SMOC Highlights

Our 2022 Annual Report is here and ready for you to read! Click here to download a PDF copy.

Every three years, our Board of Directors reviews SMOC’s agency mission statement. In March 2022, we held a series of five group discussions with staff randomly selected from across the agency to get feedback on both our mission statement and tagline. At the conclusion of a series of meetings, we developed an amalgam of the group’s proposals. As we hoped, this process resulted in a mission statement and tagline that truly reflect the vision and values of the agency.

Need assistance with winter heating bills? Learn more here or contact (508) 620-1231

Green Jobs Academy Grand Opening

Our recent Green Jobs Academy grand opening, held on Monday, October 25, was a great success. The event was attended by Representative Maria Robinson, Representative Carmine Gentile, Senator Jamie Eldridge, and Marlborough Mayor Arthur Vigeant to kick-off the relocation of GJA in Marlborough, MA.

Previously based in Worcester, the new facility now occupies over 6,000 square-feet of classroom, office, and lab/training space. GJA’s new centralized location provides easier access and ample space for trainers, staff, and students – both local and out-of-state. The state-of-the-art learning space will allow participants to engage in hands-on learning and training simulations and will increase GJA's capacity for live trainings, online learning, and to facilitate online certification testing.

CLICK HERE for Emergency Housing Assistance During COVID-19

Begin the process by visiting the HCEC page. Due to the large increase in the number of applications to our rental and mortgage relief programs, our response time (not approval time) to applicants is taking longer than usual. We appreciate your patience while our staff reviews the applications in the order in which they were received.

Black Lives Matter

In the wake of the recent murders of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, Nina Pop, Oluwatoyin "Toyin" Salau, Rayshard Brooks, and countless other Black men, women, and children we have been dedicating our time to listening and reflecting on the long historical impact of racial injustice. It is a national tragedy and we must be united in standing up against all forms of racism and oppression.

Black Lives Matter. Social and economic justice are at the core of our mission at SMOC and we plan on continuing to carry out that mission with actions that match our words. Going forward we remain committed to redoubling our efforts to identify and dismantle systemic racism both inside and outside our walls. We stand with the entire Black Community. We must protect, uplift, and amplify diversity and inclusion for our Black men, women, children, and LGBTQ+ community.

Listed below are some of the actions SMOC is and will be taking:

We will operationalize our Diversity, Access, Inclusion, and Equity Committee based on the framework developed by the pilot group in 2020. The committee will help guide our continued efforts as an agency to provide leadership and facilitate conversations on matters of social justices.
We are holding workshops for our staff to directly address the trauma brought on by racism, police brutality, and racially-motivated violence.
Our board has recommitted to emphasizing diversity and inclusion in board recruitment and nomination practices and by partnering with community educators and organizers to ensure the board reflects the diverse communities we serve.
The Framingham Community & Cultural Center, along with its community partners, will offer support, resources, and programs to young people who will become the next generation of social and racial justice leaders.

The Margaret Fund

SMOC has established a fund in honor of our beloved employee of 50 years, Margaret Davitt, who passed away in May of 2020.

Margaret did many things during her fifty years with SMOC, starting as a street outreach counselor, serving as the organization's Deputy Director of Programs for a period of time, overseeing Head Start and Child Care programs for decades, and retiring from the Common Ground Resource Center. She dearly loved the role of Detox Nurse, which she held for many years.

Most importantly, Margaret was the spiritual center of the SMOC universe. She was also a notoriously 'soft touch' throughout her entire career, often helping people with a few dollars for gas money, a few more for a car repair or other item that would help someone to get back on their feet.

In that spirit, The Margaret Fund will provide small grants to assist people in achieving or maintaining self-sufficiency. To those who are able, please consider donating whatever you can.

To make a tax-deductible donation to the Margaret Fund, PLEASE CLICK HERE and specify that your gift is in memory of Margaret Davitt or to support The Margaret Fund in the drop down menu. Or, mail a check to SMOC, memo line "The Margaret Fund", 7 Bishop Street, Framingham, MA 01702.

Did you know that every event we hold is posted on our events page of the SMOC website? If you are interested in our upcoming events, click here!

High School & College Internship Opportunities

SMOC’s Internship Program was established to provide opportunities to high school and college students who seek to gain on-the-job experience relevant to their field of study in a social/human services environment. Many opportunities are available across the agency and in programs such as Administration, Behavioral Health, Nutrition Services, Headstart and Childcare, and others. In most cases, hours can be flexible and arranged with the program manager, and can range from 5 to 20 hours per week. Additional hours can be arranged dependent upon the needs of the student and or the program.

