Library Closed - Sunday/Monday for Memorial Day weekend

The Franklin Public Library has relocated to 25 Kenwood Circle while renovations on the building are conducted. It operates from Kenwood Circle for its normal hours. However, this Sunday and Monday it is closed for the Memorial Day weekend.

The Franklin Public Library will be closed on Sunday and Monday for the Memorial Day weekend

For additional information about the Franklin Library, visit them on the Internet at  http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_TownLibrary/index

HMEA celebrates an incredABLE 5K Walk, Run and All-Day Family Fun

HMEA celebrates an incredABLE 5K Walk, Run and All-Day Family Fun that raised much-needed funds to help those with autism and developmental disabilities live up to their potential and reach for independence

Michael Moloney, CEO of HMEA, and Massachusetts Representative Jeff Roy, were all smiles at the finish line of HMEA's incredABLE Walk, Run and All-Day Family Fun at EMC2 in Franklin, MA, on May 22

HMEA looks to its incredABLE future and finding an innovative way to deliver the services, supports and therapies families in Central Massachusetts desperately need.

The rain didn't stop hundreds of families and runners from celebrating the ABLE in all of us during HMEA's incredABLE Day on Sunday, May 22 at EMC2 in Franklin, Mass.

HMEA's incredABLE annual signature family event and fundraiser raise much-need funds so those with autism and other developmental disabilities have the services and supports they need to reach for independence!

"We want to focus on what people with autism and other developmental disabilities can accomplish and teach us," says Mike Moloney, chief executive officer of HMEA.  "Let's build on the strengths that we all have."

Moloney points to HMEA's array of services and supports that span an entire life. "Our whole-life services and supports begin in infancy and continue through adolescence and into adulthood," he says. "We not only help the person with autism or developmental disabilities, but we also support his or her family, too."

HMEA looks to pioneer policies that will improve 

health and human services in Massachusetts

Moloney sees HMEA not only as a health and human services agency but a family service agency, too.

HMEA's array of services aims to help families as soon as the need arises. "When we help an individual, we help a family. And when we help a family, we help to strengthen the community," he says.

The need is growing.

Autism currently affects one out of every 68 children and one out of every 42 boys in the United States Today, more than 1.5 million people have the condition in the United States — and most are under the age of 22. Central Massachusetts, like the rest of the country, lacks robust services and supports to help these families. When they age out of our school systems, families are left with uncertainty, sleepless nights, and, in some cases, having to give up their job to care for their child.

Before HMEA and other health and human services agencies can help these families, they must overcome some challenges — funding, advocacy and awareness. But according to Moloney, the biggest challenge agencies like HMEA faces is recruiting and retaining the dedicated people who can deliver the services and supports.

"Direct care workers make an average of $13 an hour, grouping them in a new economic class considered working poor," Moloney says. "Add the burden of student loan debt with low wages and it's a recipe for failure. Without a dedicated direct care workforce, we will fail the most vulnerable people throughout Massachusetts."

To face this challenge, Moloney is working with Massachusetts Representative Jeff Roy on House Bill 124 that allocates $750,000 to help alleviate human services workers' student loan debt.

Under the leadership of Senator Jennifer Flanagan, House Bill 124 has received a favorable response and has been assigned to the committee on Health Care Financing and is awaiting a hearing.

"Representative Jeff Roy, along with others on Beacon Hill, see the need and are working hard to alleviate the burden our direct care works face," Moloney says. "He believes in HMEA's mission and understands the important work our staff does every day."

About HMEA

HMEA, Inc. is a family and human services agency that offers hope, help and a bright future to those diagnosed with autism and other developmental disabilities throughout Central Massachusetts.

Founded in 1961, HMEA's mission is to help children and adults with autism and developmental disabilities reach their potential and become productive members of their communities. HMEA supports the family and advocates for greater acceptance.

HMEA's Children's Services, Adult Services, Family Supports, Residential Services and Employment Programs provide a continuum of care for people with disabilities from infancy through their adult lives. HMEA currently supports over 4,000 people and families in 110 Massachusetts communities. HMEA is headquartered in Franklin, Massachusetts. For more information, visit hmea.org.

Memorial Day 2016 - Parade Route, Schedule, and Program

Parade Information:

• Date: Monday, May 30, 2016
• 10:30 am: Parade Starts
• 12:00 pm: Ceremony at the Franklin Town Common

Parade Route:

The 2016 Parade route will begin at Depot Street and Dean Bank and proceed up Main St to Church St., take a left onto School, to W Central Street, then to Beaver St until we reach the Town Common / Church Square. 

The parade will once again stop at the Dean Memorial, Union St and St Mary's Cemetery's. 

