Public Service Organizations

Public Service Organizations

Go directly to town organizations for: Ashburnham – Ashby – Athol – Barre – Gardner – Hardwick – Hubbardston – New Salem – Oakham – Orange – Petersham – Phillipston – Princeton – Royalston – Rutland – Templeton – Warwick – Westminster – Winchendon

Please Contact Us to add your non-profit organization or group if it is not yet listed. We also welcome more information. We can also provide a page for any area non-profit at no cost. Gardner Magazine salutes those who are devoted to helping others, helping animals, or helping the planet.

Ashburnham

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Ashby

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Athol

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Barre

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Gardner

Spotlight on the Gardner Community Action Committee

The Gardner CAC “provides gently used seasonal clothing to those in need at no cost,” offers food distribution Monday through Thursday from 10am to 1pm for “families and individuals in need who reside in Gardner, Ashburnham, Hubbardston, and Westminster.”  “During the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday times, the Gardner CAC offers food baskets and children’s toys and gifts for eligible local families and individuals.”  The Gardner CAC also offers emergency assistance. “Should you find yourself and your family in dire straits, in need of food, shelter, or clothing, please contact Gardner CAC right away at (978) 632-8700”.  Also offered is medical transportation. “Transportation to medical appointments, both in town and out of town, is available for seniors citizens age 60+. Our van travels as far as Worcester and Emerson Hospital. This service is available Tuesday–Friday with pickups starting at 8:00 a.m. The van is returned to Gardner by 4:30 p.m.” The Gardner CAC has a wish list of much-need items. CLICK HERE. If you wish to donate money to the Gardner Community Action Committee, they have a donation link on their website to make a secure donation through paypal.    CLICK HERE.

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Spotlight on Montachusett Veterans Outreach Center, Inc.

According to their mission statement, “The Montachusett Veterans Outreach Center provides support to military veterans and their families in need of services to develop a resilient, self-sufficient lifestyle essential to succeed in today’s environment.” The center advises of a number of ways you can help financially on this page. CLICK HERE.

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Spotlight on Gardner Animal Control

According to its website, “Gardner Animal Control Officers protect the rights of animal owners, non-owners and the interests of animals alike in the Gardner, Hubbardston, Ashburnham and Westminster area.” “The Gardner Animal Control Facility is committed to providing shelter, medical attention, food for the stray, homeless and surrendered animals in the Gardner, Hubbardston, Ashburnham & Westminster. We also provide education and assistance to the pet owners and public in need”. If you wish to help Gardner Animal Control in its mission, they have a Wish List. CLICK HERE

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Spotlight on Gardner American Legion Post 129

The Gardner American Legion is a charitable organization and a social club. For Hall rental information, please contact Diane Thompson at 978-939-5014 or email her at royalcadet@comcast.net

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Spotlight on Gardner Youth Baseball and Softball League

“Gardner Youth Baseball & Softball League (GYBSL) is an all-volunteer organization that provides children, in the Gardner, Massachusetts area, between the ages of 4 and 18 the opportunity to play baseball or softball at both developmental, and competitive levels.” For General Questions or Concerns please email them at registrations@gybsl.org or message them on facebook.

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Spotlight on Gardner Elks Club

According to its site, “We are open to all Elks and their registered guests.  Our Members Lounge hours are:Sunday:  12 PM – 8 PM Monday: ClosedT uesday & Wednesday:  3 PM – 8 PM Thursday: 3 PM – 9 PM Friday:  3 PM – 10 PM Saturday: 12 PM – 10 PM” “Our regular meetings are held on the first and third Tuesdays at 7 PM. (July, August and January we meet on the third Tuesday only).” The Elks rent out their halls. We rent our halls to members as well as the public (discounts available for members and member referrals).  For rental information please email us at manager1426@outlook.com or feel free to call us at 978-632-1321. More info. You may also contact them via email at gardnerelks1426@outlook.com. Here is their monthly calendar, CLICK HERE.

