to this group of women. “I’ve been in this position for almost 10 years, I’ve never felt closer with a group of people professionally. And also like, look at what we’ve done. When we can get together, watch out world!”

Amy Sokolow

bonnie greenwood
bonnie greenwood

Greenwood Joins Financial Education Center as Director

Bonnie Greenwood Hired as New Director of the Financial Education Center

                                                                              The Sun (Lowell), 28 Mar 2021

LOWELL » The Financial Education Center at Community Teamwork Inc., a Lowell-based group that teaches the    development and enhancement of personal finance and employment skills, has hired Bonnie Greenwood as its new Director.

“I am excited to be a part of such an impactful organization that is working so hard for the communities I have been a part of for 30plus years,” Greenwood said.

Greenwood comes to Community Teamwork with over 15 years of education experience, including but not limited to teaching in private and public schools, directing Bonnie programs Greenwood and teaching English language learners at the university level, and directing education programs for immigrants and refugees for a nonprofit in Boston.

She holds a Bachelor’s in business management and administration from Umass Lowell as well as two Master’s degrees in education from Cambridge College and the American College of Education, respectively.

“I am passionate about helping others by providing educational and economic opportunities and resources, which will create sustainable stability and success for themselves, their families and the community,” Greenwood said.

 

https://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-sun-lowell/20210328/281762747043649

This is placeholder text for the blog post headline

ani vong
ani vong

Community Teamwork Hires Local Business Owner

PRIME funds will be used to hire local consultants who will provide critical support to businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19.

FOR KHMER POST VERSION – CLICK HERE

Ani Vong

By AMY SOKOLOW | asokolow@lowellsun.com |

PUBLISHED: February 9, 2021 at 1:58 p.m. | UPDATED: February 9, 2021 at 4:54 p.m.

LOWELL — The Entrepreneurship Center at Community Teamwork, a Lowell-based group that teaches entrepreneurship and financial skills to local business owners, has hired Ani Vong, owner of Humanity Boutique in Lowell.

Vong, a Khmer American woman, who will help manage $650,000 in funding as the specialized technical assistance team’s (STAT) program coordinator.

“The Entrepreneurship Center @CTI, with its mission and all that it’s accomplished in support of small businesses and the local economy, is an organization I see myself growing with, and with my experience I can help further their mission,” Vong said. “I am passionate about supporting others on their entrepreneurial journey.”

“One of the greatest gifts the ownership of Humanity afforded Ani is a central place in the community – as a business owner, a Khmer woman, and a supporter of entrepreneurs and businesses,” said Franky Descoteaux, director of the Entrepreneurship Center. “She is well-connected within the business community as well as the nonprofit community in Lowell and surrounding areas. Ani’s ability to wear many hats as a business owner, along with the demands of her nonprofit volunteer work, has forged her into a sensible, entrepreneurial spirit. It’s this spirit, we believe, that will be of great benefit to the Entrepreneurship Center at Community Teamwork.”

The funding Vong will manage comes from a variety of sources, including a highly competitive Small Business Administration (SBA) PRIME grant.

The Entrepreneurship Center was one of 27 awardees, and two in Mass., out of 200 national applicants. In partnership with Lowell’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) COVID emergency funds, PRIME funds will be used to hire local consultants who will provide critical support to businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19.

Vong has steered her boutique, opened in 2014, through slow economic times before, including the pandemic. In the last year, she has transformed her business into an e-commerce presence and pop-up shop.

As the STAT Program Coordinator at the Entrepreneurship Center, Vong will provide culturally and language competent consulting to underserved restaurants and retailers across Lowell, focusing in Cambodia Town, The Acre, Downtown, and Back Central.

The Entrepreneurship Center at Community Teamwork will work with local partners to identify consultants, including the Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association (CMAA), Coalition for a Better Acre (CBA), Working Cities Challenge, African Community Center of Lowell (ACCL), Portuguese American Center, the LatinX Community Center for Empowerment and others.

The goal of the STAT team is to work with the business owner to resolve current business challenges and to help them achieve future business goals. Consultants will work collaboratively with business owners, completing necessary tasks, training new critical skills, setting up systems for long-term success, and amplifying local business awareness through coordinated marketing.

