Wellspring’s guiding tenets are embodied in the Letter of Agreement signed by the original Wellspring partners:

Letter of Agreement

Whereas we, the undersigned organizations, are committed to the revitalization of the City of Springfield and the creation of decent paying jobs for the residents of Springfield;

And whereas our organizations can further that goal by assisting in the creation of new businesses and entrepreneurial opportunities in low-income neighborhoods through the joint procurement of goods and services;

And whereas we believe that community organizations must be part of this process;

And whereas we are convinced that work in other communities, such as the creation and growth of worker-owned businesses in Cleveland, Ohio, may provide useful models of local economic development;

And whereas we believe that worker-owned businesses can provide a stable base for building community wealth and assets;

And whereas we believe that job creation and urban revitalization in Springfield will enhance the quality of services delivered by all of our cooperating organizations;

And whereas we believe that if we plan and work together we have a greater chance of realizing our goals;

Therefore we will participate in a joint learning, planning and implementation process with the goal of developing and supporting a network of green worker-owned businesses that would create jobs in Springfield’s low-income neighborhoods.

Center for Popular Economics                            Director                                Emily Kawano

Center for Public Policy & Admin, UMass___Director                                M.V. Lee Badgett

Mass Higher Education Consortium             Acting Director                        Stacey S. Wikar

Western New England College                           President                             Anthony S. Caprio

Springfield Technical Community College       President                              Ira Rubenzahl

Baystate Health                             VP Community Relations                         Steven Bradley

Pioneer Valley Project                                          Director                               Mollie Fox