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By Joseph Bednar March 28, 2025 When Jessica Roncarati-Howe was honored as a member of the 40 Under Forty class of 2012, she was executive director of the AIDS Foundation of Western Massachusetts — a job with many hats, all of which she wore proudly. As the foundation’s only paid staff member, she was in charge of marketing and development, administering the grant program, co-chairing most events, and overseeing a cadre of volunteers and interns. The AIDS Foundation had three missions: providing financial assistance to about 100 patients a year for expenses like rent, utilities, and medications; educational components, including...

An unforgettable day with Subaru of New England! We were honored to be the charity partner at Subaru’s Retailer Meeting at Lakeview Pavilion this past Thursday in Foxboro, MA, where we had the opportunity to share our mission with 200 incredible attendees. Their generosity blew us away—not only did they donate a massive collection of women’s clothing and accessories to empower our clients, but Subaru of New England’s CEO, Ernie Boch Jr., along with media spokesperson Rebecca Carr, surprised us with an unbelievably generous $12,000 donation! We at Dress for Success Western MA are beyond grateful for their support, which...

by Ryan Feyre | Jan 20, 2025 | Hampden County, Local News, Photo Slider, Springfield SPRINGFIELD — Jess Roncarati-Howe remembers the days when Dress for Success Western Massachusetts was operating out of an old dentist’s office in the now-defunct Eastfield Mall. “Just over a year ago, we were rammed into an old dentist’s office that, no matter how hard our volunteers worked, looked like an old dentist’s office,” said Roncarati-Howe, the executive director for Dress for Success Western Massachusetts. Those days, however, are long gone for the highly regarded nonprofit organization, whose goal is to empower unemployed and underemployed women...