Hello, Friend of the Franklin County CDC
Our Celebrating Entrepreneurs event is coming up fast, on June 1, and we hope you can be here with us. Our aim is to honor the significant contributions of small business owners to our region’s well-being—and to have some fun! You can read more about it, and RSVP below.
Speaking of entrepreneurs, as we near the end of our fiscal year, we invite you to make a donation to help us continue to support small business growth throughout the Connecticut River Valley. Our business assistance and lending programs work with beginning entrepreneurs to make a business plan and secure financing. Our Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center gets new food businesses off the ground; allows us to source, process, and freeze local vegetables for institutional use; and provides employment opportunities for people involved with the justice system. Our PVGrows Investment Fund and Massachusetts Food Trust programs back farmer success and food access. Be a part of all these great programs and donate today. If you are able to give $1,000 or more, you can get 50% back as a tax credit! But we appreciate gifts of any size. Thank you to all who have already donated. |
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We hope you can join us as we Celebrate Entrepreneurs with a neighborhood Block Party on June 1 from 4:30 to 7 p.m.! We'll be hearing from entrepreneurs with inspiring stories, touring the Western Mass Food Processing Center, noshing on local food and quaffing beverages from local purveyors, and laying down the corn hole—plus there will be sidewalk chalk and face painting! We like having a bit of a heads up about who's coming, so please RSVP here, if you're able.
Our goal is to welcome members of our community who may not know about us, so feel free to share this invitation broadly. Get in touch with Communications Director Kate Lawless if you want extra flyers! |
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Best Wishes, Rebecca Busansky! |
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The PVGrows Investment Fund event at Many Graces Farm was "flowerful," beautiful, informative, and celebratory. Thank you to everyone who attended, and to farmers and policy activists Kel Komenda and Rebecca Maillet for hosting! During the event, Executive Director John Waite announced the bittersweet news that Franklin County CDC Program Director Rebecca Busansky was moving onward and upward to be the executive director at Berkshire Ag Ventures. We will miss Rebecca's professionalism, passion, and commitment to an equitable food system. You can reach Rebecca at Berkshire Ag Ventures.
The Franklin County CDC is looking to hire a Program Manager for the Pioneer Valley Grows Investment Fund and the Massachusetts Food Trust (see the job description here, and please share with your networks). In the meantime, please direct any inquiries about the programs to John Waite. |
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A family business serves Mediterranean food with “giving hearts”
A new venture offering Moroccan and Mediterranean cuisine at 186 Main Street in Northampton is slated to open early this summer. The owners at Meriyem’s—Rania Yetts, her mother Meriyem, and Rania’s husband Caleb— hope to provide delicious fresh options, whether it's coffee to go, a bite to eat, or catering for an event. The storefront also will sell artisanal handmade and imported home goods from Morocco in the back "Bazaar."
The owners operated a catering business in Salem beginning in 2022, focusing on Mediterranean foods, with specialties from Rania’s and Meriyem’s home country of Morocco, as well as menu items from Italy and Greece. They operated out of leased kitchen space in Salem and recently won The Knot’s Best of Weddings and Couples’ Choice awards for 2023. However, they wanted to have their own commercial kitchen to grow the catering business in the Connecticut River Valley. The Franklin County CDC has provided capital for fitting out the kitchen and other startup costs for the project. Mariyem's is also seeking support through a crowdsourcing program.
The trio embraces cooking and serving food while valuing relationships with clients, excellent quality of ingredients, integrity, and working with “open hands and giving hearts,” according to their website.
"My highest hope for my business is to merge my cultures together and showcase my Moroccan/Berber heritage with this community and beyond," says Rania. "I would love for Meriyem's to become a destination spot that people come from all over to experience."
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Serving Up (Plant-Based) Food Access |
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Franklin County CDC's Ari Rodriguez and Kate Lawless (pictured above, right) got into the veggie spirit and attended VegFest413 in Springfield last month. They had a great time meeting food entrepreneurs, including past and present clients of the Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center. They also sampled delicious vegan fare and heard from food justice legends Liz Wills-O'Gilvie (Chair of the board of Gardening the Community, Chair of the Steering Committee of the Springfield Food Policy Council, PVGrows Steering Committee member and as a Project Advisor with the team that developed and is implementing the 2015 Massachusetts State Food System Plan) and Sister Anna Muhammad (Food Access Director, Equity Co-Director, and Soil Health Technical Advisor at NOFA Mass and member of the board at the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group). They are pictured above left.
As Sister Anna put it, "When we heal our soil, we heal our bodies."
Wills-O'Gilvie described the discriminatory practices that took land away from Black farmers. "We can't just be hoping for better," she said. We have to be acting for better." She also reminded listeners to retain hope. Through Gardening the Community, there are 427 gardens in Springfield, "built by teenagers."
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We're Hiring!
Community Lending Associate
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Are you, or is someone you know, passionate about helping entrepreneurs? The Franklin County Community Development Corporation (FCCDC) is seeking a Community Lending Associate who will work directly with potential borrowers and offer support in making loans to businesses throughout western Massachusetts. Responsibilities include communicating with clients, financial statement analysis, loan monitoring/reporting, and relationship management. This is a great opportunity for someone interested in supporting small businesses and community lending. Join us and help make a difference!
