June 2023
WORCESTER – Open Sky Community Services, the nonprofit human services organization operating Seeds of Hope, a temporary homeless winter shelter at Blessed Sacrament Church, today announced it has received a donation of $80,000 from Fallon Health to support shelter operations.
In addition to the financial support, members of the Fallon Health executive team joined Open Sky staff and shelter volunteers to serve meals on March 7. Open Sky operated the shelter on behalf of the City of Worcester, providing behavioral health services, housing assistance and case management in addition to food and shelter.
“During the course of operations our team at Seeds of Hope served about 170 individuals, addressed their health, mental health and substance use challenges, provided more than 10,000 meals and helped more than 30 people find permanent housing,” said Open Sky President and CEO Ken Bates. “That kind of effort and success can only be achieved with the support of community partners like Fallon Health. Their gift has helped make lives better.”
“Fallon Health is inspired by the important work Open Sky and the City of Worcester have been doing to address the needs of Worcester’s homeless population at the Seeds of Hope Shelter and proud to partner with them,” said Richard Burke, President and CEO of Fallon Health. “As leader in the fight against hunger, Fallon Health’s contributions ensured guests were able to receive nutritious meals throughout their stay.”
Seeds of Hope shelter is providing services and accommodations to guests from Dec. 19 through March 31, to fill a void left by the closure of the Hotel Grace shelter in 2022. Nearly 40 previously unhoused individuals were connected to permanent housing by Open Sky staff. In all, about 75 percent of individuals served at the shelter engaged with a case worker about available services and supports, including housing, employment and treatment for substance use disorders.
About Open Sky Community Services
Open Sky Community Services is a 501(c)3 nonprofit agency based in Worcester, Mass. that has been opening doors for individuals in our community for over 50 years. The agency provides a wide range of services throughout Central Massachusetts for children, adults, and families with mental health challenges, intellectual and developmental disabilities, substance use disorders, brain injury, homelessness and other complex challenges. Open Sky Community Services has over 1,200 dedicated employees and more than 100 programs throughout the region, supporting over 5,000 individuals annually. Open Sky is committed to race equity and is on a journey to learn, grow, teach and transform. For more information, please visit www.openskycs.org.
About Fallon Health
Fallon Health is a company that cares. We prioritize our members – always – making sure they get the care they need and deserve. Founded in 1977 in Worcester, Massachusetts, Fallon delivers equitable, high-quality coordinated care and is continually rated among the nation’s top health plans for member experience, service, and clinical quality. Today, guided by our mission of improving health and inspiring hope, we strive to be the leading provider of government-sponsored health insurance programs – including Medicare, Medicaid, and PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) – in the region.