 

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Community Teamwork Hires Local Business Owner, Ani Vong

By Amy Sokolow asokolow@ lowellsun. com Lowell »

The Entrepreneurship Center at Community Teamwork Inc., a Lowell- based group that teaches entrepreneurship and financial skills to local business owners, has hired Ani Vong, owner of Humanity Boutique in Lowell.

Vong, a Khmer American woman, will help manage $ 650,000 in funding as the specialized technical assistance team’s (STAT) program coordinator. “The Entrepreneurship Center @ CTI, with its mission and all that it’s accomplished in support of small businesses and the local economy, is an organization I see myself growing with, and with my experience I can help further their mission,” Vong said. “I am passionate about supporting others on their entrepreneurial journey.”

“One of the greatest gifts the ownership of Humanity afforded Ani is a central place in the community — as a business owner, a Khmer woman, and a supporter of entrepreneurs and businesses,” said Franky Descoteaux, Director of the Entrepreneurship Center. “She is well- connected within the business community as well as the nonprofit community in Lowell and surrounding areas. Ani’s ability to wear many hats as a business owner, along with the demands of her nonprofit volunteer work, has forged her into a sensible, entrepreneurial spirit. It’s this spirit, we believe, that will be of great benefit to the Entrepreneurship Center at Community Teamwork.”

The funding Vong will manage comes from a variety of sources, including a highly competitive Small Business Administration (SBA) PRIME grant.

ani Vong joins CTI from Humanity boutique. Courtesy Community Teamwork Inc.

The Entrepreneurship Center was one of 27 awardees, and two in Massachusetts, out of 200 national applicants. In partnership with Lowell’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) COVID emergency funds, PRIME funds will be used to hire local consultants who will provide critical support to businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19.

Vong has steered her boutique, opened in 2014, through slow economic times before, including the pandemic. In the last year, she has transformed her business into an e- commerce presence and a pop- up type shop.

As the STAT Program Coordinator at the Entrepreneurship Center, Vong will provide culturally and language competent consulting to underserved restaurants and retailers across Lowell, focusing in Cambodia Town, The Acre, Downtown and Back Central. The Entrepreneurship Center at Community Teamwork will work with local partners to identify consultants, including the Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association (CMAA), Coalition for a Better Acre (CBA), Working Cities Challenge, African Community Center of Lowell (ACCL), Portuguese American Center, the LatinX Community Center for Empowerment and others. The goal of the STAT team is to work with the business owner to resolve current business challenges and to help them achieve future business goals.

Consultants will work collaboratively with business owners, completing necessary tasks, training new critical skills, setting up systems for long- term success, and amplifying local business awareness through coordinated marketing.

 

Cti health safety content coordinator Vernon smith left and group leader tiffany De oliveira both of lowell inside lowell Memorial auditorium
Cti health safety content coordinator Vernon smith left and group leader tiffany De oliveira both of lowell inside lowell Memorial auditorium

Curtain call for remote learners

With CTI’s help, venue shifts from shows to education Lowell MEMORIAL Auditorium

Lowell Sun 1/10/2021
By Barry Scanlon, Correspondent

https://bit.ly/3oBzltlt

Lowell » During its nearly 100- year run, Lowell Memorial Auditorium has hosted musicians, comedians, actors, boxers, dancers, and much more.

Now the venerable building on East Merrimack Street has added a new chapter to its glorious history: Classroom.

The building is hosting 24 students Monday through Friday thanks to a partnership between Pete Lally, president of the Lowell Management Group, and Community Teamwork, Inc.

“ It’s really nice to have the auditorium being used, especially for something like this in the community where there’s such a need,” Lally said. Lally was approached by Kathleen Plath, CTI’s director of Development and Marketing. Due to the pandemic, CTI was looking for buildings with capacity to help students learn remotely.

“ She said, ‘ Hey, I know you’re not doing many concerts these days,’” Lally said.

Indeed, few industries have been hurt by the pandemic more than the entertainment one. Events booked at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium have been canceled or postponed since last March. The auditorium, which opened in 1922, consists of 2,800 seats for most events and has 100,000 square feet of room.

