$125K in grants available from Fallon Health
WORCESTER — Fallon Health had opened the application period for its 2026 Community Impact Grants, offering $125,000 in funding to nonprofits serving communities across its Massachusetts service area, including Franklin County.
Through the Community Impact Grant program, Fallon Health partners with nonprofits that are improving health and well-being at the community level by expanding or strengthening programs that deliver measurable impact. Eligible organizations may submit letters of intent through Monday, May 11.
Funding priorities for 2026 include:
- Food and nutrition security, including programs that improve access to healthy, culturally inclusive food for individuals and families with limited economic means, or that address maternal health disparities through perinatal nutrition support.
- Support for older adults, including initiatives that promote housing safety and stability, reduce isolation and loneliness, or address barriers to care such as transportation, technology access or health literacy.
- Early intervention for children and youth, with an emphasis on mental health, behavioral health, and substance use prevention, education and awareness.
“Community health depends on strong local partnerships and programs that respond to everyday needs,” Manny Lopes, president and CEO of Fallon Health, said in a statement. “These grants support organizations that are making a real difference — helping people stay healthy, supported and connected at every stage of life.”
Since it was established in 2004, Fallon Health’s Community Impact Grant program has awarded more than $2.6 million to nonprofits addressing social drivers of health in alignment with the Massachusetts attorney general’s priorities.
For eligibility requirements, application details and funding timelines, visit fallonhealth.org/community.
‘Outrun Hunger’ 5K race and walk set for May 17
SPRINGFIELD — Rachel’s Table of Western Massachusetts will hold its biennial “Outrun Hunger” 5K race and 1-mile family-friendly walk in Forest Park on Sunday, May 17. Welcome announcements will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the race will start at 9 a.m. Proceeds from the race will go toward fighting food insecurity.
Participants can register to run, walk or do a virtual run. All registered runners and walkers will be able to visit The Zoo in Forest Park & Education Center for free on the day of the race, sponsored by The Zoo at Forest Park and supported by the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts.
Boomer from the Springfield Thunderbirds will be in attendance and DJ Matt Peterson will provide musical entertainment. Local legislators have been invited to speak.
To register, visit feedwma.org/outrun-hunger-2026. Fees will increase on
May 1.
Applications open for 2026 Tom Cosenzi Scholarships
NORTHAMPTON — Applications are now open for TommyCar Auto Group’s 2026 Tom Cosenzi Scholarship. Graduating high school seniors across Hampshire, Hampden and Franklin counties have until 11:59 p.m. on May 31, to submit their applications for a chance to receive one of three $2,500 scholarships toward their two-year college, four-year university or accredited trade school education.
The scholarship was established in memory of Thomas E. Cosenzi, founder of TommyCar Auto Group who died in 2009. Since its creation, the Tom Cosenzi Scholarship Fund has awarded more than $65,000 to exceptional students who exhibit Cosenzi’s spirit of generosity and community. Scholarship recipients must demonstrate academic achievement, leadership and meaningful community involvement.
“This scholarship is our most personal way of giving back,” Carla Cosenzi, president of TommyCar Auto Group, said in a statement. “Every year, we are humbled by the caliber of students who apply. My dad believed deeply in this community, and honoring his legacy by investing in its future leaders is something we take tremendous pride in.”
Applicants are required to submit a one-page essay detailing why they are deserving of the scholarship and what their future plans hold. Supporting materials, including transcripts, resumes, letters of recommendation, portfolios and records of community involvement, are encouraged and can make the difference in a competitive field.
Past recipients have gone on to attend institutions such as Yale University, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Brown University, the University of New England and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and have pursued careers in medicine, engineering, business, science and public service.
Visit TomCosenziScholarship.com to apply.
‘The Rundown with Carrie Saldo’ streaming on YouTube
SPRINGFIELD — NEPM’s news in review show “The Rundown with Carrie Saldo” is expanding its reach with the addition of a live YouTube stream every Friday at 9 a.m.
The new platform builds on the show’s established audience on 88.5 NEPM while opening the conversation to viewers who increasingly turn to YouTube and other video platforms for local news.
“With so many different ways that people can access content, it’s very important for us to meet them wherever they are,” Tony Dunne, director of content for NEPM and executive producer of “The Rundown with Carrie Saldo,” said in a statement. “It’s the same in-depth conversation about the news that matters most to us here in western Massachusetts, but now you can watch as well as listen.”
Produced and hosted by award-winning multimedia journalist Carrie Saldo, the show aims to bring clarity, context and regional perspective to the stories shaping the region.
“The kinds of discussions that we have on ‘The Rundown’ can be very passionate and animated,” Saldo said. “Now folks will have an opportunity to not only hear the conversation, but see it as well and put faces to the voices they’ve come to know. I think they’ll really enjoy pulling back the curtain.”
The YouTube live stream offers viewers a front-row seat to the weekly exchange among local reporters. Participating media organizations include The Springfield Republican, MassLive, The Berkshire Eagle, the Greenfield Recorder, Reminder Publications, The Shoestring, Focus Springfield and Western Mass Politics & Insight.
For more information, visit nepm.org/therundown or follow NEPM on YouTube and social media.
Baystate Franklin earns Patient Safety Excellence Award
GREENFIELD — Baystate Franklin Medical Center has achieved the 2026 Patient Safety Excellence Award from Healthgrades, a site that helps Americans find doctors and helps millions of consumers each month find and schedule appointments with a health care professional of their choice.
Baystate Franklin has earned this award for nine consecutive years.
“Baystate Franklin Medical Center is honored to be consistently recognized by Healthgrades for excellence in patient safety,” Jodi Stack, president and chief operating officer at Baystate Franklin, said in a statement. “Earning this recognition year after year speaks to the culture of safety our teams have built and reflects the daily commitment of our caregivers to teamwork, accountability and putting safety first in every moment of care.”
To determine the national leaders in patient safety, Healthgrades evaluated risk-adjusted complication and mortality rates from approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide across 13 patient safety indicators, with each patient safety indicator representing a serious, preventable complication.
Patients treated at Baystate Franklin and other award-winning facilities had a lower risk of experiencing these leading complications:
- In-hospital fall resulting in a fracture (52.4% less likely).
- Collapsed lung due to a procedure in or around the chest (57.5% less likely).
- Catheter-related bloodstream infections acquired in the hospital (67.8% less likely).
- Pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital (71.9% less likely).
“The data behind this year’s Patient Safety Excellence Award highlights how measurable improvements in safety can prevent thousands of complications,” Dr. Alana Biggers, medical advisor at Healthgrades, said in a statement. “By prioritizing evidence-based safety practices, Baystate Health’s community hospitals are achieving better clinical outcomes and cultivating a culture where patients come first.”
To learn more about the Patient Safety Excellence Award and view data insights, visit healthgrades.com.