Berkshire United Way, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Northern Berkshire United Way, and Williamstown Community Chest established the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund for Berkshire County in March 2020 to support low-income families, communities of color and immigrants, and seniors through services such as food pantries, health care, and housing.
During the initial emergency phase, the Fund, along with support from the Neighbor-to-Neighbor Fund at Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation and the Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund, awarded 185 grants totaling over $3.4 million to 104 organizations or initiatives responding to these basic needs.
In the summer of 2021, the coalition shifted its focus from emergency response to recovery. An additional 25 grants totaling over $145,000 were distributed to support innovative approaches addressing emotional well-being for children, youth, and families.
At this time, the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund is on pause while these four organizations maintain focus on their core areas of support and keep in touch with nonprofit and government leaders to assess new needs that are arising from the pandemic.
We ask our supportive companies, local families, and individuals to help us invest in the long-term community impact work we have all come to depend on.
HELP THE HELPERS GRANTEES
TOTAL AMOUNT DISTRIBUTED: $11,500
GRANTEES
TOTAL COVID-19 FUND GRANT AMOUNT DISTRIBUTED: $3,409,436
Click image to download this 2-page info sheet
Resources for Berkshire nonprofits
CARES Act
Funds are limited and will be granted on a first come, first served basis.
○ Loans Available for Nonprofits in the CARES Act
(From the National Council on Nonprofits)
○ Apply for the Paycheck Protection Program
We recommend reaching out to your local bank for guidance on how to apply. Here is a list of certified banks.
○ SBA Paycheck Protection Plan FAQs
Volunteer Center
Organizations throughout Berkshire County are looking for volunteers. You can sign up using Berkshire United Way's Volunteer Center.
Any organization can create a profile and add volunteer activities. For help getting started, contact Brenda Petell at bpetell@berkshireunitedway.org.
During the month of April, you can sign up for special activities during the #HereForGood Volunteer Month.
Give Back Berkshires
You can also explore causes and ways to connect through Give Back Berkshires, created by the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires to connect nonprofits with people who want to help, particularly in this challenging time.
COVID-19 Volunteer Guidelines
○ Watch this brief training video
Kusik Award Recipient
On September 30, 2021, during the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission's annual meeting via Zoom, the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund for Berkshire County was recognized with the annual Kusik Award. Named after Charles Kusik, a nationally recognized volunteer planner who lived in Richmond, the award recognizes projects, groups, or individuals who have made outstanding contributions to planning in Berkshire County.
Accepting the award on behalf of the partners of the COVID-19 Fund were: Christa Collier, executive director of Northern Berkshire United Way; Anna Singleton, executive director of Williamstown Community Chest; Maeve O'Dea, program director at Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation; and Brenda Petell, director of volunteer engagement at Berkshire United Way.
Read more from iBerkshires HERE.
Hear more from BRPC Chair John Duval & COVID-19 Fund partners
Responding Together
COVID-19 Fund grantees by areas of need
Al Nelson Friendship Center Food Pantry | Northern Berkshire
Berkshire Community Action Council | Berkshire County
Berkshire Community Diaper Project | Berkshire County
Berkshire Dream Center | Central Berkshire
Berkshire Food Collaborative Project | Berkshire County
Berkshire Food Project | Northern Berkshire
Berkshire Grown | Southern Berkshire
Berkshire Helping Hands | Northern Berkshire
Berkshire Immigrant Center | Berkshire County
Berkshire South Regional Community Center | Southern Berkshire
Berkshires Tomorrow, Inc. (Berkshire Regional Planning Commission) | Pittsfield/Adams
Boys & Girls Club of the Berkshires | Central Berkshire
BRIDGE | Berkshire County
Central Berkshire Regional School District | Central Berkshire
Central Berkshire Regional School District Weekend Backpack Program | Central Berkshire
Chabad of the Berkshires | Berkshire County
Cheshire Food Pantry | Northern Berkshire
Christ Trinity Church | Southern Berkshire
Christian Center | Central Berkshire
Community Food Pantry at South Congregational Church | Pittsfield
Dalton Council on the Aging | Central Berkshire
Elder Services of Berkshire County Inc. | Berkshire County
Elizabeth Freeman Center | Berkshire County