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Spotlight on Chair City Community Church

From their website, “Welcome to Chair City Church and thanks for taking the time to find out more about us. We hope you discover through our website that Chair City Church is about people – people from different backgrounds who have encountered Jesus Christ and are learning to live a new life for the glory of God.” Online services as of 12/24/21 or 9:30am and 11am on YouTube

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Spotlight on First Baptist Church

From its Facebook page, “First Baptist Church of Gardner is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA (ABC-USA), as well as the American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts (TABCOM).Please join our church family for worship on Sundays at 10:00am. All are welcome. Our sanctuary is handicap accessible. Nursery coverage is available, and Sunday School is available for school-age children from September to June. We hope to see you soon!” The First Baptist Church has been ministering to the People of God since 1830. From their website, “We Welcome You! Wherever you are on your faith journey, you are welcome here. Please join us for worship on Sundays at 10:00 am”

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Spotlight on Faith Lutheran Church

From their website, “Faith Lutheran Church traces its roots back to three congregations founded in the late 1800s in Gardner by three different ethnic groups from Scandinavia.” The church offers in-person worship and also makes its services available online.

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Spotlight on Fraternal Order of Eagles Gardner MA

The Eagles are a charitable organization, “People Helping People.” For upcoming Eagles events, CLICK HERE

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Spotlight on GAAMHA Inc.

From their website, “GAAMHA is dedicated to providing a wide range of services to individuals throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Our immediate service area includes Gardner, Fitchburg, Leominster, Athol, Orange, Winchendon, Ashburnham, Westminster, Templeton, Hubbardston, Lunenburg, Rutland and Barre. Services are also provided on a state-wide basis. ….The mission of GAAMHA, Inc. is to provide meaningful support, training, treatment, avenues to employment, and personalized opportunities to individuals with disabilities and substance use disorders; and to offer quality transportation services to the people who live in the communities we serve.”

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Spotlight on Gardner Area League of Artists

From their website, “GALA was organized to promote the arts and culture as an essential component of a healthy community. We believe that artistic expression is a community’s greatest legacy for future generations. GALA increases awareness and appreciation of local arts and culture by way of exhibits, instruction, musical, and spoken word performances.GALA has secured a permanent space at 135 Front Street in Winchendon for the benefit of the residents of the cities and towns of north central Massachusetts. GALA has the goal of using the permanent space in Winchendon and other spaces throughout the region for the benefit of the arts community to help them connect with the public through exhibits, performances, teaching, and marketing of their art. GALA believes that these activities will educate, enrich, and encourage support of the arts and culture by the community and talent at large.”GALA Supports Artists in North Central Massachusetts and parts of New Hampshire.

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Spotlight on Gardner Emergency Housing Mission

From their website, “The focus of the Gardner Emergency Housing Mission is providing short-term (3-6 months), transitional housing for families with children in the Gardner schools system. The structure is unique because it eliminates families being relocated or split up to receive shelter. This keeps families in their established, local community and near schools, while maintaining work-life consistency in their time of need. Our goal is to provide temporary shelter while educating families on how to navigate and utilize programs and services in place to help obtain affordable housing within Gardner and/or surrounding areas.” Here’s a link for those who want to get involved with this effort. CLICK HERE.

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Spotlight on Gardner Fish and Gun Club

From their website, “The purpose of the Gardner Fish and Gun Club is for the moral, physical, intellectual and social advancement of its members, for the promotion of fishing, hunting, and all other related acts of sportsmanship, and the protection and propagation of fish and game within the Commonwealth, and for the aiding in securing legislation helpful to these interests. “

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Spotlight on Gardner Golf Course

From the website, “Located in Gardner, MA (The Chair City),  Gardner Golf Course is located nearby in northern Worcester County- 30 minutes north of Worcester along the Route 2 corridor. Four sets of tees await golfers of all playing abilities.  Beginners can shorten the course to a playable 4898 yards or you can challenge yourself and step back to the tips (Par 71, 6131 yards). Our front nine offers a generous warm-up before heading to the back nine which features a tighter, hillier journey along the shores of Crystal Lake.  Both nines feature small, well-protected greens making par on any hole a good score. Gardner Golf Course is the perfect place to spend the day.  Call our golf shop staff at 978-632-9703 with any questions.  We look forward to hearing from you!”

