Concert to benefit Transhealth program

HAYDENVILLE — A benefit concert for the nonprofit organization Transhealth will take place Saturday, April 5, at 6 p.m. at Haydenville Congregational Church.

Transhealth is based in Florence and provides medical care for trans people. It is the only independent, nonprofit health care organization in the United States devoted solely to serving the trans and gender-diverse community.

Mare Berger, Haydenville Church music director, said the concert is planned as support for the program and the people it serves.

“At a time when the government is trying to erase trans people, we are coming together to support and celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community. There will be many sing-along songs to remind us of our collective power and community care,” Berger said.

Berger will be performing along with The Queer Joy Collaborative Choir, Addie Kogan, the band Ballad Box and other queer bands. There is a suggested donation of $10-$25, but Berger said no one will be turned away.

The church is at 143 Main St. (Route 9) Haydenville.

For more information contact Mare Berger at mariel.berger@gmail.com.

Good Neighbor Energy Fund taking applications

CANTON — With the end last Tuesday to the moratorium on home energy shut-offs for customers of investor-owned utilities not on protected status, the Massachusetts Good Neighbor Energy Fund’s sponsoring energy companies are encouraging those in need to apply for assistance to the fund as soon as possible.

The Massachusetts Good Neighbor Energy Fund is often the last resort for families who are in temporary financial difficulty and do not qualify for federal and state fuel assistance programs such as LIHEAP. The Salvation Army Massachusetts Division, which administers the fund, pays the energy provider directly for households whose gross income falls between 60 and 80% of the state’s median income levels.

To apply for the Massachusetts Good Neighbor Energy Fund, visit your local Salvation Army Corps Community Center or 800-262-1320 if you live in area code 413. For more general information on the Fund, please visit magoodneighbor.org.

Northampton Elks donate to VA Veterans pantry

NORTHAMPTON — Northampton Lodge of Elks No. 997 recently donated $4,000 to the Veterans Food Pantry of the VA’s Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System.

Lou Gingras, Northampton Elks Lodge No. 997 Loyal Knight, said that nationally one in five veterans suffers from food insecurity, which is nearly double the average for the general population. The Lodge is asking veteran groups and the general public to join them in supporting the Veterans Food Pantry by donating nonperishable food, and monetary gifts to the pantry.

The VA will use the Elks $4,000 grant to purchase and distribute food to area veterans and their families suffering from food insecurity. The Veterans Food Panty is open each Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in The Lake Building (Building 7), VA Central Western MA Health Care System, 421 N. Main St., Leeds.

The VA opened the Veterans Food Pantry in June of 2022. The Veterans Food Pantry serves an estimated 744 veterans and their families and has already distributed over 16,000 pounds of food this calendar year. Persons wishing to donate food to the Veterans Food Pantry can drop it off at the pantry each weekday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information call the VA Center for Development and Civic Engagement at: 413-582-3033.

Mount Holyoke will celebrate alum Connie Converse

SOUTH HADLEY — Mount Holyoke College will host “Talkin’ Like You,” a special event honoring the life and legacy of alum Connie Converse ‘46, who was a pioneering songwriter. This event will take place Thursday, April 10, from 8 to 10 p.m., in Pratt Music Hall’s McCulloch Auditorium on campus.

“Talkin’ Like You” will feature a book discussion, concert and conversation celebrating Converse’s contributions to music. Biographer Howard Fishman will lead the discussion. He is the author of “To Anyone Who Ever Asks: The Life, Music, and Mystery of Connie Converse,” which was published in 2023.

The event will also showcase performances by several musicians, including Miriam Piilonen and Mount Holyoke Lecturer in Music Ben Geyer, Voice Instructor Sarah Callinan, Associate Professor of Music Adeline Mueller and alum Sarah Smith FP’23. The Odyssey Bookshop will host a book signing after the program.

This event is free and open to the public. Guests can attend in person or virtually via Zoom. For virtual participation, please register online.