Farmington River Regional School District | Southern Berkshire
Food Bank of Western Massachusetts | Berkshire County
Goodwill Industries of the Berkshires & Southern Vermont | Northern Berkshire
Great Barrington Farmer’s Market | Southern Berkshire
Greenagers | Southern Berkshire
Hinsdale Food Pantry | Central Berkshire
It Takes a Village | Central Berkshire
North Adams Farmers Market | North Adams
Northern Berkshire Community Coalition Weekend Meal Project | Northern Berkshire
Our Lady of Charity (St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church) | Northern Berkshire
The People’s Pantry | Southern Berkshire
Pittsfield Public Schools | Pittsfield
Price Memorial AME Zion Church | Central Berkshire
Regional Food Coordination Projects | Berkshire County
Richmond Consolidated Schools | Southern Berkshire
Rites of Passage and Empowerment (R.O.P.E) | Pittsfield
Roots Rising | Berkshire County
ROOTS Teen Center | North Adams
Salvation Army | Central Berkshire
South Berkshire Regional School District | Southern Berkshire
Town of Williamstown/Farmers Market | Northern Berkshire
Town of Windsor | Central Berkshire
Western Mass Labor Action | Central Berkshire
Williamstown Food Pantry | Northern Berkshire
Adams Council on the Aging | Northern Berkshire
Arts in Recovery for Youth | Southern Berkshire
Berkshire County ARC | Berkshire County
Berkshire Family and Individual Resources (BFAIR) | Central Berkshire
Berkshire Health Systems | Berkshire County
Berkshire Hills Regional School District | Southern Berkshire
Berkshire HorseWorks | Berkshire County
Berkshire Nursing Families | Berkshire County
Berkshire Pulse | Southern Berkshire
Berkshire Sewing Team | Central Berkshire
BFAIR (Berkshire Family & Individual Resources) | Northern Berkshire
BRIDGE | Berkshire County
The Brien Center | Berkshire County
Central Berkshire Coordinating Center | Central Berkshire
Community Bible Church | Northern Berkshire
Community Health Programs | Berkshire County
Early Childhood Consultants | Southern Berkshire
Ecu-Health Care | Northern Berkshire
Hoosac Valley Regional School District | Northern Berkshire
Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health | Berkshire County
Mass 211 | Berkshire County
MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board | Berkshire County
Mount Carmel Care Center | Lenox
NAMI Berkshire County | Berkshire County
North County Emergency Planning Commission | Northern Berkshire
Northern Berkshire EMS | Northern Berkshire
The Salvation Army | Central Berkshire
UCP of Western Massachusetts | Pittsfield/North Adams
Volunteers in Medicine Berkshires | Southern Berkshire
WAM Theatre | Southern Berkshire
Western Mass Recovery Learning Community | Central Berkshire
Berkshire Bridges Working Cities | Central Berkshire
Berkshire Center for Justice | Berkshire County
Cathedral of the Beloved | Pittsfield
Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity | Central Berkshire
Construct | Southern Berkshire
Goodwill of the Berkshires & Southern Vermont | Northern and Central Berkshire
Iglesia Castillo Fuerte | Central Berkshire
Josh Bresette Commit to Save a Life Committee | Berkshire County
Louison House | Northern Berkshire
Soldier On | Pittsfield
South Berkshire Emergency Response Center | Southern Berkshire
18 Degrees | Pittsfield
Berkshire County Head Start | Berkshire County
Berkshire Family YMCA | Pittsfield/North Adams
Boys & Girls Club of the Berkshires | Central Berkshire
Central Berkshire Regional School District | Central Berkshire
Child Care of the Berkshires | Central and Northern Berkshire
Dalton Community Recreation Association | Central Berkshire
Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center | Pittsfield
Lee Youth Association | Southern Berkshire
Youth Center Inc. (Adams) | Northern Berkshire
Arts in Recovery | Southern Berkshire
Berkshire County ARC | Berkshire County
Berkshire South Regional Community Center | Southern Berkshire
Boys & Girls Club of the Berkshires | Central Berkshire
Community Legal Aid | Berkshire County
Dalton Community Recreation Association | Central Berkshire
Manos Unidas Multicultural Educational Cooperative | Central Berkshire
MassHire Berkshire Career Center | Berkshire County
New Hope United Methodist Church | Northern Berkshire
Price Memorial AME Zion Church | Central Berkshire
Railroad Street Youth Project | Southern Berkshire
Rites of Passage and Empowerment (R.O.P.E) | Pittsfield
ROOTS Teen Center | North Adams
Stockbridge Library | Southern Berkshire
Thank you to these fundraising efforts
Thank you to Pittsfield Community Television and Pittsfield Community Radio for coordinating efforts to produce a Help-a-Thon to raise awareness and funds for the Berkshire County COVID-19 Fund.
Thank you to Patty Spector of the Josh Billings RunAground for introducing this idea and VidMob for creating a fun visual to invite the community to be active and help raise funds.
