Mayor's Corner: 'What Can We Do To Assist Neighbors?'

FRAMINGHAM, MA—Here is our latest installment on Framingham Patch of the "Mayor's Corner," in which Mayor Yvonne Spicer fields a question from the community, or us, on a variety of subjects.

If it concerns the mayor, or she might have an opinion on it, fire away. Email your questions for the mayor to charlene.arsenault@patch.com. You can be anonymous.

Question (submitted by a reader): What is being done to stop the expansion of SMOC in Framingham? I think our town is saturated with Social Service Programs and agencies such as SMOC continue to expand into Framingham and in my opinion have no respect or consideration of the residents who live here. When can we finally say no to SMOC without facing lawsuits from SMOC?

Spicer Answer: The South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC) has been providing services to individuals and families since 1965. I believe that we should be asking ourselves what we can do as a community to assist our neighbors that may have fallen on hard times. SMOC and a number of agencies provide critical services to individuals and families in Framingham and Metrowest, to name a few:

· Behavioral Health Services for Adults and Children

· Breastfeeding Assistance for New Mothers

· Childcare/Head Start

· Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services

· Economic and Workforce Development

· Family Self-Sufficiency Services

· Fuel Assistance

· Home Loan Programs

If we work together as a community and assist our neighbors who are struggling or having a difficult time – over time we will become a stronger and healthier community.

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