Social Issues

Beauty & Self-Confidence

“Beauty is the beast.” That’s the name of a recent Forbes article that talks about how the focus on beauty is eroding women’s self-confidence. Professor Susan Whitbourne from UMass Amherst got into a deeper discussion on this in her blog and talks to us about what...

The Treehouse Foundation

The Treehouse Foundation is a non-profit organization that aims to restore and strengthen the health and well-being of children and youth placed in foster care. Joining me is Pamela Lumpkin, Treehouse parent and Kerry Homstead, Treehouse Community Facilitator, to talk...

Best Buddies of Western Massachusetts

Best Buddies of Western Massachusetts creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships in schools between students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities. In many high schools and middle schools, students with IDD are still segregated from their...

Military Veteran Hirings

Here at WGBY we’ve been talking about the challenges and triumphs military veterans face when they come home. Finding a job that uses their military experience can be part of the struggle. One local town Chicopee just hired 5 veterans for their police force and...

When Your Parents Move In

So you thought you’d never have to live with Mom again? Think again. As the population ages, elderly parents everywhere are moving in with their children—and changing everything. Local author David Horgan wrote “When Your Parents Moves In” to address these...

Over 50 Job Fair

James P. Leyden, Deputy Director for West Springfield Council on Aging, and Laurie A. Cassidy, Executive Director of Council on Aging, talk about the first “Over 50” job fair to be held on May 19th in West Springfield. Also, what are some of the top...

Helping Returning Veterans

The unemployment rate for veterans who served on active duty in the military at any time since September 2001 stands at nine percent, that’s according to a recent report by the bureau of labor statistics. The Springfield/CT metropolitan area is about two thirds down...

Hear Our Stories

Last summer a group of young teen mothers from Holyoke participated in a program called Hear Our Stories: Diasporic Youth for Sexual Rights and Justice.  The program was funded by the Ford Foundation and is the result of a partnership between WGBY, UMass Amherst, The...

Teen Drinking Game

There is a new dangerous drinking game out where teens challenge peers over social media to out-do each other in drinking alcohol. Is the teen hard wired to take these risks and what can parents do about this? Here to answer these questions is Bill Corbett, parenting...

Griffin’s Friends

This weekend, runners from across Western Mass and beyond will converge on Holyoke for the annual Walter Childs Memorial Marathon. This year, a big group of runners from Griffins Friends will be taking part. The running club raises money for children who are battling...

Beauties to Behold

“Empowering young girls to become world class leaders”—that’s the motto of Beauties to Behold, a movement committed to turning inner-city girls into world class leaders through holistic leadership development. Jasmine Elizabeth is the founder and...