Marybeth Campbell

Executive Director

Despite the success with music, school was a different story. Often suspended, Bebe recalls “kindly be asked to leave” during his third year of high school. Often the class clown and tough guy, he now found himself surrounded by a lot of very similar characters when he was enrolled in an alternative school. “It was shocking,” he said. “Suddenly I was surrounded by a lot of ‘Me’s’ there… I didn’t like it and I became quieter.” It was there that one teacher offered him what he describes as ‘the rawness of life’. “It was a truly life changing conversation… he said this is not who you are. I saw life very differently after that.”

His musical career truly took off. He began touring with bigger musical artists up and down the East Coast, eventually touring around the world and to all but four of the fifty states. While the touring life was fun and financially rewarding, Bebe realized he was missing out on being with his young family. The father of two decided it was time to settle down.

Through his music he began involvement with performing Christmas concerts at the Department of Youth Services, a tradition he continues to this day. He and one of his brothers helped to launch AMPP – the Arts & Music Police Partnership- in collaboration with the Worcester Police Department. The initiative now in its 4th year, teaches music to at-risk youth. But more importantly uses music as a means of mentoring youth – helping them find their voice through music.

“I knew I wanted to help people,” he says. “I want to dedicate myself to that… to listening, being an ear more than a mouth.”

Eventually his community involvement and volunteer activities led him to WCAC when a case manager position opened in the agency’s Safe & Successful Youth Initiative program. In his role he sees himself as a mentor – helping at-risk youth with whatever resources they would need to move forward in their lives. Resources may include education, finding a career path, and in some cases mental health. He notes the critical role WCAC’s many community partners play in his ability to be in tune with the community, to make referrals and help one another.

His passion for his job is readily evident. He talks about the young men he works with as ‘his guys’. “I see a big need – a real void. These guys have a lack of mentors, many coming from homes with no fathers or other role models,” he says. “It’s my passion, my strong desire is to fill that need. It’s so much more than a paycheck – I’m still making noise.”

Read Bebe's full profile here.

Profiles With Purpose is a new series of periodic profiles of members of WCAC's team, highlighting their unique purpose, connection and commitment to supporting the agency's mission.

One began classes in a nursing program. One began a CDL course. One updated their resume in preparation for a job search. One gained custody of daughter from DCF while maintaining a job as a PCA. What do they all have in common? Each 'one' is a participant in the Worcester Mobility Mentoring Pilot.

WCAC, together with our Mobility Mentoring partners Central MA Housing Alliance, MA Rehabilitation Commission, MassHIRE Central Region Workforce Board, MassHIRE Worcester Career Center , Northeast Business Associates (NEBA), The Community Builders at Plumley Village, Worcester Community Connections Coalition of You, Inc. (an affiliate of Seven Hills), Worcester and Southbridge Family Resource Centers of You, Inc. (an affiliate of Seven Hills), and the Worcester Housing Authority have met monthly in a Learning Community style since 2019, and are coaching up to 24 participants. The pilot was funded thanks to a grant from the Greater Worcester Community Foundation.

The model is a shift from case management to coaching in a participant-centered manner focusing on meeting participants where they are, assisting them to meet their goals as they define them, with ongoing coaching. Nurturing the relationships and partnerships between the participating organizations has proven highly successful in shifting from standard case management style to client centered coaching. The national EMPath model has been adapted by the group to specifically address the needs of families here in Worcester. Specific adaptations include utilizing local earning levels; noting the impact work history or lack thereof plays; as well as the inclusion of the social/emotional needs of children.

WCAC Chief Impact Officer Charla Hixson said, "This is truly a client centered approach... meeting clients where they are and helping to empower them to trust themselves to make the best decisions for their situation." She noted that each of the focus areas of the pilot - family stability, well-being, financial management, education & training, and employment & career - represent the pillars holding up the bridge to economic mobility.

Mobility Mentoring® “Mobility Mentoring is a registered trademark of Economic Mobility Pathways, Inc.”

Few programs are as immediately impactful as WCAC's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Despite having to transition from a traditionally in-person program to an entirely virtual one for the 2020-21 tax season, WCAC's VITA team served over 600 area households, providing no cost income tax preparation and generating more than $1.3 million dollars in returns!

With hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents eligible for up to $3,200 in federal stimulus checks and thousands of dollars in additional benefits are available through the Earned Income Tax Credit, the service proved even more valuable for many who had previously not filed. Additionally, volunteers reopened for four days in late June/early July in order to support area low-to-noincome families who are eligible to receive new monthly federal payments of up to $300 per child, per month.

Returns can be generated online.