Thank you to our donors and partners
*Fund of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation
The BARR Foundation
Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund
Anonymous
Adams Community Bank
The Feigenbaum Foundation
The Fuqua Family Fund*
The Madroño Foundation
Mill Town
Anonymous
Berkshire Bank
Berkshire Health Systems
Callahan Dee Family Foundation
The Patty and Tim Crane Fund*
The Joyce and Fred Crane Family’s Cooper Meadow Fund*
The Jane and Jack Fitzpatrick Trust
The Gilson Family Foundation
Greylock Federal Credit Union
The James and Irene Hunter Fund*
Lee Bank
MountainOne
Mary Pope Osborne
The Joseph H. and Carol F. Reich Fund*
Unistress
Williams College
Amelia Peabody Charitable Fund
Avangrid Foundation
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation
Berkshire United Way
Paul W. Clark
Commonwealth Children's Fund
General Dynamics
The Green Foundation
Jane Iredale*
Donald C. McGraw Foundation/Black Rock Foundation Fund*
SABIC Plastics
Anonymous
Berkshire Agricultural Ventures
Berkshire Gas Company
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Kathleen and Neil Chrisman*
Jeffrey and Beth Cohen
The ERJ Fund, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven
Dion Family Foundation
Brian and Tyler Fairbank*
Thomas and Marian Gardner*
The James and Robert Hardman Fund, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation*
The Lawrence Family Fund
Levinson Berkshire Opportunity Fund*
Onyx Specialty Papers, Inc.
Papa John’s Pizza of Lenox
Alan Price and Irene Goldman-Price*
Carol and Michael Riordan*
John Stookey*
Laurie and Peter Thomsen
Elizabeth Tully and Jon Millburg
The Wagner Foundation
The Whitehead Foundation
Carlo and Amy Zaffanella
Anonymous
Herbert A. Allen
Nicholas Boraski
Kristine and Oren Cass
John DeRosa
Dan Mead and Sally Eagle*
Marita and David Glodt
Kimball Farms Residents Association
John and Judith Kittredge Fund*
Chester and Kate Lasell
Northern Berkshire United Way
Pittsfield Cooperative Bank
The Pixley Hill Foundation
Shah Family Foundation
Diane Singer and Dr. John Horan
Jodi and Paul Tartell
The Capital Group Companies Charitable Foundation
Fall Brook Fund*
Fund for Williamstown*
Elton Ogden and Jan Salzer-Ogden
Cornelius and Carol Wells
Anonymous (2)
Rebecca Abbott
Brian Adams
James and Kristin Allen
Charlie and Claire Bercury
Berkshire District Medical Society
Rick Brown and Anita Loose-Brown*
Larry Cherkis and Joan Benjamin*
Susan Gold
Lawrence and Rosemary Harnett
David and Suzanne Klausmeyer*
Liz and Tom Marino
Tim O’Donnell and Tyne Allshouse
Kristine Osterman
Brian Renaud and Somchai Piraban
Richard and Karen Rowe
Efrem and Frederica Sigel
Greg and Laura Spivy
Jacqueline Starr and Jeff Ellsworth
Jason and Daisy Touhey
Anonymous
Joanna Arkema
51 Park Restaurant & Tavern
James and Kristin Allen
Pamela and Hank Art
Berkshire Education and Correction Services Aquaponic Training Facility at the Berkshire County Sheriff’s Office
Julia Bowen and Brad Svrluga
Christine and Tack Burbank
Lynn Carlson
Penny and Laurence Choquette
Jim Ciullo
Linda Conway
Douglas and Elizabeth Crane
Dave Cupery
Ruth Dewton / Joseph and Lily Dewton Family Fund*
Donald Elitzer*
Wendy Federer
Emily Fisher
Lori Flynn and John Ryall
Joseph and Laurie Gallagher
Laurie Heatherington and Keith Finan
Stephen P. Hodgin and Joanne Larsen
Interprint Inc.
Leslie Ioffredo
Dr. Ellen Kennedy and Mark Gold
Nancy Kyle
Scott Lambert
Dr. Robert Lee
Eleanor Lord Fund*
Martha Marvin
MCLA Foundation, Inc.
