News
Rock the Spectrum Foundation
Since 2019, Rock the Spectrum Foundation has been focused on advancing organizations and community initiatives that foster inclusion and equity for people with autism. Rock the Spectrum was founded by three North Shore moms sharing the vision of giving their autistic children the same opportunities as other children and expanding awareness across the community. In 2023 Rock the Spectrum Foundation raised $110K, bringing their 5-year total to more than $260K. Rock the Spectrum partners with local
The Progeria Research Foundation. For the Children. For the Cure.
Peabody, MA: The Progeria Research Foundation – a local charity that is transforming an ultra-rare disease from total obscurity to global awareness and an FDA-approved treatment, and onward toward the cure!Progeria is an ultra-rare, fatal, genetic, “rapid- aging” disease. Without treatment, children with Progeria die of heart disease at an average age of 14 ½ years. Children and young adults with Progeria share a unique and similar appearance. Initial signs include skin tightening and growth failure. Other
Peabody Entrepreneurs: These Are the Pros and Cons of Opening Up a Franchise
As an entrepreneur, you’re eager to get to work. However, before you jump into franchise ownership, it's important to understand what goes into the decision. There are upsides and downsides to owning a franchise, and it's important to weigh both before making a decision. In this article, the Peabody Area Chamber of Commerce takes a look at the pros and cons of franchise ownership so you can make an informed decision. The Pros of Franchise Ownership There are several upsides to franchise
ChamberForGood: For Kids Only
For Kids Only Afterschool (FKO) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that provides out-of-school time care. Our mission is to bring families and communities together to provide a safe space for all children to thrive during the out-of-school time hours. Our holistic learning approach helps children love, learn and grow while inspiring every child to leave their unique mark on this world. Every child is welcomed, included, and celebrated at FKO. We create custom experiences for every child with unique needs
Meet the Board Member: Mary Bellavance
Mary E. Bellavance, Executive Assistant to the President GraVoc, 10 Centennial Drive, Suite 105, Peabody, MA. Tell us a little about your position: The Executive Assistant provides high-level administrative support to the President. The Executive Assistant must be creative and enjoy working within an entrepreneurial environment and possess the ability to exercise good judgment in a diversity of situations, with strong written and verbal communication, administrative, and organizational skills. The
Meet the Board Member: Corey Jackson
Corey Jackson is a CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive) with Sarah J Consulting - Nonprofit consultants that empower nonprofits with organizational and fundraising strategy. Why is your business a member of the PACC? The PACC has always been a "Chamber for Good" both in having the program that highlights nonprofits in our region, but also in the way it promotes community and service among its membership. At various organizations I've been a part of, my chamber relationships have led to trusted
Meet the Board Member: Wendy Joly
Wendy, is an Executive Assistant at Rousselot, a gelatin plant located in Peabody, responsible for overseeing executive travel, meetings and all administrative issues at the plant.Why is your business a member of the chamber?Rousselot formally Eastman Gelatin, joined the Chamber 90 years ago. The chamber has always helped us be active in the community and has helped us keep up with the growing community.Why were you interested in serving on the board of the PACC? I wanted to be more involved with the
Meet the Board Member: Denise DeSimone
Denise DeSimone is the Marketing & Sales Manager for In The Game in Peabody. In The Game is a family friendly entertainment center that offers over 130 arcade games and four attractions including laser tag, virtual reality, rock wall and ropes obstacle course. We offer five private event spaces for both youth and adult events as well as a large mezzanine. Additionally, we have a scratch kitchen, brick oven pizza station and full bar that offers live entertainment. As the Marketing & Sales Manager I focus
Meet our Board Member: Laura Meisenhelter
Tell us a little bit about your company, profession or service? North Shore Community Actions Programs, Inc. (NSCAP) is the designated anti-poverty agency for Beverly, Danvers, Peabody, and Salem. We also serve residents of 18 other communities in Essex County. NSCAP provides a range of programs and services in five key areas: Education and Training, Economic Stabilization, Housing and Homelessness Prevention, Fuel Assistance, and Elder Home Care. NSCAP is a vital member of the community; we recognize
Meet our Board Member: Laurene Wessel
Tell us a little bit about your company, profession or service? Community Credit Union was founded in 1955 to give families, local employees and small businesses an opportunity to manage their assets in a secure financial institution that holds it' members as its highest priority. Why is your business a member of the PACC - Community Credit Union takes pride in being a twenty year member of the PACC. Our membership reflects our commitment to the business community. We believe in giving back to the
Meet our Board Member: Brad Gosselin
Tell us a little bit about your mission and your role - Bridgewell inspires hope and empowers people experiencing life challenges to achieve their fullest potential. My role as Institutional Giving Manager is to work with our corporate sponsors and donors and also write all corporate, private, and foundational grants.Why is your business a member of the PACC - Bridgewell believes very strongly to be a part of the communities and business communities in the areas it provides services. A business can
Meet our Board Member: Carolina Trujillo
Tell us a little bit about your company, profession or service? I am the executive director of Citizens Inn. Citizens helps families and individuals who are experiencing a housing crisis or food insecurity by providing them with a safe place to stay and a meal on the table offering tools to empower them to find permanent solutions to break the patterns of instability in their lives. Why is your business a member of PACC - We believe in the power of teamwork and understand that it takes more than one
Meet the Member: Ruggiero Family Memorial Home
Tell us a little bit about your company, profession or service? Ruggiero Family Memorial Home is a full service funeral, cremation and memorial service provider owned and operated by Joseph (Joe) and Cathryn (Catie) Ruggiero with the support of company founder Joseph (Joe Sr.). We have opened up a new location in the heart of Peabody with the goal of servicing the Peabody and greater North Shore communities. Ruggiero Family Memorial Home prides itself on personalized services to fit the unique needs
Meet the Member: Gravoc
Name of Business – GraVoc Owners: Cathy and Dave Gravel Tell us a little bit about your company, profession or service: For the past 28 years GraVoc has taken a common sense approach to addressing customers needs with technology based solutions. Our process is first to understand what problem or need a customer is trying to address, and then identify the best possible solution using technology specific to their need. Our tag line is “Our Business is Your Success” and that is the cornerstone of
Meet the Member: Spectra Networks LLC
Meet Joe Silva. Tell us about your organization: Spectra Networks is a comprehensive IT service company dedicated to assisting small to medium-sized businesses with IT solutions including specialties in Managed Support Services, Compliance and Security, Amazon Web Services, and IT Support. We tailor all of our IT services to each business’s unique needs. We start by listening to the needs and goals of the organization. Our team will review existing technology and develop an improvement plan with
Meet the Member: Sandra Batakis
Meet Sandra Batakis, Owner of Sandra Network Technology Support & Consulting. At Sandra Network, we help businesses by maintaining and securing computers and networks so you, the business owner, can focus on your business, not your computers. I started this business 28 years ago because I saw a need for businesses to have expert IT support. We handle all things technology related with expert support, with a deep emphasis on computer security. Our mission is to ensure all IT functions are streamlined, and