BFCCPS marching in the 2015 Memorial Day parade

The program for Memorial Day 2016

FHS boys tennis drops match to Hopedale; lacrosse playoff seeds announced

Boys Tennis

• Franklin, 2 vs. Hopedale, 3 – Final

For all the results around the Hockomock League on Friday
http://hockomocksports.com/fridays-schedule-scoreboard-052716/

Boys Lacrosse

D1 South

• #5 Franklin (13-5) will host #12 Bridgewater-Raynham (9-9) on Friday, 6/3 at 5:00.

http://hockomocksports.com/hockomock-boys-lacrosse-playoff-seeds-matchups/

Girls Lacrosse

D1 East

• #1 Franklin (16-4) will host the winner of #8 Newton North (10-8)/#9 Natick (8-6) on Thursday, 6/2 at a time to be announced.

http://hockomocksports.com/hockomock-girls-lacrosse-playoff-seeds-matchups/

FHS Panthers

Downtown Project Update #30 - May 26, 2016

Sidewalks throughout the downtown triangle will be complete by Memorial Day weekend. Milling of the streets will begin this week and starting at Ruggles St moving north toward Emmons St. Authorities will be in town the week after Memorial Day to begin programming the new traffic signals. 

Paving of the new asphalt on the streets will begin the week of June 13th. This is a tentative date, weather permitting. 

If anyone has a question, please feel free to reach out to the DPW Director, Brutus Cantoreggi or Town Engineer, Michael Maglio at 508-553-5500 or Jeffrey Nutting, Town Administrator at 508-520-4949.

street milled of the top layer of asphalt in preparation for laying down the final coat

• Shared from the Town of Franklin news page

http://franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_News/

MassBudget: Two New Fact Sheets on Paid Family Medical Leave

Studies analyze leave in Mass and other states

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy. Two New Fact Sheets Examine Paid Family and Medical Leave Two new fact sheets released today from MassBudget examine what Massachusetts residents do now in the absence of a statewide Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program, and examine what we can learn from other states that have enacted statewide PFML. When they have a child, need to care for an ill family member, or are ill themselves, Massachusetts workers often can't afford to take extended leave with a total loss of wages. Existing laws can help eligible employees to take shorter-term paid leave or ensure the right to longer-term unpaid leave if they can afford it. But workers have fewer options if they can't afford more than a short duration without their wages. The first research report, Family and Medical Leave in Massachusetts: A Current Snapshot, authored by economists Randy Albelda from the University of Massachusetts Boston and Alan Clayton-Matthews from Northeastern University, develop a simulation model that estimates how many Massachusetts residents need and take a leave to cope with a serious illness, pregnancy or a new child. The study finds, for instance, that about 12 percent of Massachusetts workers take a medical or family leave annually, but about a quarter of them take a shorter leave than they need and a slightly larger number of workers who need leave do not take it. Most other industrialized countries and four U.S. states have found another way. California, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and (starting in 2018) New York use insurance-style programs that replace a portion of workers' wages. This enables workers to take time off to address a serious personal or family health condition or to care for a new child. MassBudget's new fact sheet What We Can Learn from Other States' Experiences with Paid Family and Medical Leave examines evidence on the impact of these programs on families and businesses. Current Statewide Paid Family and Medical Leave Programs Weeks of Family Leave Weeks of Own-Health Leave (incl. pregnancy) Maximum Wage Replacement California 6 52 55% New Jersey 6 26 66% Rhode Island 4 30 60% New York 8 (rising to 12 by 2021) 26 50% (rising to 67% by 2021) You can read MassBudget's short explainers on how workers in Massachusetts currently cope (HERE) and the experience of other states (HERE). See also MassBudget's previous fact sheet sorting out how PFML differs from other related policies (HERE) and our FAQ: Paid Family & Medical Leave (HERE). You can also read the complete recent report by economists Randy Albelda and Alan Clayton-Matthews issued by UMass Boston's Center for Social Policy and Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy (HERE). The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700 BOSTON, MA 02108

Sent by nberger@massbudget.org in collaboration with Try it free today

“We are truly fortunate to have such devoted and compassionate volunteers”

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin

"Volunteers donated more than 4,500 hours of service to the Pantry last year. They work directly with clients in the pantry store, pick up food from local grocers and farms and deliver it to the pantry, as well as stock and organize shelves, and assist with the mobile pantry and Healthy Futures Market. The pantry relies on more than 70 volunteers each month to fulfill all of the operational responsibilities. "

For information: franklinfoodpantry.org/give-help/volunteer.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20160527/franklin-food-pantry-honors-volunteers

franklinfoodpantry.org/