Congratulations to VOC's Mt. Carmel After School Program Staff!

August 25, 2017

During the school year we offer after school care from 2:30 P.M. to 5:30 P.M. and VOC transportation servies picks up children from 6 Chicopee Public Schools and brings them to the program. While the children are in our care, they enjoy an afternoon snack, outdoor play, homework assistance, literacy and science programing on a weekly basis to provide enrichment activities for all of the children. We also have special visitors such as Mad Science, Forest Park Zoo on the Go, Ed Popielarcyzk, and Zumba fitness instructors who come in throughout the year.

We also offer extended care on school vacations and snow days. During the summer, the extended day offers children the opportunity to engage in literacy activities and thematic curriculum activities from the Creative Minds and/or Nature Curriculum where they can plan, design, and grow a garden and participate in cooking with some of the vegetables from the garden. Additionally, we receive visits from the Chicopee Library Bookmobile, have daily swimming at the public pool and take weekly field trips.

We do have openings available so give us a call at 413-552-1559 to sign up!

< Older Post Newer Post >

Coming Soon: Belcher Apartments

January 13, 2025

The Belcher Apartments is a new development located in Chicopee, Massachusetts, offering 25 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. Apartments will be available for households earning less than 30% Area median Income (AMI), less than 50% AMI and 60% AMI as well as households with the ability to pay market rent.

VOC/GEAR UP Program Boasts 300 College Acceptances, Over $3 Million in Scholarships for Holyoke Grads

By Melissa White • December 12, 2024

This year’s initiative saw the highest level of participation and success since onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with 312 on-the-spot college acceptances

Seen on WWLP: Valley Opportunity Council to reopen Women, Infants & Children office in Ludlow

April 11, 2024

LUDLOW, Mass. (WWLP) – The Valley Opportunity Council will reopen its Women, Infants & Children’s (WIC) office in Ludlow on Wednesday. The Ludlow office, located at 14 Chestnut Place, closed during the pandemic, and a grand re-opening ceremony is set for 10:00 a.m., according to a news release from the Valley Opportunity Council. The grand reopening ceremony will feature snacks, activities, and a raffle, and will provide information to the community about available resources offered through the WIC program. WIC is a nutrition program that serves qualified families in Massachusetts. They provide nutrition education, referrals to healthcare, and social service agencies, and a WIC card that can be redeemed at certain grocery stores and pharmacies. There are WIC offices in Chicopee, Holyoke, and Westfield. The Valley Opportunity Council also offers assistance with housing, energy, and early education. They are the largest and most diverse Community Action Agency in western Massachusetts with an annual budget of $45 million.

VOC offers over 30 community programs in a wide variety of areas throughout Hampden County in Western Massachusetts.

VOC and our correspondences are funded with a variety of sources that includes Federal Funds from various departments of the US Health and Human Services, including the Office of Community Services, which are not responsible for or endorse any of the content here.