Resources
Below is a collection of external resources that may be helpful for individuals affected by pancreatic cancer, including patients, caregivers, and families. These links provide access to information on treatment options, support networks, financial assistance, and more.
Please note: The organizations and materials listed here are not affiliated with or endorsed by us. They are provided solely for informational purposes. Please visit the websites for the most up to date information.
FOOD
The Gray House is a private non-profit 501(c)(3) social service agency in the North End of Springfield, Massachusetts. The mission of The Gray House is “to help its neighbors facing hardships to meet their immediate and transitional needs by providing food, clothing, and educational services in a safe, positive environment.”
Open to ANYONE seeking assistance. Providing a wide variety of foods on a weekly basis.
Community Survival Center Food Pantry
FoodSource Hotline - Project Bread
To find food resources in your community, call the FoodSource Hotline
Open Pantry Emergency Food Pantry
Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program
A free nutrition program that provides healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to healthcare and other services to Massachusetts families who qualify.
The Joe Andruzzi Foundation (JAF) Food Security Program, presented by AmpliX, provides New England cancer patients and their families with gift cards to various regional grocery stores.
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HOUSING
Way Finders is a nonprofit organization based in Springfield, Massachusetts, dedicated to fostering stable housing, economic mobility, and community development throughout western Massachusetts. Since its founding in 1973, Way Finders has become the region's largest nonprofit affordable housing developer and a trusted partner in revitalizing neighborhoods and supporting residents in need.
Massachusetts Housing Assistance: Emergency and long-term help.
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Emergency shelter for people facing homelessness
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Assistance and guidance for people facing eviction
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Short- and long-term support paying for rent and utilities
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Resources for finding affordable housing (Public Housing, rental vouchers, and finding affordable rents or mortgages)
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American Cancer Society Patient Lodging Programs
American Cancer Society Hope Lodge® communities offer a home away from home for people facing cancer and their caregivers when cancer treatment is far away.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Cancer Support Community Massachusetts (CSC Massachusetts) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, professional support to individuals affected by cancer. Their mission is to uplift and strengthen people impacted by cancer by offering support, fostering compassionate communities, and breaking down barriers to care. Their vision is that everyone impacted by cancer receives the support they want and need throughout their experience.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) in Massachusetts is a community-based, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. Through a combination of research, education, advocacy, and patient support, ACS aims to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer.The American Cancer Society Road To Recovery® program eases your burden by giving free rides to cancer-related medical appointments. Our trained volunteer drivers are happy to pick you up, take you to your appointment, and drop you off at home. All for free and all to make your days a little easier. Not having a ride shouldn’t stand between you and lifesaving treatment.
Cancer House of Hope , a program of the Center for Human Development (CHD), offers free, compassionate support to individuals affected by cancer in the Springfield, Massachusetts area. Located at 1999 Westfield Street in West Springfield, this welcoming, non-clinical facility provides a range of services designed to support patients, survivors, and their families.
Mass General Cancer Center at Cooley Dickinson Hospital takes a coordinated relationship between community hospitals and academic medical centers to create a cancer center where the right approach to care and treatment is delivered to the right patient, at the right time, in the right place. This is where cancer care is headed and why the Mass General Cancer Center is important to the people of western Massachusetts.
Cancer Connection is a nonprofit organization based in Northampton, Massachusetts, dedicated to providing free, non-clinical support to individuals and families affected by cancer. Founded in 2000 by Deb Orgera and Jackie Walker, it serves as the only cancer support center in Hampshire and Franklin Counties, extending its services to surrounding areas.
The Sister Caritas Cancer Center at Mercy Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts, is a comprehensive cancer care facility that offers a full spectrum of services to patients facing cancer diagnoses. Named in honor of Sister Mary Caritas, a former administrator of Mercy Medical Center, the center is dedicated to providing compassionate and advanced care.
The Virginia Thurston Healing Garden Cancer Support Center in Harvard, Massachusetts, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing integrative cancer care through therapeutic services, educational programs, and a healing environment for individuals affected by cancer. Founded in 2000 by Bill Thurston in memory of his wife, Ginny, who found solace in her garden during her own battle with breast cancer, the center offers a sanctuary for clients seeking support and healing.
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​The American Cancer Society (ACS) in Massachusetts is a community-based, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. Through a combination of research, education, advocacy, and patient support, ACS aims to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer.The American Cancer Society Road To Recovery® program eases your burden by giving free rides to cancer-related medical appointments. Our trained volunteer drivers are happy to pick you up, take you to your appointment, and drop you off at home. All for free and all to make your days a little easier. Not having a ride shouldn’t stand between you and lifesaving treatment.
The Joe Andruzzi Foundation (JAF) Treatment Transportation Program provides free transportation to medical treatment and appointments for cancer patients through our partnership with Lyft. (MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND ONLY)
TRANSPORTATION
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research
A pillar of the Hirshberg Foundation’s mission is to provide patient support and referral services for pancreatic cancer patients and their families. Aside from the emotional toll, a cancer diagnosis can create a financial burden as well. Since 1998, the Foundation has funded a grant through Cancer Care, Inc. to provide financial support for pancreatic cancer patients.
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Project Purple is a non-profit organization empowering the fight against pancreatic cancer. Their commitment is fueled by the pursuit of raising awareness, driving crucial research, and providing aid for patients who are battling this disease.
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The Joe Andruzzi Foundation’s (JAF) Financial Assistance Program supports basic, household, monthly expenses such as rent/mortgage, car payments or insurance, and utilities.
Massachusetts Good Neighbor Energy Fund
The Massachusetts Good Neighbor Energy Fund is available to any Massachusetts resident who, because of temporary financial difficulty, cannot meet a month's energy expense and is not eligible for state or federal energy assistance. Income must fall between 60 and 80 percent of the state's median income levels