We are pleased to announce the Power Women Podcast! This podcast will engage, inform, and empower women to seek economic security.
The pandemic and national context of the “shecession” has negatively impacted women and girls who were already experiencing economic insecurity in Greater Springfield, MA. Women made up over half of the people looking for work in April 2020 with women of color, specifically Hispanic women, facing unemployment rates of over 20 percent.
Locally, the pre-existing evidence of women’s economic insecurity in the Greater Springfield area has been exacerbated within this national context. While recent U.S. Census statistics cite Hampden County at a poverty rate of 13.8%, the poverty rate in Springfield is 26.9% and Holyoke is experiencing a higher rate of poverty at 29.3%, well above the statewide rate of 9.4%. In addition, women are often the single head of household with rates of single-mother households being highest in Springfield and Holyoke at 88.3% and 88.2% respectively.
In this audio series, we will explore women’s economic security through casual conversations and interviews. Guests of the show will share their knowledge and experience with some aspect of the framework the Women’s Fund built out for our economic security hub project – from financial health and job preparation to unpaid caregiving and housing.
of Women in Greater Springfield are Single Head of Household
Percent of populations who lived below 250% of the federal poverty threshold (U.S. Census Bureau Statistics).
Almost 27% of Springfield Residents
Over 29% of Holyoke Residents
9% of Massachusetts Residents
Contact
If you, or someone you know, has expertise related to the economic security hub initiative, we want to meet you!
Contact us to be considered for a feature in a future episode.
Contact Us
Support
Power Women Podcast was made possible with funding from the Institute for Generative Leadership.
Power Women Podcast Episodes
Episode 0: The Greater Springfield Economic Security Hub
In this first episode of the Power Women Podcast, host Monica Borgatti interviews Women’s Fund CEO Donna Haghighat about the Economic Security Hub work that their organization is doing in the Greater Springfield area.
Learn more about the project here: www.mywomensfund.org/economic-security-hub/
Learn more about Donna here: www.mywomensfund.org/donna-haghighat/
Learn more about the Institute for Generative Leadership here: generateleadership.com
Episode 1: Financial Wellness
If you are considering buying your first home or are interested in learning about credit counseling, this is a must-listen! In this episode, we will hear from folks at Cambridge Credit and Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation to learn what they are doing to help women with their financial wellness.
Learn more about Cambridge Credit here: www.cambridge-credit.org
Learn more about the Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation here: www.fairwayindependentmc.com/Louise-Larocque
Episode 2: Housing
Safe and affordable housing is critical to a woman’s economic security and when it is threatened to be taken away, we need to know our rights to fight for it. And in the worst-case scenario, if it gets taken away, we need to know where to go. Tune in to this week’s podcast to listen to Rose Webster-Smith from Springfield No One Leaves and Shannon Mumblo from Chistina’s House talk about everything housing for women.
Learn more about Springfield No One Leaves here: www.springfieldnooneleaves.org
Email: info[at]SpringfieldNoOneLeaves.org | Phone: 413-342-1804
Learn more about Christina’s House here: www.www.christinashouse.org
Email: info[at]christinashouse.org | Phone: 413-271-2105
Episode 3: Job Preparation
Finding a job can be hard, time-consuming, and overwhelming, but having a job is a fundamental step on the path to economic security. Tune in to today’s episode about job preparation which will give you all the information you need to get a first-day outfit, find the right employer, or sign up for a job preparation workshop. We hear from Margaret Tantillo from Dress for Success, Ramona Reno-Rivera from MassHire Holyoke, and Colleen Holmes from Viability.
Learn more about Dress for Success here: www.dfswm.org
Email: westernmassschusetts[at]dressforsuccess.org | Phone: 413-732-8179
Learn more about MassHire Holyoke here: www.masshire.org
Email: info[at]masshireholyoke.org | Phone: 413-532-4900
Learn more about Viability here: www.viability.org
Phone: 413-781-5359
Episode 4: Food & Nutrition
Access to high-quality, affordable food (or benefits providing this) and access to free education about nutrition for women and children is critical to a woman’s economic security. Olivia sits down with Laura Sylvester from the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts to talk about all the amazing work that the Food Bank of Western MA does and how it can positively impact women in the area.
Learn more about the Food Bank of Western MA here: www.foodbankwma.org
Email: lauras[at]foodbankwma.org | Phone: 413-247-9738
Learn more about the Hunger Free Campus Legislation: www.hungerfreecampusma.org
Learn more about the Cliff Effect Legislation: economicpathwaysma.org
Episode 5: Community Health
Understanding the needs of your community can be very helpful in creating a safe space for women who are struggling with economic security.
Olivia sits down with Annamarie Golden from Baystate Health to learn all about the process of creating the Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). They dive into the different needs that come up on the CHNA and some resources that are available for anyone who is experiencing one of those needs.
