Article Credit: MassLive
Easthampton, Massachusetts – Matthew S. Sosik, President and CEO of bankESB, announced that bankESB has contributed $10,000 to the Holyoke Community College (HCC) Foundation, Inc., MGM Culinary Arts Institute (CAI).
The CAI, located in the Cubit Building at 164 Race Street in Holyoke, is home for Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management training programs, special events, and entrepreneurship initiatives for HCC students studying Hospitality Management, Food Service Management, and Culinary Arts. The new facility has given HCC students and the general population the space to learn and gain skills that translate into jobs within a growing regional industry. It also provides the opportunity to turn their personal passions into fulfilling careers.
“This kind of investment helps further the work that we’re able to do,” said Christina Royal, President of HCC. “We’re very grateful for the support of businesses that are interested in investing in our local community and also value education as a key component of what we need to lift up our communities.”
The Cubit Building is placed within the heart of the redevelopment and growth initiative in Holyoke, and has provided students, businesses, and the community access to the newest culinary arts training facility in New England. The Institute has served as a hub for providing the region with a qualified, eager, and inspired workforce that meet’s today’s standards. Ultimately, the CAI has become a source of access, education, and employment for many residents of Holyoke and throughout the Pioneer Valley.
“We are proud to support the Holyoke Community College MGM Culinary Arts Institute. We appreciate the opportunity to partner with organizations like HCC and the HCC Foundation to fund innovative programs that support community revitalization efforts and provide professional skills that lead to meaningful employment opportunities for people in our community. That, for us, is extremely important,” said Dena M. Hall, EVP, Chief Marketing Officer at bankESB and President of the Easthampton Savings Bank Foundation.