The O'Dell Women's Center of Springfield hosted its grand reopening this at their Lyman Street location, with about 80 people in attendance.
Founded in 2023, the organization is dedicated to providing western Massachusetts women with the support systems they need to achieve financial stability. O'Dell is also affiliated with Dress for Success Western Massachusetts, which offers assistance with professional clothing, resume development, and interview preparation, among other services.
While poverty is already a big issue in Springfield — in the 2020 census, 25.3% of residents were below the federal poverty line — women in poverty face some unique challenges. According to a 2025 report from the Pew Research Center, the average woman makes 85% of what a man in a similar position would make, and when accounting for racial disparities, the gap only deepens.
There were four speakers at the event, beginning with Executive Director Margaret Tantillo, who announced a new peer-to-peer outreach program they will be implementing.
"We're looking for people who have achieved economic stability, are stable in their lives, and have that personal experience to then be a volunteer or peer-to-peer support for somebody else," said Tantillo.
O'Dell is also hosting a diaper drive, and is seeking volunteers to collect and distribute the donations.
The other speakers were volunteers with the organization. Areliz Olivia Barbosa, is a project coordinator at Bay Path University and an adjunct professor at Holyoke Community College. At O'Dell, she runs a women's group, Link Ladies, that meets biweekly.
"We are targeted," says Barbosa, speaking to the recent policies of the Trump administration. "We've always been a gender that has been targeted by policy, by a lot of injustices. And so for me, it's always important to show up my full self. It's who I am. It's not something I do."
The space had a set of three paintings on display, created by Dee Wolfe. Tantillo said the paintings symbolize Wolfe's journey of self-discovery and personal growth.
There was also a collaborative art piece, featuring paper puzzle pieces that attendees could decorate in a way that reflected them. Tantillo says she hopes the piece symbolizes the spirit of collaboration that drives the O'Dell Women's Center.