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Spotlight on Gardner Museum Inc.

From their website, “The Gardner Museum is a local history museum located in the heart of Central Massachusetts. Our mission is collecting and preserving materials pertaining to the rich history of Gardner, MA, also known as the “chair city of the world” and “Furniture Capital of New England”. The Gardner Museum is open from March to December, Wednesday to Sunday from 1pm to 4pm. Admission is $3.00, but children and members are FREE.

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Spotlight on Gardner Square Two

From their website, “Throughout the year, Gardner Square Two, Inc. organizes, presents, and funds several events in Downtown Gardner including the Experience Gardner Festival & Sidewalk Sale, The Fabulous Fall Festival, Gardner Chair Lugé Race, the Falloween Stroll, Downtown Earth Day Cleanup, Downtown Holiday Stroll, and the Memorial Lights Campaign. In addition to these public events, Square Two funds the Downtown Beautification program which includes planting and maintaining flowers, trees, and green spaces in the Downtown area. Square Two members include Downtown merchants, businesses, institutions, and non-profit agencies throughout the City, as well as citizens who care about maintaining a vital, safe, and cultural district.” “Gardner Square Two, Inc. is an all-volunteer organization formed to plan and execute downtown cultural events, promote downtown beautification, and support local shopping. Our members are downtown merchants and businesses, and citizens who live in and around Gardner. We work closely with the City of Gardner, Massachusetts and other organizations to ensure that downtown is a safe and accessible, culturally diverse, and economically viable district.”

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Spotlight on Greater Gardner Chamber of Commerce

From their website, “Greater Gardner Chamber of Commerce is a 300-plus member, non-profit organization of businesses and community leaders focused on building a strong local economy and way of life in the region through economic development, and civic and social engagement. The Chamber has been representing businesses in the region for more than 90 years. Its service area includes the towns of Ashburnham, Barre, Hubbardston, Templeton, Westminster, and Winchendon and the City of Gardner.”

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Spotlight on Heywood Hospital

From their website, “Heywood Hospital is a non-profit community-owned hospital licensed for 134 bed hospital, located in Gardner, Massachusetts. The Hospital is located forty-five minutes northwest of Worcester, and just over an hour from Boston. The Hospital is governed by a local community Board of Trustees and has 1,000 employees on staff. The Medical Staff includes 200 active, courtesy, and consulting physicians in primary care and a multitude of specialties. Heywood offers medical-surgery, specializing in bariatrics and orthopedics, and services including telemetry and intensive care, emergency care, maternity and pediatrics, geriatric and adult inpatient care, inpatient adult mental health, outpatient oncology and hematology, advanced imaging, special procedures, a skilled nursing sub-acute care unit, rehabilitation services and many others on an inpatient and outpatient basis.”

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Spotlight on Higher Ground Ministries

For their website, this is their mission, “To seek out to save that which is lost,to minister the Love of the Lord Jesus Christ  to the hurting,and to train and equip individuals for the work of the ministry to make disciples for the Lord Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God in our community, nation, and foreign countries.” Link to their live stream. CLICK HERE

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Spotlight on Holy Family Academy

From their website, “Holy Family Academy is a ministry of Annunciation parish and the Worcester Diocese.  As such, we see Christ as the primary educator and our purpose to be His tools in the salvation of souls.  Under the leadership of our pastor-headmaster and in partnership with the parents of our students, the administration, faculty, and staff strive to provide an atmosphere of faith where Christian principles are taught throughout all the subjects, but most importantly, by example. The school is committed to excellence in the intellectual development and spiritual formation of its students. With a holistic approach, the curriculum is centered on basic skills and enriched by special subjects aimed at helping each student develop intellectually, spiritually, physically, emotionally, and socially.”

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Spotlight on House of Peace & Education

From their website. “HOPE works directly in the community to provide under served families with a safe place to explore their talents, learn new skills, and succeed.”