“ It’s been a busy place for so many things,” Lally said. “ There’s been a number of days it was pretty much just me there.”

Lally jumped at the chance to assist CTI, an organization that does “ so many good things,” he said.

There were some hurdles to clear, mainly getting a license from the Department of Early Education and Care. That process took about six weeks as the auditorium was tested for air quality and the building’s WiFi had to be upgraded.

Auditorium » 6A

 

CTI health & safety content coordinator Vernon smith, left, and group leader tiffany De Oliveira, both of Lowell, inside Lowell Memorial auditorium which is hosting two-dozen schoolchildren for remote learning.

Julia Malakie photos/ lowell sun

Demetri Rivera-Robinson, 8, of lowell, uses on an online drawing instruction program.

Auditorium

FROM PAGE 1A

A total of 24 students, ages 5-13, have been remote learning at one of Lowell’s most notable buildings since Dec. 19. That number will grow, possibly up to 104, as CTI increases its staffing level. The students are able to use the building from 7 a. m. to 5 p. m., freeing up their parents to work during the day.

CTI is committed to helping low-income people become self sufficient. The organization serves 63 cities and towns in Middlesex and Essex counties.

“ It’s been absolutely fabulous,” said Meghan Siembor, CTI’s director of the Division of Child and Family Services. “ The kids love being there. The staff loves being there. It was a winwin. Pete and his entire team were fabulous to work with. It was a shared mission.

You don’t want buildings unoccupied, es- pecially during the winter.”

CTI looked into other venues, including community centers and churches, before finding the perfect match with Lally, Siembor said.

CTI provides meals to be brought to the students. Breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks are provided. The auditorium also affords space for the children to stay active when they close their laptops.

The stage has been used for acting purposes, and the auditorium also has space for arts and crafts activities.

Students learn while being socially distanced on the main floor of the building. Meeting spaces on the upper floors are available as well.

“ I think the parents are so grateful,” Siembor said.

The Lowell Memorial Auditorium normally hosts 120- 140 events a year. The Golden Gloves boxing tournament, concerts, dance competitions and recitals, High school graduations. It’s normally a beehive of activity.

Lally, who also operates entertainment buildings in Lexington and Plymouth, said the partnership between his group and CTI will continue through the end of February. If the pandemic continues to wreak havoc with the auditorium’s schedule, students may be allowed to learn there into the spring.

“ It’s refreshing for us to have it used 50 to 60 hours a week,” Lally said.

Karen Frederick, CTI executive director, echoed a similar sentiment: “ The partnership with the Lowell Memorial Auditorium has enabled us to provide services to our families and keep people working in the community, which they would not be able to do without much needed childcare. This is a good example of the community coming together to meet the needs created by this pandemic. We are grateful that LMA Management and the city of Lowell were willing to work with us to think outside the box to come up with this solution.”

Kaleb Liman, 7, of Lowell, shows his work to group leader Keily Escalante at Lowell Memorial Auditorium.

JULIA MALAK(E / LOWELL SUN

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lowell auditorium during pandemic
lowell auditorium during pandemic

Despite pandemic, Lowell Memorial Auditorium managers optimistic

Lowell Memorial Auditorium management is hoping for a better 2021 season after, or despite, the COVID-19 pandemic. LMG is also in talks with Community Teamwork, Inc., to use the facility for child care during the week.

Lowell Memorial Auditorium management is hoping for a better 2021 season after, or despite, the COVID-19 pandemic. From left, box office manager John Higgins, director of strategy and business development Brandon Caron, general manager Pete Lally, director of marketing Dan Berube, and director of operations Steve Purtell, in the auditorium, where they’ve been experimenting with table set up for 250 people, if that becomes allowed. (SUN/Julia Malakie)

By ALANA MELANSON | amelanson@lowellsun.com | Lowell Sun

PUBLISHED: October 12, 2020 at 9:35 a.m. | UPDATED: October 13, 2020 at 7:40 a.m.

LOWELL — In 2019, Lowell Management Group celebrated a strong first year of managing the Lowell Memorial Auditorium with a number of sold-out shows and performances by big-name entertainers.

