About Westfield Residents Advocating For Themselves, Inc.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mary O'Connell clerk |
Kristen Mello, MSc President / Director |
Christopher Clark, MSc vice President |
Dawn Thomas treasurer |
corporate filing
Link to WRAFT's Corporate Filing with the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
history
In 2016, residents in Westfield, MA began to become aware of the long-standing contamination of their water supply by Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, from aqueous film forming foam used in firefighting training exercises.
Frustrated with a lack of information and officials who claimed an "abundance of caution" was being used despite the absence of information, residents began reaching out to one another and academic researchers, utilizing their talents to begin educating themselves and each other, and advocating for their community.
Westfield Residents Advocating For Themselves (WRAFT) was officially founded as an ad-hoc group of friends, family, and neighbors. WRAFT became a Massachusetts nonprofit in 2022, and became a federally registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization in 2024.
Since 2017, we have successfully:
And yet there is still so much more to do...
Westfield residents still don't have universal testing for PFAS or PFAS related health effects.
There is no medical monitoring in place for contaminated communities, and no education for residents about what to do now that they have been exposed.
Frustrated with a lack of information and officials who claimed an "abundance of caution" was being used despite the absence of information, residents began reaching out to one another and academic researchers, utilizing their talents to begin educating themselves and each other, and advocating for their community.
Westfield Residents Advocating For Themselves (WRAFT) was officially founded as an ad-hoc group of friends, family, and neighbors. WRAFT became a Massachusetts nonprofit in 2022, and became a federally registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization in 2024.
Since 2017, we have successfully:
- held PFAS educational events for community members and legislators, and
- advocated for
- public participation in the Barnes cleanup process,
- a PFAS Exposure Assessment in Westfield, and for
- Barnes Air National Guard Base remediation to be covered under the Defense Environmental Restoration Program.
- on the MassDEP's PFAS MCL Stakeholder Group,
- in Community Liaison capacity for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Guidance on PFAS Exposure, Testing, and Clinical Follow-Up,
- as Community Members on the Barnes ANGB Restoration Advisory Board, and
- offering expert testimony for other PFAS affected communities.
And yet there is still so much more to do...
Westfield residents still don't have universal testing for PFAS or PFAS related health effects.
There is no medical monitoring in place for contaminated communities, and no education for residents about what to do now that they have been exposed.
mission
WRAFT's mission is to provide education and advocacy for residents affected by the pollution of their natural resources.
notices
NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY
Westfield Residents Advocating For Themselves, Inc., WRAFT, does not discriminate on the basis of political affiliation, religion, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender, or sexual identity, age, or disability in its programs or activities, in compliance with and exceedance of 40 C.F.R. 5.140 and 7.95.
ACCESSIBILITY & ACCOMMODATIONS
WRAFT strives to ensure accessible activities, resources, and programs.
To report an issue or inquire about accommodations, please contact [email protected]
Westfield Residents Advocating For Themselves, Inc., WRAFT, does not discriminate on the basis of political affiliation, religion, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender, or sexual identity, age, or disability in its programs or activities, in compliance with and exceedance of 40 C.F.R. 5.140 and 7.95.
ACCESSIBILITY & ACCOMMODATIONS
WRAFT strives to ensure accessible activities, resources, and programs.
To report an issue or inquire about accommodations, please contact [email protected]
