Annual ice cream social slated for Saturday
GREENFIELD — The Historical Society of Greenfield’s annual ice cream social will be held Saturday, July 18, from noon to 3 p.m. at 43 Church St.
Three different flavors from Ice Cream Alley will be available on the front lawn of the Historical Society, and attendees can listen to the soft rock and folk sounds of Lindsey and the Llamas. Visitors are also encouraged to go inside the museum to check out what’s new in the Historical Society’s galleries.
Supported by a grant from Greenfield Savings Bank, the event is free and open to the public.
Cultural Council seeks input on funding uses
GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Local Cultural Council is seeking input from residents on their priorities for arts and culture programming in and around Greenfield. The council has launched a public survey, which is available until July 31.
The results will be used to refresh the priorities the Greenfield Local Cultural Council uses to make funding decisions for the 2027 grant cycle, for which the council has $20,200 allocated from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Applications will open this fall and will be evaluated using an updated set of criteria informed by the survey results.
“The Greenfield Local Cultural Council’s grant program is a vital investment in the artists, cultural organizations and community groups that make Greenfield such a creative and engaging place to live,” council Co-Chair Tim Fisk said in a statement. “Each year, we are proud to support a wide range of projects that bring people together and make arts and culture more accessible. … The high number of proposals we receive also reflects the depth of creative energy in our community and the continuing need for additional resources to help those ideas come to life.”
To fill out the survey, visit bit.ly/glccsurvey.
Just Roots receives $150K grant
GREENFIELD — Just Roots community farm has received a $150,000 general operating grant from Point32Health Foundation to expand equitable access to healthy, local food for older adults and other residents facing barriers across Franklin County.
“This investment comes at an important time for our community,” Joshua Faller, co-executive director of Just Roots, said in a statement. “We’re seeing growing demand from older adults and families facing rising food costs and transportation barriers. This support gives us the flexibility to expand access, strengthen partnerships and ensure more people can benefit from fresh, locally grown food.”
The grant is one of 21 new investments totaling more than $3.5 million from Point32Health Foundation, which is the philanthropic arm of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan.
“As a not-for-profit health plan, we know that healthier communities ensure better outcomes and more affordable care for everyone,” Kristin Lewis, president of the Point32Health Foundation, said in a statement. “Through these investments, we are working with community organizations to create environments where individuals can live with dignity, connection and opportunity as they age.”