Headed into 2020, it appeared nothing would stop that increasing momentum, as it drew countless people to downtown Lowell and helped spur economic activity.

“We were having a tremendous year,” said LMG partner John Chemaly. “It was going to be a banner year for LMG and the auditorium, and the city as well.”

But in March, the coronavirus pandemic hit, stopping that momentum dead in its tracks.

“The rug just got pulled right out,” LMG partner Chris Dick said.

Lowell Memorial Auditorium management is hoping for a better 2021 season after, or despite, the COVID-19 pandemic. General manager Pete Lally in the auditorium, where they’ve been experimenting with table set up for 250 people, if that becomes allowed. (SUN/Julia Malakie)

The last show was held in mid-March, and since then the bookings on the calendar have been pushed further out repeatedly as the pandemic has worn on.

“The business certainly has been affected a lot,” LMG President Pete Lally said. “But artists want to play, agents want to book and venues want to put artists on stages. Everybody is working hard to do it in the time frame we can.”

Lally said the big acts like Jay Leno, Kansas and the Righteous Brothers, who were supposed to come to Lowell this year, will come — eventually. They’ve all been rescheduled for 2021, up to a year beyond their original show dates.

Aside from the ticketed concerts and other shows, the spring normally brings a variety of dance recitals and competitions, proms, graduations and nonprofit events to the auditorium — about 50 of which had to either be canceled or postponed, Lally said.

He said it’s hard to estimate exactly how much revenue LMG has lost during the shutdown. But it certainly has had a big impact, considering it couldn’t hold any shows for most of March through June, normally the busiest months, Lally said.

About 100 part-time staff members and half of LMG’s full-time staff were laid off or furloughed due to the pandemic, Lally said. Chemaly said federal Paycheck Protection Program assistance helped to keep core staff on board. Lally said he hopes gradually to bring back as many employees as possible.

Director of Marketing Dan Berube said the large shows on the schedule were meant to be full-capacity events and will probably not be held until it is safe to hold them as such at the auditorium. But in the meantime, it may be possible to begin with some reduced-capacity events with more local artists, he said.

LMG was encouraged by some recent guidance from the state that some communities may be able to have events with up to 250 people under certain circumstances, Lally said. However, with Lowell still considered a high-risk community, it’s “not quite there yet,” he said.

The auditorium — which can hold up to 2,800 in normal times — offers a lot of flexibility for movable seating and tables that can allow people to keep a safe distance, Lally and Berube said. They’re looking at developing some new programming that uses both indoor and outdoor space, like the Lowell Irish Festival held last September, Lally said.

Berube said booking has been a bit tricky because the business is schedule-dependent. Artists on tour and ticket-holders want to be confident that shows will be held on the scheduled dates and that they’ll feel safe in the venue, he said.

“Any time you talk about holding an event these days, people have a ton of questions. What are the protocols — masks, hand sanitizer? How many people are coming in the building, and how many feet apart are they?” Berube said. “There’s a whole new rulebook that is getting developed that you have to have to do an event these days.”

He and Lally said they’ve done a lot of work around floor plans and crowd flow, including using multiple entrances, directional spacing and assigned restrooms.

LMG is also in talks with Community Teamwork, Inc., to use the facility for child care during the week.

CTI Director of Development and Marketing Kathleen Plath said CTI is grateful that Lally and LMG were “willing to look outside the box and consider this.” She said CTI is still working out the details with LMG, and the licensing and occupancy permitting with the state, which will determine the number of children that could be at the facility.

CTI typically has about 500 children in its day-care programs, including before and after school hours, but due to COVID and social-distancing requirements, the organization was only able to bring back about 80 children in its existing classroom space, Plath said. She said CTI is also in talks with some other entities around the city to try to gain more space in order to bring back all of its child-care clients and help parents get back to work.

For school-age kids in the program during the school day, the venue can also provide reliable internet for students to do remote learning, Plath and Lally said.

Plath said the partnership with the auditorium management could open the door to additional programming, such as theater programs for kids.

