New Massachusetts Veterans Services Office Opens in Springfield: Serving Some 42,000 Veterans Across Four Western Counties
SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - The Healey-Driscoll administration on November 2 celebrated the opening of a new Executive Office of Veterans Services (EOVS) regional office in Springfield, expanding access to state benefits, programs and services for veterans and military families across Western Massachusetts. Veterans Services Secretary Eric Goralnick joined state and local officials, veterans and community organizations to mark the opening of the office, which will serve Hampden, Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin counties.
Massachusetts is home to approximately 274,000 veterans, including an estimated 42,000 in Western Massachusetts. The new Springfield office will provide in-person assistance with veterans benefits, housing resources, mental health support and other services, while strengthening partnerships with local organizations that serve veterans and their families. It will also host outreach and educational events and bring together local, state and federal partners to serve the region.
"Our administration is committed to making Massachusetts the best state in the nation for veterans and military families, and that means making sure we're reaching veterans in every corner of the state," Governor Maura Healey said, citing more than 40,000 veterans in Western Massachusetts. Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll said the office will make it easier for veterans across the region, including those in smaller and rural communities, to connect with services without traveling far.
"Meeting veterans where they are is central to our mission," Goralnick said, noting that a permanent physical presence in Springfield puts his team face to face with the Western Massachusetts veteran community, including rural towns. Aging and Independence Secretary Robin Lipson said trusted, in-person resources close to home can make a meaningful difference for older adults and veterans navigating benefits and services.
The office will host staff administering the state's HEROS, SAVE and SERVE programs, the annual state annuity, and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs claims processed through EOVS' National Service Officer team. In fiscal 2026 alone, EOVS-represented claimants accounted for approximately $554.2 million of the $2.17 billion in annual VA benefits provided in Massachusetts.
The opening builds on a series of steps: Healey established EOVS as a Cabinet-level secretariat in 2023; in 2024 she signed the HERO Act, the most comprehensive expansion of veterans benefits in state history, with more than 30 provisions; this summer the state delivered a record $58.4 million in annual veteran annuity payments; and the Veterans Home at Holyoke recently opened its new building. Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, state lawmakers and veterans organization leaders welcomed the new office. (Source: Office of the Governor of Massachusetts)
Source: Office of the Governor of Massachusetts
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图片来源：Wikimedia Commons「Springfield, Massachusetts skyline（斯普林菲尔德天际线）」（Quintin Soloviev 摄，CC BY 4.0） Image: Wikimedia Commons "Springfield, Massachusetts skyline（斯普林菲尔德天际线）" (by Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0)
