Carlos Vega Fund awards social justice grants to local organizations

HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) - More than a dozen organizations are being awarded grants from the organizers of the Carlos Vega Fund, which supports people creating social justice-related projects and programs.

The fund was established after the late Carlos Vega, a well-known community leader in Holyoke, who wanted the best for the community. His son, Aaron Vega, Chair of the Advisory Board, told 22News the importance of supporting social justice organizations with these grants, "Given the extreme need and the great work being done by so many groups in our community to promote social justice and support our most vulnerable neighbors, we have decided to lean in this year and grant out over $30,000 this cycle."

The organization is awarding 19 grants totaling $34,950, the largest amount in its 14th year of funding for the Greater Holyoke area. This year’s grants are in honor of founding board members, Mary Birks, Jane Frey, Miguel Arce, and Orlando Isaza.

"This amount is more than the Carlos Vega Fund has ever awarded in one year before, because our board collectively decided that we should meet these extraordinary times with an extraordinary response.”

The 2025 awardees are:

1. Holyoke Health Center  - Lending Library $2,000 
2. Indian Orchard Citizens Council - Multiple Initiatives  $3,000
3. AAFP - Awards Ceremony $2,000 
4. Families First - Parent Cafe: Navigating IEPs and Special Education - $2,000 (Mary Birks recognition/in honor)  
5. Mass Jobs with Justice - Organizing And Leadership Development Training: $1,500 (Miguel Arce recognition/in honor)  
6. Holyoke Media Center - Afro-Caribbean History through the Arts: $1,500 (Orlando Isaza recognition/in honor) 
7. Young Men of honor Youth Mentoring Program - Youth Life Skills Summer camp - $1,500 
8. Eagle Eye - Virtual Space to Explore Nature - $1,500 
9. Holyoke Food and Equity Collective - Garden Beds and Bucket Gardens - $2,000 
10. Community Roots - Feed My People $2,000 
11. Neighbor to Neighbor - Dwight St Garden $2,000
12. Arts Integrated Studio - Truth Tellers Theater Film $2,000 
13. St Paul's Church - Neighbors helping Neighbors $2,000 (Jane Frey recognition/in honor) 
14. Stavros - At home Services $1,950 
15. The Color Collaborative - Imagined Worlds $2,000 
16. The Performance Project - First Generation Celebration $1,000
17. Common Wealth Murals - Community Mural Material Library $2,000 
18. Beyond Walls - Race & Main Revitalization Project $1,500 
19. Anti-Racism Community Organizers - Racial Equity Mixer $,1500 

The awards will be printed on May 22nd at the Wistariahurst Museum at 23 Cabot Street in Holyoke.