Even though there haven’t been shows, LMG has been making some changes behind the scenes that will benefit operations and efficiency when the auditorium is back up and running.

“Just because the lights are out on the stage doesn’t mean they’re out in the offices,” Lally said. “We’re working every day to make sure we can come back as soon as possible and to do that safely.”

That includes new software systems to handle booking and contracting, as well as new filters for the building’s ventilation system to help keep occupants safe, Lally said. He said they’re also evaluating a new cloud-based phone and customer-service system that should help LMG better communicate with customers, and address and track their concerns.

Berube said they are also looking at developing a membership program for those who like not only to attend shows in Lowell but also at other venues around the region that are managed by LMG’s sister company, Spectacle Management.

Chemaly said they’re thankful many sponsors, like Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union, are sticking with them through the whole thing.

“As they say, the show must go on, and we’ll be going after it in 2021,” Dick said.

Alana Melanson | Multimedia journalist

Alana Melanson is a regional general assignment reporter who has been with The Sun since September 2014. Before that, she spent three years covering Fitchburg at The Sun’s sister paper, the Sentinel & Enterprise. A Worcester-area native and graduate of UMass Amherst, Alana enjoys live music, traveling and making jewelry.

amelanson@lowellsun.com

Follow Alana Melanson @AlanaMelanson

https://www.lowellsun.com/2020/10/12/despite-pandemic-lowell-memorial-auditorium-managers-optimistic-about-the-future/

 

karen signature
karen signature

Equity for Early Education, Out of School Time (OST) Teachers, and Programs

While public school systems have returned to classrooms mostly in hybrid or remote models, early education programs were allowed to open in July and, if subsidized by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, were required to open by the end of July to be eligible for continued payment to care for and educate the State’s most at-risk, low-income children. This allows working parents who have no option of remote work to continue to provide for their families and support our local economy.

On July 8, Community Teamwork opened our doors and safely phased in up to 50% of our previous enrollment by the end of July. Recently, we were informed by the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) that we could increase our classroom group size to 100% capacity, from 10 to 20 children if space allows. We have seen no data or public health information which supports this increase. With the benefit of only one month of reopening data, flu season on the way, and a projected spike of Covid-19 virus cases sometime in the Fall, we feel this is premature and dangerous to our staff, children and their families – especially as schools in gateway cities are determining that completely remote or less than 50% of enrollment is the safe option.

Looking at this new guidance with a racial equity lens is even more disturbing. Our staff represent our population. They are a majority people of color who are already hit harder by this virus, as are our students and their families. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Federal Government, who subsidize our programs for low-income and at-risk children and families, have a responsibility to assist us in ensuring the safety and sustainability of our programs. Children who are learning remotely need access to child care where they can be safe and supervised in the learning process. Without our high-quality early education and care programs, the achievement gap will continue to grow.

Parents, businesses and our economy need us. We have long talked about the important role of early education and child care in children’s academic success, and we have long recognized the role child care plays in the economy. Parents cannot work without safe, affordable, high quality programs. Many essential workers and single parents working in nursing homes, hospitals, supermarkets, restaurants shelters, group homes and child care centers are low-wage workers who depend on state and federally funded subsidized programs to care for and educate their children. The subsidized system of the Massachusetts Dept. of Early Education and Care was fragile prior to Covid, with state rates as much as 30% lower than private rates. Across the state, our programs are currently looking at when to close down classrooms, lay off staff and even close entire centers. Stable, adequate funding must be made available so that our programs are still here when it safe to reopen to capacity. This is a critical time which will determine the future of our field and parents’ access to affordable, quality education and care for their infants through school age children.
To continue to operate safely and to begin to think about expansion to meet the need, rapid COVID-19 testing for staff, children, and their families must be available in all areas of the State to programs serving infants through school age children in the Commonwealth.

Improving educational outcomes for children and achieving racial equity in our Communities starts with quality early education and school age programs. And, supporting families working hard at essential jobs to provide food, housing and opportunity to their families is essential to our economy.

