Winchendon's Commonwealth Heroine Jennings gives back to community through various roles

Generosity, a giving spirit and an awareness that all humans deserve love was instilled in Miranda Jennings, a 2024 Commonwealth Heroine awardee from Winchendon, early in her life, modeled for her by her parents, a prison psychologist and an educator.

“They are my inspiration,” Jennings said. It was routine for her to volunteer with her family at soup kitchens and shelters. “They instilled the idea that we are all one people, that all deserve compassion and love.”

At 16, her mother filled out the paperwork for Miranda to join a service trip to Latin America, sending her to Nicaragua. She later signed up on her own to travel to Central America through Bridges to Community and spent years in Nicaragua building housing, establishing microlending networks and working on projects involving water.

“That’s how I got my feet wet,” Jennings said, explaining that she developed a passion for nonprofit work and excelled at creating connections between people and organizations. “I decided I wanted to do the work in my own community, so I came home to Winchendon.”

Once back in the States, she got a job teaching Spanish at a private high school. There she launched a service and leadership program to engage her students. That work connected her with local service organizations and advocacy groups, a boon when Winchendon lost its only grocery store in 2013 and prompted the community to act.

“It propelled me, and other local residents, to strive to make bigger changes,” Jennings said, adding that’s how HEAL, which stands for Hope, Empowerment, Access, Love , was created

Jennings serves as a project coordinator at the HEAL Collaborative, a community movement focused on improving the health and quality of life for residents in Winchendon and neighboring Gardner. That position is funded through Heywood Hospital in Gardner. Partners of the collaborative include both city’s administrations, the two school districts, Heywood Hospital and local social and action organizations.

But that’s just one of her hats. Jennings is also a force at the Winchendon Community Action Committee and Winchendon Council on Aging, working what she called multiple gigs, one way to make ends meet. But for her, it's more than earning a paycheck.

Jennings looks at the bigger picture in her mission to make change, transcending the label of “charity work.”

“We’re not going to solve hunger, even with empowerment work,” Jennings said, explaining that the age-old adage of teaching a man to fish so that he can feed himself for his entire life does not apply anymore.

“It’s a matter of access,” she said, explaining that if the man has no access to where the fish are, his fishing knowledge doesn’t matter.

“That’s just one step, you have to look further upstream to find the root causes of why he has no access,” Jennings said. She feels that part of her mission is to ensure access in Winchendon for community residents to address their needs.

While the town appears isolated, abutting the state line with New Hampshire, there’s an energy in the community, excitement that comes with change.

It starts with Community Action Center, the organization that serves as the catalyst and hub from which other projects radiate out, including the food pantry, economic empowerment hub, job skills training, youth council, youth empowerment — all designed to advance the well-being, health and security of both communities.

Teenagers wanted to recognize Pride Month, and the community worked together to make it happen. Municipal officials in Winchendon proclaimed June as Pride Month and urged all residents to “actively promote the principles of equality and liberty,” in the document issued June 1. The youth council is also working on a local gathering place, installing the Sunshine Café in the bowling alley, equipped with a commercial kitchen. It also hosts a farm stand ripe with local produce.

“It’s taken many people working together,” Jennings said.

While Jennings was flattered and gratified to learn she had been nominated by Rep. Jonathan Zlotnik, D-Gardner for the award bestowed by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, she was even happier to learn that a colleague, Ayn Yeagle of Princeton, was also uplifted by a legislator, Rep. Kimberly Ferguson, R-Holden.

“It’s good for the region,” Jennings said.

Jennings first met Zlotnik as a teacher, inviting the state lawmaker to her classrooms to discuss veterans issues. They also coincided at a fundraiser to benefit the victims of Hurricane Maria. Zlotnik became a vocal advocate of HEAL, tracking down resources for the service organizations in the community.

In nominating Jennings, Zlotnik said, “Miranda has gone above and beyond in her time with the Winchendon CAC and the HEAL Winchendon Initiative.” He praised her work and her service as the executive director of the Winchendon Community Action Committee, a position she has held since 2022.

“Her personal goal in this position is to ensure that every person that visits the CAC feels welcomed, dignified and inspired to be the change the want to see in their lives,” Zlotnik said, “Through her roles in both organizations she has brought support and positive changes to the residents of the Town of Winchendon, truly making an impactful difference in her community.”

One of her latest projects was to secure a transportation innovation grant for the mostly rural community, where at least 13% of residents, many elderly, disabled or impoverished, lack cars or other means of transportation.

“All this would not be possible without my husband; he does everything so I can do this,” Jennings said of Jared D’Arcy, with whom she shares her life and their two children; an 11-year-old daughter and a 7-year-old son, and a foster daughter, now 21.

“It takes a village, and Mr. D’Arcy is my village,” Jennings said. A Jane Austen fan, Jennings is still in awe that she married “Mr. Darcy” of "Pride and Prejudice" fame. She hopes to set the same example for her children that her parents set for her as she was growing up.

“They come to community events and help stock the shelves at the food pantry,” Jennings said, explaining that she hopes it normalizes the concept of giving back to the community and inspires generosity and innovation in her children.

Her mother and daughter accompanied her to the State House ceremony in June, where she and 124 other Massachusetts women were recognized and honored for their community work.

“My mom was over the moon,” Jennings said.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Winchendon's Commonwealth Heroine Jennings gives back to community through various roles