Students must be enrolled in high school or college to be eligible to participate. The SMOC internship representative works closely with High School and College Counselors to ensure appropriate placements of students in the program. All interns must be approved by the high school or college/university and the internship should be for credit. In addition, SMOC requires a criminal background check be done for all interns approved for participation in the program.

To apply to the SMOC Internship Program, interested high school and college students should apply through our Career Center by clicking on the job posting titled “Intern.” For specific internship descriptions see below.

Click here for Internship Application

Click here for a listing of Internship and Volunteer Opportunities

Behavioral Healthcare Services

Interns (college and graduate students) work with clinical or administrative teams taking on projects and help support our clinical work. Behavioral Healthcare offers an opportunity for interns to work in an outpatient mental health setting. Skilled Interns will work with our staff to: assist the medical records staff; assist in organizing data collection; and assist clinical staff with program development.

Administration And Finance

Interning with SMOC Administration and Finance offers the intern an opportunity to learn about the administrative and accounting areas of this $80 million human service agency. Internships are available in Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Payroll, Human Resources and Development departments. Familiarity with Excel, Word, etc. is helpful.

Nutrition Services

The Framingham/Waltham WIC Program offers varying lengths of unpaid internships to undergraduate and graduate students in the field of Nutrition/Dietetics. The WIC Senior Nutritionist acts as Preceptor and mentors interns as they learn to counsel prenatal and postpartum women, infants and children up to 5 years of age using the “Touching Hearts, Touching Minds” model. Interns will also be trained to measure and interpret weights and heights, help run facilitated nutrition education groups, create educational materials, conduct community in-services and complete online trainings via The WIC Learning Center website.

Child Care and Head Start

The SMOC Child Care and Head Start program welcomes high school, college and graduate student interns interested in learning more about Early Childhood Education and/or Human Services. This experience is an opportunity to see first-hand how a classroom operates, to help educate young children and to talk with professionals about their experiences in this rewarding career. SMOC Head Start, serving almost 400 children, is a free comprehensive child development program that serves low-income children ages 3-5 and their families. It is a child-focused program whose goal is to increase school readiness of young children. SMOC Child Care provides high quality child care from infants to eleven years old through four centers and a family child care system of providers. SMOC Operates Child Care and Head Start centers in Framingham, Marlborough and Hudson and individual Head Start classrooms in Ashland, Natick, Holliston, Milford, Northbridge and Grafton. While having classroom experience is very important, the program also provides the interns with an overview of the agency and the resources available in the community.

Voices Against Violence

Voices Against Violence provides comprehensive services to persons affected by domestic violence and sexual assault including victims/survivors and their loved ones. All services are provided free of charge and are confidential. Services include a 24-hour crisis/information hotline, counseling/advocacy sessions, legal and medical support advocacy, a confidential emergency safe home and shelter residential program, and education and training services. Voices Against Violence provides several intern opportunities for college students and graduate students which are based on the interns age, school requirements, and area of interest. After attending and completing an intensive Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Advocate Training program, interns will have the opportunity to answer the 24-hour hotline, assist clients in the court system, and/or provide support to the residential program as a Safe Home Intern.

Career & Opportunity Center

Interns will help Homeless individuals with job search skills and job placement. Interns will work with Center Staff to: provide outreach; conduct intakes and assessments of homeless individuals who would like assistance with job search; help clients with resume preparation, completing job applications, interviewing skills; identifying local employment openings that would meet the needs of program participants; lead Job Search workshops; maintain client records; greet walk-in customers and answer telephones.

Homelessness And Community Services

Interns will assist staff in SMOC’s homeless shelters, supported housing and Housing Services Center. Interns will work on such projects as assisting homeless families and individuals with housing search, assisting children with homework and playgroups in shelters, and helping with other shelter, housing and education operations. Interns may also assist with various other tasks related to preventing homelessness and community services such as participating in the homeless count, writing grants, coordinating donations and attending community coalitions and meetings.

Fuel Assistance

SMOC Fuel Assistance offers interns an opportunity to work in a busy office environment. Training will be offered in the use of business machines, filing, document preparation, document management, applicant intake procedures, and customer service response. Interns will also experience direct client contact through application intake and responding to telephone inquiries.

Energy Services

Interns with SMOC Energy Services are offered opportunities in the administrative and accounting areas. Interns will provide support for the Weatherization, Refrigeration and Heating and Weatherization Assistance programs. These programs provide energy conservation services to low income households.

SMOC'S MISSION
South Middlesex Opportunity Council will improve equity, wellness and quality of life for diverse individuals and families by providing advocacy, education, and a wide range of services; building a community of support and inclusion; and creating awareness to combat poverty through partnerships and coalitions with other organizations.