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Spotlight on Gardner Lions Club

From their website,”The Gardner Lions Club was founded on August 25, 1949. Since then we have grown and changed but have always maintained our strong focus on serving the Gardner community. Our goal is to make Gardner a great place to live, work, and play in. We support many projects within our district both financially and with manpower whenever needed.”

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Spotlight on the Knights of Columbus

From their website. “Welcome to the Knights of Columbus, the world’s largest lay Catholic family service organization. As their forebears did more than a century ago, today’s Knights and their families stand shoulder to shoulder in support of one another. Through their charity and the examples of their lives, they stand in service to all as witnesses to the Good News of the Gospel.”

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Spotlight on Levi Heywood Memorial Library

From their website. “Levi Heywood Memorial Library’s current location of 55 West Lynde Street is the successful result of the Building for the Future campaign which yielded generous public donations. These donations, along with state and federal government grants, and the donation of land by the City of Gardner, made it possible for us to move to our beautiful newly built facility in October of 2004.”

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Spotlight on Mission of Grace Church

From their website: “Mission of Grace Church is a movement of people working together to change lives through gatherings, community groups, events, and online resources. Giving God all the glory, we seek to live out the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ in all areas of life. We’d love to hear from you and will be happy to answer any questions you may have.”

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Spotlight on Napoleon Club of Gardner

100+ year old social club in Gardner, MA with over 250 members.

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Spotlight on North Central Mass Youth Hockey Inc.

From their website. “The mission of the North Central Mass Youth Hockey Association is to provide an ice hockey program which believes quality instruction and skill development allows all players to reach their maximum potential in a safe and recreational environment. The development of all players is to be a positive, enjoyable experience which focuses on team play and sportsmanship. North Central Mass Youth Hockey Association serves as the local youth hockey program for the following towns Ashburnham, Gardner,  Westminster, and Winchendon.”

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Spotlight on the Polish American Citizens Club

From their website.”the Polish American Citizen’s Club of Gardner was Incorporated on May 12, 1915.”

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Spotlight on Patriot Riders Chapter 3

From their website: “GIVING BACK WHERE AND WHEN WE CAN:Provide assistance to Veterans in our community – Support Veterans outreach programs – Provide ride support for veterans events – Welcome home – Funerals …Whether you’re just trying to give back, show your appreciation or you are a Veteran looking for some brotherhood, come to one of our meetings or events. We love our veterans and folks that care like we do. Come see us every first Thursday of each month at 7pm at the Gardner VFW.” 

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Spotlight on Rotary International

From their website. “Rotary members believe that we have a shared responsibility to take action on our world’s most persistent issues. Our 46,000+ clubs work together to: Promote peace – Fight Disease – Provide clean water, sanitation, and hygiene – Save mothers and children – Support education – Grow local economies – Protect the environment”

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Spotlight on Veteran Homestead

From their website: “In November of 2019, the DAV Dept. of MA Service Fund Inc. merged and assumed responsibility of Veteran Homestead Inc. which has been running sober-living and transitional housing programs for veterans since the 1990s. Since having combined, the knowledge and expertise of the organization has soared to new heights providing even more support and services to this vulnerable population.”

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Spotlight on Voices of Truth

From their website. “The Voices of Truth was organized exclusively for charitable, religious, and educational purposes. We strive to prevent and break the cycle of domestic violence in our community by providing educational services, collaboration and resources. We promote the importance of self-worth, self-empowerment and dignity.”

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Spotlight on the Greater Gardner Community Choir

From their website. “The GGCC is a non-auditioned mixed community choir open to teen and adult singers of all backgrounds and abilities.  Choir membership is non-auditioned and is open to teens and adults, regardless of of singing skill or experience, who enjoy the art of choral music! The GGCC rehearses one evening per week and hosts/performs in two large concerts per year, with additional performances scheduled throughout the season.”

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Hardwick

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Hubbardston

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New Salem

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Oakham

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Orange

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Petersham

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Phillipston

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Princeton

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Royalston

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Rutland

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Templeton

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Warwick

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Westminster

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Winchendon

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