The Faces of Worcester

02/14/2025

One of our amazing Faces, Jacqueline Monteiro, is hosting a fantastic event this weekend, and she has a special message to share with you! 💬✨

💖 Love Yourself 2025 is all about celebrating self-love, empowerment, and positivity — you won’t want to miss it!

📍 Join Jacqueline for an unforgettable experience! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/love-yourself-2025-tickets-1117379364759?utm_experiment=test_share_listing&aff=ebdsshios

02/10/2025

📢 Help Us Recognize Worcester’s Difference Makers!

Do you know someone making a difference in our city? The Faces of Worcester is looking for community-driven individuals to highlight! Whether they’re a volunteer, educator, entrepreneur, or advocate, we want to share their story.

✨ Nominate someone today: https://thefacesofworcester.com/nominate/

Let’s celebrate the people who make Worcester special!

01/16/2025

Meet this week’s Face of Worcester! Francisco Diaz from Diaz & Sons Inc www.smokecert.com. Fran is a lifelong local who’s turned his passion for safety into a thriving business, helping homeowners and real estate professionals across the city. 🚨✨ Watch his video and read his interview to learn more about his journey, his work, and what makes Worcester home! 🏡



https://thefacesofworcester.com/francisco-diaz-owner-of-diaz-and-sons-inc/

01/15/2025

🚨 This week’s Face of Worcester has all the 𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑚𝑠 𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑓𝑓! 🔥 He’s the guy who makes sure your home is safe and sound before the ink dries on the dotted line. Any guesses who this safety superstar might be? Drop them below! 👇

01/08/2025

✨ Do you know someone in Worcester making a difference?

Faces of Worcester celebrates the stories of inspiring community members — the doers, givers, and difference makers who put service before opportunity.

Help us shine a spotlight on these incredible individuals! Nominate someone who deserves recognition today.

👉 https://thefacesofworcester.com/nominate/

Together, let’s share the stories that make Worcester an amazing place to live!

12/03/2024

Today, on the 25th anniversary of the Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse fire, The Faces of Worcester would like to honor six extraordinary men who embodied the very heart of 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦.

On December 3, 1999, firefighters Paul Brotherton, Timothy Jackson, James Lyons III, Jeremiah Lucey, Joseph McGuirk, and Thomas Spencer made the ultimate sacrifice while courageously attempting to save lives during a devastating fire. In the face of danger, these six heroes answered the call without hesitation, driven by their commitment to protect and serve the people of Worcester.

Their loss was not just felt by their families and fellow firefighters, but by the entire Worcester community. Their legacy lives on as a reminder of the selflessness, bravery, and dedication that defines true heroes.

On this solemn day, we extend our deepest gratitude not only to the Worcester 6, but to all first responders who put their lives on the line to keep our community safe. Your courage and sacrifices do not go unnoticed.

To the families and loved ones of these six remarkable men, we stand with you in remembrance and gratitude.

11/27/2024

🌟 Meet Mayor Joe Petty 🌟

Was your guess correct? Earlier this week, we hinted at someone who knows the ins and outs of the city like no one else—and now, we’re excited to reveal this week’s Faces of Worcester feature: Mayor Joe Petty!

With decades of dedication, Mayor Petty has been a pillar of our community, from his early days as a City Councilor to over a decade of service as Mayor. His passion for Worcester shines through in his work, whether it's helping the unhoused, connecting with residents, or sharing his favorite dining spots like Miss Worcester Diner and Altea's Eatery.

In his interview, Mayor Petty also reflected on his dream of traveling to Italy with his family, meeting inspirational figures like Barack Obama, and the unique sense of home Worcester provides.

📖 Dive into the full interview below to learn more about what makes Mayor Petty a true community builder.

💬 Who do you want to see nominated as a Face of Worcester? Link to nominate is in the comments!

We had the privilege of sitting down with Mayor Joe Petty to learn more about the man behind decades of dedicated service to Worcester. From his favorite local spots to his dreams of exploring Italy,...