Our Early Educators and OST educators are-paid a fraction of public school salaries and are significantly women of color. They continue to work on the front lines with children each day as parents seek high-quality early education and OST programming for their children. We request that the Commonwealth provide $70 million to raise salaries and recognize the commitment of our underpaid early learning and OST staff who are working on the front lines of the pandemic. We also call on the Commonwealth and Federal Government to adequately and stably fund Early Education Programs and to provide essential resources such as testing to ensure their future existence and to ensure our economy can fully recover.

Sincerely,

Karen Frederick, CEO

Meghan Adams Siembor
Division Director, Child and Family Services

kids on bus
kids on bus

Opening Safely Should be a Top Priority

EARLY EDUCATION CENTERS

by Karen Frederick and Meghan Adams Siembor

LOWELL SUN 9/28/2020 B: Focus     Page B01 1/2

While public school educators and school systems are still debating how to safely return ( or not) to classrooms, early education programs were allowed to open in July, and if subsidized by the commonwealth were required to open by the end of July to be eligible for continued payment to care for and educate the state’s most at risk, low income children. This allows working parents who have no option of remote work to continue to provide for their families and support our
local economy. On July 8, Community Teamwork opened our doors and safely phased in up to 50% of our previous
enrollment by the end of July. This past Friday we were informed by the Department of Early Education and
Care that we could increase our classroom group size to 100% capacity, from 10 to 20 children. We have
seen no data or public health information which supports this increase.

With the benefit of only one month of reopening data, flu season on the way, and a projected spike sometime
in the fall of Covid-19 virus cases, we feel this is premature and dangerous to our staff, children and their
families — especially as schools are determining in some cities that even 25% of enrollment is not safe.
Looking at this new directive with a racial equity lens is even more disturbing. Our staff represent our
population. There are a majority of people of color who are already hit harder by this virus, as are our students
and their families. The commonwealth and the federal govern

Julia Malakie / LOWELL SUN

We were informed by the Department of Early
Education and Care that we could increase our
classroom group size to 100% capacity, from 10 to
20 children.
We have seen no data or public health information
which supports this increase.

Education
FROM PAGE 1B
ment that subsidize our programs for low income and at-risk children and families have a responsibility to
ensure the safety and sustainability of our programs. Without our high-quality early education and care
programs, the achievement gap will grow even higher. Parents, businesses, and our economy need us. We
have long talked about the important role of early education and child care in children’s academic
success, and we have long recognized the role child Just last week mobile, rapid Covid testing was made
available to public schools ( not yet open.) We applaud this initiative but ask why this has not been made
available to our programs, which have been open since July.

Across the sate, some early education programs are waiting up to 10 days for test results and several days
to even get appointments for testing. It is crucial that mobile rapid testing for staff, children and their
families be made available to programs already operating and serving infants through school age
children in the commonwealth. Opening safely should be a top priority Early Education Centers

9/28/2020 B: Focus
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care plays in the economy. Parents cannot work without safe, affordable, high quality programs. Many
workers and single parents working in nursing homes, hospitals, supermarkets, restaurants shelter,
group homes, and child care centers are low wage workers who depend on state and federally funded
subsidized programs to care for and educate their children.

The subsidized system of the state’s Department of Early Education and Care was fragile prior to Covid,
with state rates as much as 30% lower than private rates. Across the state, our programs are currently
looking at when to close down classrooms, lay off staff, and even close entire centers.
Stable, adequate funding must be made available so that our programs are still here when it is safe to reopen
to capacity. This is a critical time which will determine the future of our field and parents’ access to affordable,
quality education and care for their infants through school age children. Improving educational outcomes for children and
achieving racial equity in our communities starts with quality early education. And supporting families working hard at essential jobs to provide food, housing and opportunity to their families is essential to our economy.

We call on the commonwealth and federal government to adequately and stably fund Early Education
Programs and to provide essential resources such as testing to ensure their future existence and to ensure
our economy can fully recover. Karen Frederick, CEO, and Meghan Adams Siembor, Division Director, Child
and Family Services at Community Teamwork

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GLCF MinutemanARC w x
GLCF MinutemanARC w x

Greater Lowell Community Foundation awards additional response grants for rent relief

The grants were part of the seventh and final round of distributions from the Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund to assist area nonprofits serving vulnerable populations during the coronavirus pandemic.

