WORCESTER—With federal budget cuts looming and the cost of living climbing, the United Way of Central Massachusetts has set aside $500,000 for a new United Response Fund designed to shore up community resilience before crises deepen.
The fund, unanimously approved by the organization’s board of directors, supports families and nonprofit programs facing sudden challenges while inviting community partners, foundations, and individuals to join the effort.
“The overarching support of our board reflects a shared commitment to improving the lives of all who call this community home,” said Tim Garvin, president and CEO of UWCM, in the announcement. “The United Response Fund is built in that same spirit; to leverage greater community action, bring partners together, and ensure that when crisis strikes, the Greater Worcester region is not left waiting. This is not just a United Way response, it’s an invitation to the entire community to rise together.”
United Way leaders framed the investment as both a buffer and a rallying cry. Dan Mastrototaro, UWCM board chair and regional executive at The Hanover Insurance Group, called it a chance to strengthen long-term stability. “This investment is about more than emergency relief, it’s about building resilience,” Mastrototaro said. “These funds will help create opportunities for children, improve food security, create pathways to meaningful careers, and give us the data to better understand and support the working families in Massachusetts. Our stronger tomorrow starts with being United today.”
The announcement comes against a backdrop of potential cuts to federal nutrition benefits. Senator Ed Markey’s office estimates that up to 237,000 Massachusetts residents could be affected by reductions to SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program). According to the state Department of Transitional Assistance, 32 percent of current SNAP recipients are children, 24 percent are seniors, and 28 percent are people with disabilities. Economists also note the program’s broader effect: every $1 spent through SNAP generates an estimated $1.54 in economic activity.
United Way says its new fund allows for rapid, flexible responses to unexpected needs—whether from budget cuts, disasters, or sudden shifts in the economy. Garvin noted that the $500,000 seed money is only the beginning. “Our investment is the first step,” he said. “But the challenges ahead are larger than any one organization. We hope this fund sparks a united movement of neighbors, companies, and partners willing to act now, together, to ensure the most vulnerable among us are not left behind and our economy does not turn its back on the very people who sustain it.”
While the United Response Fund is new, UWCM points to its track record of mobilizing in emergencies. The Worcester Together Fund raised $11 million in pandemic relief, while the Massachusetts Farm Resiliency Fund leveraged more than $18 million to help farmers recover from catastrophic flooding.
United Way of Central Massachusetts, founded more than a century ago, continues to focus on youth opportunity, financial security, community health, and resilience as its core mission.
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