11/25/2024

🌟Our next feature is someone who has been a constant presence in Worcester's community for decades. A leader who values connection, embraces the city's diversity, and believes in the power of people.

From helping the unhoused to reminiscing about childhood memories at local businesses, this individual’s story is one of passion, purpose, and commitment to making Worcester a place to call home.

📍 Any guesses? 𝑯𝒆𝒓𝒆’𝒔 𝒂 𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒕: 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒏𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒆—𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚!

Stay tuned to meet this dedicated individual and hear their inspiring story as part of 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐹𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟!

11/21/2024

🎥 𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑝 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑜𝑓 Harolyn Castillo 𝑎𝑠 𝑤𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑛 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑝𝑢𝑟𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑑𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘. 𝐹𝑟𝑜𝑚 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑜 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑑𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑡, 𝐻𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑙𝑦𝑛'𝑠 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑢𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑙𝑦 𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑒. 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐹𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡—𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦.

💬 𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝐻𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑙𝑦𝑛’𝑠 𝑗𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑦? 𝐿𝑒𝑡 𝑢𝑠 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠!

11/18/2024

✨ 𝑰𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒈𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒚𝒏 𝑪𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒐 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒌'𝒔 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒓... 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕! ✨

Last week, we hinted at someone who wears many hats—mother, event planner, adrenaline seeker, and more. Today, we’re thrilled to introduce Harolyn Castillo as this week’s feature for The Faces of Worcester!

As the creator behind World of Foods Worcester, Harolyn brings our city’s diverse cultures to life through food and tradition, crafting a vibrant and family-friendly celebration of community. Beyond her role as an event organizer, Harolyn works as a Regional Program Manager at the Center for Women & Enterprise, where she connects with others and creates opportunities for growth and learning.

She also shared some of her favorite Worcester spots—like Altea's Eatery for a Smoked Salmon Omelet, Momo’s Palace for Chicken Soup (Thukpa), and Soho Sushi for Crazy Dragon and Mexican rolls. 🍣🍵🍳

📖 Get inspired by Harolyn’s story—click the link below to read her full interview!
🎥 And stay tuned for a look at our in-person interview, where we get to know Harolyn and hear more about her journey!

If you were to ask who I am to others many would share with you that I am the eldest daughter, the first granddaughter, an event planner, a mother, and a friend. Although all of...

11/13/2024

🌍 Our next 𝑭𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 is a local changemaker who’s transforming our community one 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡, one story, and one delicious experience at a time. Known for creating spaces where people can savor new flavors and connect across cultures, she’s helping local entrepreneurs find their place in the 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑜𝑜𝑑. Any guesses who this inspiring community builder might be? Stay tuned for her story! 🍴

11/11/2024

🇺🇸 The Faces of Worcester: Honoring Our Veterans 🇺🇸

In Worcester, we know that service before opportunity is at the heart of what makes our community truly special. This Veterans Day, we want to dedicate our spotlight to those who have served our country. We’re inviting the community to help us honor local veterans who continue to make an impact here at home.

If you know a veteran in Worcester who embodies dedication, resilience, and selflessness, now is the time to nominate them. Let’s come together to celebrate those who have not only served our nation but also our community.

📝 Nominate a veteran you know who deserves to be recognized for their contributions both in and out of uniform by clicking the link below. Together, let’s shine a light on the heroes among us.



https://thefacesofworcester.com/nominate/

10/30/2024

✨ We’re excited to introduce this week's Face of Worcester, Rick Porter ✨

After serving his country in combat in the US ARMY The 75th Ranger Regiment , Rick embarked on a series of entrepreneurial and philanthropic ventures. He currently owns and operates Cinch I.T., an information technology company and franchisor, headquartered in Worcester and operating in 7 states. In 2023, He launched the Soccer Asylum ⚽, a soccer training and fitness facility in Paxton MA. Rick has coached youth, high school and collegiate soccer teams. Rick is also the primary organizer and engine behind an annual 100 Mile Ruck March Challenge, which has raised over $140,000 for Why Me & Sherry's House 🧸, a Worcester-Based NPO supporting families facing childhood cancer.

