United Way of Pioneer Valley honor volunteers and partnerships at 'Champions of Change' event

HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) - It takes a team to serve the community, and those changemakers across the Pioneer Valley were in the spotlight Thursday evening.

'Champions of Change' held at Holyoke Community College's Culinary Institute gathered volunteers, donors, and partnerships involved with the United Way of Pioneer Valley.

"Sometimes owning a food business is not easy, so just giving them the reality of what it means to open a business," shared Stacy Graves, Coordinator at HCC MGM Culinary Institute.

Stacy accepted the partner agency award with HCC and MGM.

A full circle moment for her as the celebration was held inside the facility where she helps students' culinary dreams come true. United Way set a goal of 10,000 volunteer hours for 2025. As of April, they reached that milestone.

An evening celebrating involvement and also sharing the space with the community that helps students find their path in the culinary industry.

A food pantry is also part of HCC. A staple for those in need in the area, year after year, it's made possible because of the volunteers in the room.

"It's wheelchair accessible, veteran accessible, children accessible, anybody that needs food can come," shared Jessica Prokop, Chief Development Officer with United Way Pioneer Valley.

United Way offers food pantries in Chicopee, Holyoke, and Springfield, all available to the community at no cost. For more information on their hours, visit here.

Transportation cost to get the food to the various locations continues to be the biggest financial struggle. If you'd like to support the cause, visit here.