January 12, 2021 Community Stories

Weathering a Tornado and COVID-19 with Resilience

Resilience best describes Springfield’s South End Community Center. Destroyed by a tornado in 2011, it re-opened seven years later. Now, it is weathering the pandemic with a boost from a grant from the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts COVID-19 Response Fund. The grant has helped the Community Center provide recreational, educational, and fun activities for young people in Springfield while keeping kids safe during the pandemic. Wesley Jackson, executive director of the Community Center, describes the challenges and rewards of working with Springfield’s children and youth while facing COVID-19.