Read Rick's full interview below!

Do you know someone who has contributed to our community? Make sure to nominate them after you read Rick's interview!

I’m a passionate entrepreneur who loves to create and grow businesses that solve real-world problems and add value to people’s lives. I own Cinch IT, a computer support company that provides fast, reliable, and affordable...

10/22/2024

🌍✨ It’s time to celebrate the incredible individuals in Worcester who are making a positive impact! We want to hear from YOU!

What’s the most impactful community service project you’ve seen this year? Share a brief story about it's impact in the comments! 👇

Make sure to tag the individuals or groups behind it who deserve recognition for their amazing contributions!

Let’s shine a light on those who make Worcester a better place! ❤

10/15/2024

🚶‍♀️ 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗠𝗔𝗗𝗗 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆!🚶‍♂️

We’re excited to share this impactful event, 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘔𝘈𝘋𝘋 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘉𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯, happening on 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟵𝘁𝗵, 𝗮𝘁 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸, 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿. One of our Faces of Worcester, Sarah Ann, is helping to raise awareness alongside MADD Massachusetts. This event supports MADD's mission to end impaired driving and assist victims in our community and beyond.

🔴 Online registration ends: Friday, 10/18 at 12 PM.
🔴 In-person registration available on the day of the event!

If you’d like to participate in the walk and help make a difference, visit www.walklikemadd.org/boston for more details.

Let’s come together to raise awareness and support this important cause!

Walk Like MADD

10/08/2024

🌟 Do you know someone special who deserves recognition for their incredible contributions to our community? Nominations are open for The Faces of Worcester! 🌟

We're on the lookout for individuals who go above and beyond, whether they're a dedicated educator, a compassionate volunteer, a passionate local business owner, or anyone else making a difference in Worcester.

If you know someone who brings something truly special to our community, we want to hear about them! Nominate them today and give them the chance to shine in the spotlight they deserve. Let's celebrate the unsung heroes who make Worcester such an amazing place to live. ✨



Nomination link in the comments!

10/04/2024

In honor of World Smile Day 🙂, The Faces of Worcester is shining a light on a local hero: Harvey Ball, the creator of the iconic Smiley Face 😊.

Born and raised in Worcester, Harvey Ball, a commercial artist, made his lasting mark on the world in 1963 when he designed the Smiley Face. His simple, sunny-yellow circle with two eyes and an off-center smile became a symbol of positivity and joy across the globe. And yet, Harvey only earned $45 for creating the image that would go on to inspire millions.

Harvey’s Smiley was originally commissioned by State Mutual Life Assurance Company of Worcester (now Hanover Insurance) to boost employee morale. What started as a local initiative quickly became an international sensation 🌐, with over 50 million Smiley buttons sold by 1971. Harvey, however, was never interested in trademarks or profits. He was famously quoted as saying, "If I make the world a little happier, OK, fine".

Even though Harvey Ball passed away in 2001, his legacy lives on. He founded the World Smile Foundation to support children’s causes and created World Smile Day to encourage acts of kindness 💛. This Worcester-born artist believed in spreading smiles and positivity, and we celebrate him for making the world a little brighter.

So on World Smile Day 😄, let's all take a moment to follow Harvey’s example: "Do an act of kindness—help one person smile" 🙂.

10/03/2024

🌟 Celebrating Our Faces!🌟

We're thrilled to congratulate Racquel T. Knight and Idaliana Medina for being recognized in this year's Worcester Business Journal's 40 Under 40! 🎉 These incredible individuals continue to make a lasting impact on our community, and we couldn’t be prouder of their well-deserved honor.

Your continued contributions inspire us all!

Let's celebrate these amazing leaders who embody the heart and soul of Worcester!

WBJ hosts a variety of awards events each year, honoring Central Massachusetts business professionals for exceptional achievements. We invite our readers to nominate individuals for awards like 40 Under Forty, Outstanding Women in Business, Business Leade