Volunteers provide fresh food delivery for adults with disabilities at Minute Man Arc, a recent grant recipient from the Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund through GLCF.

LOWELL – The Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) announced that it awarded $290,000 from its GLCF COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund to nonprofit organizations, this includes targeted funding to provide rent relief to families and individuals that face a loss of housing due to the economic impacts of COVID-19. The grants were part of the seventh and final round of distributions from the Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund to assist area nonprofits serving vulnerable populations during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are so grateful to the Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund for supporting our neighbors in Greater Lowell who are unhoused or at risk of becoming homeless,” said GLCF President & CEO Jay Linnehan. “These grants boost the efforts of our tremendous nonprofit partners who have continued to go above and beyond during the pandemic to support those who need it most.”

“As of June, Massachusetts and Greater Lowell had the highest unemployment rate in the nation at 17.5%, with the city of Lowell exceeding that rate at 20.5%. Coupled with the July 31st expiration of the Federal Unemployment supplement payments, we at Community Teamwork fully expect to see a secondary increase in demand for assistance from families who are trying stay safe and to remain in current housing,” said Karen Frederick, CEO of Community Teamwork. “We are so grateful for this Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund grant opportunity through GLCF, which allows us to help families so tragically impacted by job loss and housing insecurity as a result of this pandemic.”

The following 10 nonprofits receiving grants in the latest round of the Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund are:

  • Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association of Greater Lowell, Inc. – to provide emergency rental and food assistance
  • Clear Path for Veterans New England, Inc. – to purchase and provide food and groceries for veterans and their families unable or without means to access food due to COVID-19
  • Coalition for a Better Acre, Inc. – to provide financial support to low-income residents impacted by COVID-19 for rental payments for low-income housing
  • Community Teamwork Inc. – to provide financial support to low-income residents for housing
  • Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley, Inc. – to prevent food insecurity among seniors
  • International Institute of New England (IINE) – Lowell – to provide emergency rental assistance
  • Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS) – to provide rental assistance in cases of urgent need
  • Minute Man Arc for Human Services Inc.- to purchase and provide food and groceries for home-bound people with physical and mental disabilities
  • Minuteman Senior Services – to prevent food insecurity among seniors
  • Paul’s Soup Kitchen, Inc. – to purchase food to produce meals for the homeless

The Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund supports those across the state most impacted by the COVID-19 health crisis, focusing on essential frontline workers and vulnerable populations including the homeless, immigrant populations, people with disabilities and those facing food insecurity. The Fund works in concert with regional community foundations and non-profit leaders who partner with local leaders to understand the response and relief landscape, strategically filling in where gaps are pronounced. For more information, visit MACovid19ReliefFund.org

“The Mass COVID Relief Fund grant opportunity through GLCF was instrumental in enabling Minute Man Arc to purchase and store food supplies for our eight group homes,” said Jean A. Goldsberry, CEO of Minute Man Arc. “Emergency funding like this is supporting the needs of people with disabilities in eastern MA and keeping our most vulnerable citizens safe and healthy.”

To date, GLCF has awarded nearly $2.5 million through 172 rapid response grants to nonprofits battling COVID-19 and the resulting fallout from the virus through the GLCF COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund.

Donations to the GLCF COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund can be made online at www.glcfoundation.org or by mail to the GLCF COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund c/o GLCF, 100 Merrimack Street, Suite 202, Lowell, MA 01852.

International Institute of New England (IINE) staff with “back to school” donations. IINE received multiple grants from the Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund through GLCF to support refugees during the pandemic.

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mary renn getting balloons flowers and rocker delivered to her house retired now years at CTI
mary renn getting balloons flowers and rocker delivered to her house retired now years at CTI

‘There was always room in Mary’s heart’

CTI celebrates retirement of beloved employee Renn after 42 years

By EMMA MURPHY | emurphy@lowellsun.com | Lowell Sun

PUBLISHED: August 10, 2020 at 2:27 p.m. | UPDATED: August 12, 2020 at 7:55 a.m.

COURTESY CTI

Kind of like Publisher’s Clearing Hous, CTI had flowers and balloons delivered to Mary Renn recently at her home in southern New Hampshire. Renn also received a CTI rocking chair.