FCCDC is a leading small business lender in western Massachusetts with a current portfolio of 120 loans–and growing. Roughly half of our borrowers own farms or food businesses. In pursuit of our mission to align capital with social, economic, and racial justice, FCCDC works to drive transformational change in financially underserved communities. We help money flow to people and places traditional finance doesn’t reach. FCCDC is looking for a person who has a passion for the mission–someone who thrives on supporting local small businesses and entrepreneurs.
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FCCDC and the Franklin County Chamber |
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The Franklin County CDC was a sponsor of April's Franklin County Chamber Breakfast, "Let's Get Technical" at Greenfield Community College. Executive Director John Waite and Racial Justice and Community Engagement Leader Traci Talbert spoke about resources available for businesses and how important it is for business owners to make their work-places welcoming for non-white workers and customers. Also speaking were Raymond Lanza-Weil from Common Capital, and Penni Menard and Jennifer Droesch from MassHire Franklin Hampshire Career Center.
The Franklin County Chamber co-hosted a multi-chamber event on May 10 at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, when professionals from up and down the Connecticut River Valley mixed and mingled. Franklin County CDC's Kate Lawless and Scott LaRochelle got to speak with two entrepreneurs, one just starting out, and one well established, as well as many other attendees, and appreciated the opportunity to gather outside and in person!
Thanks to the Franklin County Chamber for the photo, above, of the presenters at the April breakfast!
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We love Aya Forster’s chili oil! Aya was born and raised in Japan and her mother and grandmother’s homemade Japanese comfort food continue to influence her cooking style. She says Asian food should be approachable and wants to show others that they, too, can learn how to make everything from dumplings to noodles to sushi. She took courses at Le Cordon Bleu in Tokyo and other classes in Tokyo, Kyoto, and NYC to polish her culinary skills. Today, she continues to learn from fellow chefs, cookbooks, and even from students who take her cooking class. We posed a few questions to this food lover and entrepreneur!
What brought you to this business?
It all started when I made a small batch of my chili oil in my kitchen and I started sharing it with people taking my cooking classes, and my fellow chef friends. Through word of mouth, people started knocking on my door for my chili oil, and they all encouraged me to start selling it. That was the beginning of my journey.
Why are you passionate about this product?
I constantly get very heartfelt messages from people. A few examples: "Thank you for creating such an amazing product." "I use your product on my eggs every morning." "I sent your chili oil to my best friend who lives in Texas." When I imagine someone out there using what I created on their food, it gives me so much joy.
How has the Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center helped you?
I didn't know how/where to start my food business. There's so much that goes into food products, and so many regulations I needed to follow. I also didn't know how to scale my business. The WMFPC/FCCDC helped me connect with wonderful experts, and provided me with great resources. They helped my small business tremendously.
What are you looking forward to in the coming six months/year?
I am working on adding another product that is compatible to my existing product, chili oil. I'm also hoping to find right distributors so I can grow my business even more.
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Job Opportunities
Silver Screen Design
Grow Food Northampton
Food justice organization and Community Farm owner and steward Grow Food Northampton is looking to hire an Education Manager. Information and instructions on how to apply are online.
Classes and Workshops
Successful Food Product Development
The Franklin County CDC's Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center is partnering with CommonWealth Kitchen, the University of Massachusetts, and the University of Rhode Island to offer this class. June 9, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., virtually. Register here.
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Double Your Impact with the CITC |
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We love working with entrepreneurs! With your help, we are keeping the business community strong. Double your impact: give $1,000 or more, get half back.
Every day we are working to ensure entrepreneurs have what they need to keep our shared economy strong. You are our partner in this. When you make a donation of $1,000 or more, you and receive 50% of your gift back as a tax credit through the Community Investment Tax Credit (CITC) program. It's the state's way of supporting the work Community Development Corporations do for our region. Learn more about the CITC at the MACDC website—and donate below!
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Franklin Community Coop Capital Campaign |
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As Green Fields Market moves toward construction of their new store in the historic Wilson's building, they’ve also started an owner capital campaign! They aim to raise $1.5 million by June 30, and you can help. To receive info about their loan program or to make a loan, contact their capital campaign team at (413) 489-3203 or by email.
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Free Classes at the FCCDC |
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Grow Your Farm with Value-Added Food Products
We'll guide you through the food business roadmap!
Fourth Wednesdays at 11 a.m.
Upcoming virtual session is on May 24.
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Grow Your Business
For businesses of all types at any stage
First Wednesdays at 2 p.m.
Upcoming virtual session is on June 7.
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Financing Farms and Healthy Food Retail
Professional guidance on local food businesses
Second Wednesdays at 11 a.m.
Upcoming virtual session is on June 14.
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Starting a Food Product Business
Got a dream product? We can help!
Third Tuesdays at 10 a.m.
Upcoming virtual session is on June 20.
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Franklin County CDC | 324 Wells Street, Greenfield, MA 01301 | 413-774-7204 | fccdc.org
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