(Mass Appeal) – School may be out, but learning doesn’t have to stop! At Holyoke, Chicopee, Springfield Head Start they have simple, fun, and affordable ways families can keep preschoolers learning throughout the summer months. Nicole Blais, Chief Executive Officer and Mara Charizio, Director of Education are here to show us how to keep [...]
HCS Head Start Celebrates Team Members, Volunteers, Leaders By BusinessWest Staff June 5, 2026 SPRINGFIELD — Holyoke, Chicopee, Springfield (HCS) Head Start recently gathered team members from across the organization for a Professional Development Day held at the Castle of Knights in Chicopee. The event served as an opportunity to celebrate the dedication, leadership, [...]
SPRINGFIELD — Holyoke, Chicopee, Springfield (HCS) Head Start is recognizing Mental Health Awareness Month by reinforcing the critical role mental wellness plays in a child’s overall development and long-term success. At HCS Head Start, mental wellness is not a concept reserved for discussion. It is something children experience every day through intentional practices, supportive [...]
HCS Head Start, Square One, Springfield Public Schools, and the YMCA have created a new agency, "Foundations for Success," to help families find the proper types of support according to their situation and needs. The agency connects families, parents, caregivers and community support programs, with personalized guidance. Business West Early [...]
Business West By BusinessWest Staff April 22, 2026 SPRINGFIELD — Nicole Blais, CEO of Holyoke, Chicopee, Springfield (HCS) Head Start, has been named the 2026 Leader of the Year by the Massachusetts Head Start Assoc. (MHSA). This recognition honors her decades of leadership, commitment, and impact on children, families, and the broader Head [...]
Nicole Blais, CEO of HCS Head Start, discusses the economic impact of early learning with host Jill Monson on Living Local's BizBuzz podcast. Listen here!!
Head Start spreads the love, delivers their Annual Valentine’s Day Cards for Mayor Sarno 02/13/2026 Every year, Mayor Sarno and team are happy to receive a visit from his friends at Holyoke Chicopee Springfield Head Start, Inc. around Valentine’s Day with some special cards. Constituent Services Director Genesis Velez was happy to receive this [...]
People in Business: Jan. 14, 2026 By The Republican Business Desk Holyoke, Chicopee, Springfield Head Start has announced that Jeni (Jeniliz) Rodriguez was promoted to human resources senior generalist. Rodriguez attended Head Start as a child in Puerto Rico. She later joined HCS Head Start as a human resources assistant after working at Raymour [...]
Holyoke Chicopee Springfield Head Start Welcomes Two Members to Policy Council By BusinessWest Staff January 14, 2026 SPRINGFIELD — Holyoke Chicopee Springfield (HCS) Head Start recently welcomed two new members, Monalisa Smith and Maritza Sostre, to its parent-led policy council. Across the country, Head Start organizations engage parents and community representatives to make up [...]
Springfield diaper drive aids 200 families with baby supplies by: Areta Odiah SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The O’Dell Women’s Center in Springfield held its second annual diaper distribution event today, aiming to support families facing financial difficulties by providing essential baby supplies. The event, supported by over 40 volunteers, was designed to alleviate some [...]
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - The government shutdown is threatening to close the doors on early education for some of our community’s most vulnerable children, leaving working parents scrambling for childcare and shutting some of the nation’s neediest children out of preschool. However, in the greater Springfield area there seems to be a contingency plan. [...]
Head Start is a multi-service agency, providing comprehensive programs, services and support to local communities, families and children. Here to tell us more about their fun Halloween programs is Mahera Chiarizio, Director of Education and Amy Santiago, Development and Training Coach. See the video at MassAppeal.
‘We can’t even give you $1’: Federally funded programs helping Mass. families face cuts in November By Katarina Schmeiszer and Sadaf Tokhi Globe Correspondent,Updated October 23, 2025, 8:38 a.m. Tens of thousands of Massachusetts families who depend on federally funded programs covering child care, heating bills, and school lunches are facing a potential loss [...]
Kids on Campus aims to increase the number of Head Start programs on community college campuses to remove child care barriers for student parents. When Dayonera Rivera drops off her 4-year-old daughter Keilanys at the Holyoke-Chicopee-Springfield (HCS) Head Start center each morning, she doesn’t have to worry about traffic or rush back across town [...]
Para leer este artículo en inglés, haga clic aquí. The Trump administration is asking Congress to eliminate Head Start, a national early childhood education program that is federally funded. The administration is proposing the cuts for the 2026 fiscal year. It is not clear if the proposed cuts will be accepted by lawmakers. The [...]
Opinion by Nicole Blais Since 1965, Head Start has been an essential source of support for millions of children and families, offering early childhood education, health services and family support to those who need it most. This 60-year history rings ever-true right here in the Greater Holyoke, Chicopee and Springfield area. Holyoke, Chicopee, Springfield [...]
