Mission Statement

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.

SMOC's Vision

Organizing Resources For Social Change And Economic Independence

SMOC's Values

SMOC's employees, volunteers and Board members work to effect social and economic change according to the following principles:

• Respect for the dignity & value of every individual.
  SMOC respects the dignity and inherent value in all individuals. We relate to each other, to community partners, and to clients with respect, kindness, sincerity, and compassion.
• Appreciation for the value of diversity and an end to racism and discrimination.
  SMOC embraces and values diversity. We strive to reflect the diversity of our clients and the communities we serve by providing employment, board, and volunteer opportunities. SMOC recognizes that racism is a critical barrier to social change and economic justice.
• Freedom from violence including domestic violence and sexual assault.
  SMOC believes every person has a right to be free from violence, including domestic violence and sexual assault, and is entitled to safety in their own homes and neighborhoods.
• The right to housing and the abolishment of homelessness.
  SMOC believes housing is a right, not a privilege and that homelessness should be abolished. Every person has a fundamental right to a decent, safe, healthy and stable home. We also believe that any person without a permanent, habitable housing situation is homeless.
• The right to health care.
  SMOC believes health care is a right and not a privilege. Every person has a fundamental right to quality, affordable and accessible health care.
• Freedom from hunger.
  SMOC believes that hunger is an early warning signal of poverty and when food is so plentiful in the United States, everyone should have enough nutritious food to eat.
• The elimination of poverty.
  SMOC believes every person has a right to be free from poverty. SMOC believes that poverty reflects the declining number of jobs paying decent living wages, an increasingly inequitable distribution of wealth, continuing racial divisions and the absence of low-income people from the political resolution of the problem.
• The right to work for a living wage.
  SMOC supports the right of all people to work, be employed and earn a living wage.
• Easy access to social supports through co-location of social services.
  SMOC believes low-income and disadvantaged people are best served when services they rely on to meet complex human needs are integrated, concentrated, and co-located in their communities.
• SMOC’s Employees are its greatest strength.
  SMOC recognizes its employees are its most valuable asset and values their contribution to the success of its mission. We also help and encourage our employees to realize their potential, individually and as a team, and recognize that each and every one can and does make a difference.

SMOC's Function Statement

Community Resources

• SMOC organizes, represents and advocates for low-income and disadvantaged people to attack and eradicate the causes of poverty.
• SMOC provides information and referral services that allow people to advocate for themselves, develop problem solving skills and community connections. Through self-advocacy, people obtain needed resources and information to improve the quality of their lives.
• SMOC provides community education, advocacy and outreach for newcomers to Massachusetts to help them meet their basic needs.
• SMOC provides advocacy for social and economic change that will bring quality, accessible health care to all.
• SMOC provides opportunities for community volunteers, interns and donors to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
• SMOC empowers individuals and families to become self-sufficient.

Family & Nutrition Services

• SMOC provides Early Education and Child Care Services in the form of Child Care and Head Start to income-eligible and disadvantaged children and their families.
• SMOC provides nutrition education and checks for healthy food to pregnant and parenting mothers, infants and children.
• SMOC operates a food pantry for residents of Greater Springfield.
• SMOC operates a twice daily, 7 days a week meal program for residents of Greater Springfield.
• SMOC secures and re-distributes food to people in need through partnerships with restaurants, caterers, farmers, food banks and food pantries.
• SMOC provides a comprehensive set of services, including emergency shelter, to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

• SMOC provides comprehensive services, including clinical, employment and community support, to individuals suffering from chronic and severe mental illness and co-occurring disorders.
• SMOC provides treatment for individuals convicted of driving under the influence.
• SMOC provides clinical services to individuals and families who are consumers of the organization’s other service programs.
• SMOC provides medication management and support for people with severe and or chronic mental illness.
• SMOC provides case management services to chronically homeless, unaccompanied single adults to help sustain their housing.

Housing and Homelessness Services

• SMOC acquires, develops, rehabilitates, manages and maintains properties used for affordable housing for low and moderate-income individuals and families.
• SMOC provides emergency shelter for homeless individuals in the City of Worcester and Metrowest area.
• SMOC provides emergency shelter for homeless families in the Greater Metrowest area.
• SMOC provides a residential treatment program for homeless families grappling with substance abuse issues.
• SMOC provides residential treatment programs for women struggling with substance abuse issues.
• SMOC operates a Housing Continuum for formerly homeless single adults in recovery in the Metrowest, Worcester County, Hampden County and Hampshire County.
• SMOC provides a residential housing program for individuals suffering from HIV/AIDS.
• SMOC provides housing assistance services to prevent family homelessness.
• SMOC provides housing search services for individuals suffering from HIV/AIDS.
• SMOC operates and administers financial assistance programs aimed at preventing individual and family homelessness.
• SMOC operates a Home Center which provides First Time Homebuyer classes and other services aimed at helping people become homeowners.
• SMOC provides an emergency shelter program for teen parents and their children.
• SMOC provides a case management service for disadvantaged and homeless single adults in Springfield.
• SMOC provides a single entry point housing triage and assessment system for at-risk single adults in the Metrowest and City of Worcester.
• SMOC provides a network of supportive housing options for special at-risk or permanently homeless populations including women, veterans, and young adults.
• SMOC provides technical assistance services to other non-profits in the area of real estate development, management and maintenance.
• SMOC is a regional housing authority administering Section 8 and MRVP Rental Subsidy Certificates for income eligible families and individuals.

Energy & Financial Assistance

• SMOC provides fuel assistance to eligible low-income people to heat their homes in winter months.
• SMOC provides energy and weatherization services to reduce the cost of utilities and to help maintain health and safety.

Economic Development and Workforce Development Services

• SMOC provides housing and employment search services for homeless individuals living in shelters on a statewide basis.
• SMOC operates a business incubator program in the City of Worcester.
• SMOC provides a loan fund for minority and small business owners.
• SMOC provides technical assistance to minority and small business owners.
• SMOC operates a workforce development program, Ready, Willing and Able which provides employment for disadvantaged single adults and heads of households.
• SMOC operates a weatherization business, SMOC Energy Services (SES) of Tri-County.
• SMOC operates a supportive employment program in partnership with the United Way.
• SMOC provides comprehensive services for women exiting the criminal justice system, primarily from MCI Framingham.
• SMOC provides a loan program for homeowners to make their home physically accessible to disabled family members and/or tenants.
• SMOC provides education classes for young parents to help them attain their high school equivalence degree, post-secondary education and permanent employment.
• SMOC operates a self-directed Career Center open to the general public that offers workshops, career counseling, and access to a computer facility.
• SMOC provides daytime basic education classes to adult clients from other SMOC programs to earn their high school equivalency degrees.

Administration & Finance

• SMOC administration and finance provides professional services in accordance with governmental, accounting and non-profit standards in support of SMOC’s mission and to ensure effective and efficient operation of SMOC’s programs.
• SMOC provides Administrative and Financial services under contract to the Lowell Transitional Living Center a homeless service provider located in the City of Lowell.