Seven Hills Family Services has been awarded a renewed grant in the amount of $7,500 from the Staples Foundation’s 2 Million and Change grant opportunity to support the ASPiRE! Workforce Readiness & Employment Program located at 150 Goddard Memorial Drive in Worcester.  The program provides a pathway to employment for individuals with disabilities by providing individualized soft skills training and a variety of vocational training models that include community-based day support, group supported employment, and individual supported employment. Funding from this grant will support a partnership with the Greendale YMCA to provide a part-time on-site Inclusion Specialist/Internship Coordinator. This person will be responsible for coordinating 9-week internship rotations throughout the 12 month grant period in the areas of facilities maintenance, office management, hospitality/reception and dietary aid/snack management. Participants who attend ASPiRE! Workforce Readiness & Employment Program will participate in the 9-week internship program that will culminate in a job interview. This project was developed and launched in 2015 with initial funding from Staples Foundation.

This grant opportunity from Staples Foundation, the private charitable arm of Staples, Inc., is available through a program that allows Staples associates around the world to direct funding to non-profit organizations that are focused on education or job skills. The program encourages local community engagement by awarding larger grants to organizations where associates are highly engaged in volunteering or fundraising – up to $25,000 per organization.

The program, called 2 Million and Change, awards funds to organizations around the world, reaching more than $2 million in grants by the end of the year. In 2014, associates globally directed more than $2.4 million of Staples Foundation grants to over 1,000 non-profit organizations.