Douglas McNally and Janet Bradley
Joseph Method
Enid Michelman
Kathleen Morris and Robert Kraus
Kate and Peter Murphy
Congressman Richard E. Neal
Bob and Mary Ann Norris
Doug and Jane Pickard
Price Chopper’s Golub Foundation
David and Deborah Reinhart
Karen Richards
Richard Riedel and Lynelle Weinheimer
Deborah Sagner
Joyce Scheffey / The Turkeybush Fund*
Arlene and Gary Schiff*
ServiceMaster of the Berkshires
Kim Seward
Barbara and Bruce Shickmaster
Brad and Michael Simon
Dr. Maud Mandel and Steven Simon
Specialty Minerals
Carol and Bob Stegeman
Michael and Lisa Stoddard
Charles and Katherine Swabey
Don Usher
Courtney Wade
Wayfair
Williamstown Community Chest
Ellen Wineberg
Harold Sears and Rene Wood
Bill and Adrienne Wootters*
Karol Zielonko
Anonymous (2)
18 Berkshire Women
Osmin and Monica Alvarez
Lynn Ashburn and Charlie Helde
Helen Barrington
Steve Bayne and Bernadette Patynski
Lucas Benjamin
Drs. Richard Berlin and Susanne King
Daryle and Alison Bost
Laura Brennan
Tom and Jennifer Brennan
Pamela Conroy Breslin
Cynthia Farr Brown and Maura B. Delaney
Joseph Brzoska
Cecilia Chang
Jondavid Chesloff
Daniel Clowes
The Fern Grove Fund*
Jennifer Crews and Matt Cusack
Susan Crofut*
James Cultrera
William Davis
James Duffy and Debora Cole-Duffy
Robert and Cheryl Ericson
Margaret Fluhr
The Foggy River Fund*
Todd Gaffney
Sarah Gannett
Dennis Greenstein and Marilyn Sygrove
Guido’s Fresh Marketplace
Scott and Ellen Hand
Marion and John Hyson
Marcie and Fred Imberman
Junior League of Berkshire County
Merle and Leo Kailas
Lisa Kent
Thomas Kiley
Henry and Maureen Lee
Laurie Gilden Lindner
LP Adams
Denise and Howard Marshall
Nancy McIntire
George Merz
Kevin Moore
Jay and Mercedes Nawrocki
David Dethier and Nancy Nylen
Marcia and Dan Parnell
Dr. Larry Pellish
Susan and Frederick Puddester
Josh Rosmarin
Frank and Linda Russell
Salisbury Bank & Trust
Joan Sigoski
Patricia Soussloff
Lawrence Strauss and Francine Weinberg
Tina Tartaglia
Christy Tewell
Audrey Thier
Laura Vidale
Claudia Wells
Hal and Benna Wilde*
Candace Winkler and Matt Kropke
Caleb Wolfson-Seeley
Zonta Club of Berkshire County
Anonymous (5)
Kevin Allan and Justin Burke
Gary and Barbara Allen
Ashley and Nathaniel Buckley-Wright
Karen Chase and Paul Graubard
Jack and Diane Cowles
Charlotte Crane
Dawn Desnoyers
Lori DuBois and Charles Prescott
Rosalie Ehrlich and Michael Mahr
Dr. M. Gerard and Maryjane Fromm
Nina and Peter Garlington
Jayne Atkinson-Gill and Michel Gill
Richard Gregg
Gale and Dusty Griffin
Corinne Heyes
Jacqueline Hidalgo
Ann and John Higgins
Hinsdale Lions Club
Thomas and Susan Hodgson
Jessica Hopson
The Joyce Fox Fund*
Pamala Kurtzer
Wyatt Larochelle
Alec Machiels and Sarah Bennison
Monica Mackey
Tyler Malik
Mark and Jenney Maloy
Market 32, Pittsfield #140
Victoria Maxwell
Rebecka and James McDougall
Dianne and Patrick Mele
Tim and Helen Metzger
Daniel Michaels
Julie Michaels
Cameron, Elizabeth, Kayla and Steven Miller
Judith Monachina
Christopher and Monica Montferret
Peter Nixon
Marisa Pizzuto Jutras
Susan Rothschild and Don Freedman
The Safran Charitable Gift Fund of T. Rowe Price Charitable
St. Nicholas Orthodox Church
Dr. Gary and Paula Shalan
Carl and Claudia Shuster
The Melanie and Jay Spahr Family Fund*
Amy and Ben Sosne
Jane Swift and Chuck Hunt
John E. Toole
James and Maryellen Tremblay
Clark Wallace
David Wohabe
Thomas Woodward and David LePere
Robert Youdelman
Anonymous (4)
Susan Abramowitz and Aaron Gurwitz
Sal and Janet Accardo
Susan and Mark Allan
Rahul Bahl
Dudley Bahlman
Donna Baker
N. Douglas Baldwin
Alan and Judith Benjamin
Berkshire Environmental Consultants, Inc.