LOWELL — In her 42 years of working at Community Teamwork Inc., Mary Renn went above and beyond. Whether it was organizing the annual event at Lenzi’s or bringing endless patience to her work with CTI’s families and teachers, Renn could always be counted on.

Now recently retired, Renn’s co-workers are already feeling her absence.

“You’d ask her for one thing and she’d come back with 10 things that you needed that you didn’t know (you needed),” said Jenny Pickett, intake manager at Child and Family Services. “She was kind of magic.”

From left, Karen Frederick, CEO, Mary Renn, Rita Dee O’Brien, CTI Board Member,

Renn came to CTI as a teacher’s aide. Her son had been participating in CTI’s Head Start program, in which parents are encouraged to volunteer once a month. Soon, Renn began volunteering more frequently, and it did not take long for teachers to ask if she could help as a substitute teacher.

“By the end of the year, I was going in every week,” Renn said.

What appealed to Renn about Head Start was the program’s independent learning philosophy. The children learned at their own pace, she said.

With CTI’s help, Renn attended Wheelock College and got her degree to teach, all while working at CTI and raising two kids at home.

Over the course of her career at CTI, Renn has served in multiple capacities, including as a supervisor overseeing five classrooms and their teachers. Most recently she worked in intake, helping families through the process.

“She could walk them through the process as patiently, so patiently, as anyone ever could and help them get the services … that they need,” said Pat Sawyer, a longtime CTI associate and teacher. “Very often, when parents arrive at CTI’s doorstep, they are, if not in outright crisis, they are in need, and to have someone like Mary to deal with right away was such a good thing.”

Since Renn’s retirement, Pickett said her team at CTI have already wanted to call her with questions, to which Pickett has had to tell them to let Renn enjoy retirement.

At a recent Zoom party celebrating Renn, Sawyer recalled at least two people asking Renn where to find things at the office.

According to Pickett, Renn’s experience working across CTI’s various departments made her a tremendous resource.

For Renn, the timing felt right to retire this year. At 66, she is young enough to travel and enjoy her hobbies, like sewing and arts and crafts; not to mention her six grandchildren.

“My husband has been retired for seven or eight years and, honestly, I’ve been a little jealous that he gets to stay home,” Renn said.

Though enjoying retirement, Renn said she misses the people with whom she worked. Especially the Friday lunches they would spend together talking about their weekend plans.

“It’s a really diverse group, and everybody looks out for everybody else,” she said. “You know that you’re there for them and they’re there for you.”

At Renn’s recent goodbye Zoom party, she was able to talk with not only her Friday lunch group but co-workers from her early CTI days. She said it was a blast.

“It was people I haven’t worked with or haven’t seen in maybe 15 years,” Renn said. “My old supervisors were there. It was just kind of nice to talk to everybody.”

In addition to the party, CTI organized a “Publisher’s Clearing House”-themed presentation of a rocking chair the nonprofit gave Renn for her retirement.

It is a testament to the impact Renn has had through her work.

Pickett sees Renn’s warmth and dedication reflected in everything she did at CTI; even the annual holiday door-decorating competition.

One year, Pickett’s team decided to decorate their doors based upon children’s books. Renn decided to design her door based on “The Mitten,” which tells the story of a mitten dropped in the snow. Woodland animals find the mitten and one by one they crawl into the mitten and it is able to hold them all.

In creating her door, Renn created animals out of felt and knitted her own mitten so that anyone passing by the door could play out the story and fit the animals in the mitten.

“In a lot of ways, that is kind of her,” Pickett said. “There’s always room in the mitten for another person. There was always room in Mary’s heart.”

Emma Murphy | Multimedia journalist

Emma R. Murphy joined The Sun as a reporter covering Billerica, Tewksbury and Wilmington in 2019. Previously, Emma spent four years covering Brookline and Needham for the Brookline TAB and Needham Times. A University of Vermont graduate, Emma enjoys kayaking, cooking and traveling. She once hiked coast to coast across northern England.

emurphy@lowellsun.com

 Follow Emma Murphy @MurphReports