Learn more about Baystate Health here: www.baystatehealth.org
Read about the CHNA here: www.baystatehealth.org/about-us/community-programs/community-benefits/community-health-needs-assessment
Episode 6: Intimate Partner Violence
Survival during and after trauma including domestic and/or intimate partner abuse or child abuse comes from getting the proper support from friends, family, and organizations like Alianza.
Olivia sits down with Executive Director Carmen Nieves from Alianza to talk about the resources they have to offer and dive into some of the hard questions about what to do if you are experiencing intimate partner violence, witnessing it, or even partaking in it.
*If this topic is triggering for you, feel free to skip this episode and tune in to the next one!
Learn more about Alianza here: www.alianzadv.org
Phone: 413-538-9717 | Facebook: www.facebook.com/AlianzaAgency
Alianza Hotline: 1-877-536-1628
10 to 10 Helpline: 1-877-898-3411
Episode 7: Paid Work
Earning a living wage or an increase in wages that will not create a significant drop in public benefits like the Cliff Effect is crucial for a woman’s economic security, but is sometimes hard to manage. Additionally, having the opportunity for a flexible schedule to meet other demands and access to career advancement is a huge part of economic security.
Olivia sits down with Anne Kandilis from SpringfieldWORKS to talk all about the Cliff Effect and the importance of paid work.
Learn more about SpringfieldWORKS here: springfieldworks.net
Email: info[at]springfieldworks.net | Phone: 413-755-1365
Economic Pathways MA Coalition: economicpathwaysma.org
Episode 8: Child & Dependent Care
Affordable, accessible, and quality education and care for children are key factors in a woman’s economic security. We know that without access to reliable childcare, mothers can’t work.
Olivia sits down with Dawn DiStefano from SquareOne and LaTonia Monroe Naylor from Parent Villages to discuss everything you might need to know about childcare.
Learn more about SquareOne here: www.startatsquareone.org
Phone: 413-732-5183
Learn more about Parent Villages here: www.parentvillages.org
Email: latonia[at]parentvillages.org | Phone: 413-276-1770
Episode 9: Supportive Networks
Having a supportive network might be one of the most important determinants of a woman’s economic security. For example, access to and confidence in an informal community (e.g., individuals, family, groups, or institutions) for all manner of help including borrowing funds, transportation, childminding, connection, support, job networks, mentorship, or sponsorship.
Olivia sits down with Kat Allen and Keyedrya Jacobs from the Franklin Regional Council of Governments who coordinate the Communities that Care Coalition to dive into the importance of having a supportive network and all the programs the Coalition has to offer.
Learn more about Communities that Care Coalition here: communitiesthatcarecoalition.com
Email: Kat Allen – kallen[at]frcog.org; Keyedrya Jacobs – KJacobs[at]frcog.org | Phone: 413-774-3167
Episode 10: Mental Health
Access to equitably delivered healthcare including affordable medication and mental health services is so important to a woman’s economic security.
Olivia sits down with Tamera Crenshaw from Tools for Success Counseling and CEO Karin Jeffers from Clinical and Support Options to talk about the importance of mental health care and all of the services that these two organizations have to offer.
Learn more about Clinical and Support Options here: www.csoinc.org
Email: info[at]csoinc.org | Phone: 413-773-1314
Learn more about Tools and Success Counseling here: www.toolsforsuccesscounseling.com
Email: info[at]toolsforsuccesscounseling.com | Phone: 860-461-7792
Instagram: @toolsforsuccesscounseling | Facebook: www.facebook.com/toolsforsuccesscounseling
Suicide Prevention Lifeline | 1-800-273-talk (8255)
Suicide Chat | www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org (click to chat button)
CT Sexual Assault Crises Line | 1-888-999-5545
National Domestic Violence Hotline | 1-800-799 SAFE (7233)
CT Coalition Against Domestic Violence | 1-888-774-2900
CT/MA info line | 211 or 1-800-203-1234
MA Springfield Crisis Line | 413-733-6661
About Power Women Hour
You are invited to watch a virtual series hosted by the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts dedicated to bolstering women’s economic security.
Many organizations have been affected by the economic impact of the pandemic, but while many still survive, women-owned businesses are at the brink of devastation. Prior to the pandemic, 1/3 of Western Massachusetts businesses were owned by women with that fraction threatening to decrease by the week. Businesses owned by women of color face the greatest barriers and are most likely to be shut out of recovery funding.
In the nonprofit sector, the pandemic has been disruptive to women-focused organizations and many philanthropic dollars have been understandably redirected to immediate COVID response.
Economic security for women is paramount to the success of a family. To bolster and empower women to be the champions of their own lives, we introduce Power Women Hour.
Women-Owned Businesses in Western MA (Before COVID-19)
Support
Power Women Hour was made possible with funding from our lead sponsor, The Jamrog Group, and additional funding from the Institute for Generative Leadership.