Berkshire Mountain Distillers
Wren Bernstein
Big Y World Class Market, Pittsfield #23
Kristin Blagg
Daniel Bourla
Robert and Hope Braddick
Mark Brandriss
Tracey Brennan
Aaron Brigham
Elizabeth Burbank
Regina Burgio
Marsha Callaway
Melissa Campbell
Dr. William Cameron Jr.
Jill Cancellieri
Kathy Caton
Marietta Rapetti Cawse and James Cawse
Karen Charbonneau
Claudine Chavanne and Harry Stuart
Matthew Chester
Diane Chicoine
Patricia Coates
Jeffrey Cohen
Mea Cook
Diane Cramer
Cruisin' Cows at Williams
Erin Cullen
Patti and Craig Cusson
Jason Cuyler
Virginia D’Aniello
Ute Defarlo
Marcia DeFazio
Dr. Peter Dillon
M. Janet Dohoney
June Donna
Marilyn Cole Dostie
Judith Douville
Amanda Dubrowski
Alycia Sacco Duquette and Christopher Duquette
Susan Ebitz
Neil Eddy
Scott and Mary Beth Eldridge
Ernest Faraci
Diane and Michael Farella
Christopher Farrell
Susan Ferlauto
Peter Filkins
Laura Flint and Michael Pelle
Louise Frankenberg
Jessica Fried
Mark Friedman
Christine Galib
Deborah Gallant
Jeff and Glenna Gerard
Thomas Glassanos
Michael Glier
Ted and Jennifer Glockner
Rebecca Gold
Amanda Goldmakher
Lauren Goodman
Barbara Guido
Dorothy and Francis Gwozdz
Myrna Hammerling
David Handler
Alexander Harper
Kate and Tom Hocker
Elaine Hunter
James Hurley
Martin and Alice Jonas
Daphne Joslin
Anne Karabinos
Lenard Kates
Linda Kaye-Moses
Mary Keegan
Brant and Jamie Keller
Janette Kessler
Scott Ketcham
Debra Kielman
Wendy Klepetar
Carol and Stuart Kuller
Karen Kuranda
Christine Kwasny
Cally Latchford
Bob and Elaine Lee
Lenox Patisserie
Barbara Leslie
Daniel Leven
Michael Levin
Lisa Lutton
Megan Malone
Supreet Kaur Maniktala
Patricia Manion
Ellen Manley
Peter M. Marchetti
Jay L. and Kelly A. Marion
Delight Maston
Brian McBride
Pam McCann
Margaret McComish and Magnus Bernhardsson
Amy McNally
Judith McNary
Jonathan and Penny Metsch
Mike Miller
Nina Molin
Melanie Mowinski
Albert Najimy
Mary and Seth Nash
Richard Nesbitt
Kelli Newby
Michael Nichols
Christopher Nye
Jeremy O'Boyle
Dr. Anne O’Dwyer
Kevin O’Rourke
Jason Ostrander
Anne Payson
Katherine Peabody
Mary Jo Piretti-Miller
Sarah Pitcher-Hoffman
Bert and Letty Cottin Pogrebin
Janice Pride-Boone
Prospect Hill Foundation
George Ritter
Dr. Herbert and Paula Rod
Shawn Rosenheim
Janice Rosenman
The Rosenthal Family Fund, the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest NJ
Phyllis Ross
Joyce Ruitenberg
Ronnie Sacco
Janina Sadlowski
Barbara and Robert Sammons
Dr. Stuart and Phyllis Sandrew
Loretta Scheel and Robert Bujalski
Stephen Schreier
Harriet and Stu Schweitzer
Heather Seely
Tony Segal Richmond BOH
William and Maureen Seward
Molly Sheehan
Tom and Ginny Sheldon
Doris Simon
Marcie and Richard Simons
Monica Sinclair and Brian Hailes
Jo Ann Sinopoli
Alice Smith
The Rev. Samuel J. Smith and Donald R. Temples
Samuel Smith
Barbara Snyder
Mark St. Germain
Meghan St. John
Carolyn Stein
Kip and Margot Towl
Nancy Travis
Lisa Trybus
Sarah Turner
Michael and Joan Ury
Elaine VanBriggle
Elizabeth Wade
Walmart Supercenter, North Adams #1984
Zachary Walsh
William West
Cherie Whitney-Noyes
Joanne Williams
Katherine Woodhouse
Joan Wright
Juliet Wright
Michael and Christina Wynn
Cheryl and Michael Zaccaro
Karen and Richard Zink
Zion Lutheran Church
Donald and Kristina Zukowski
Anonymous (6)
Brenda Ahern
Elizabeth Aho
Ginny Akabane
Susan Barnett
James Barry
Paula Blagg
Donna Boucher
Carl and Stephanie Bradford
Marguerite Braun
Lawrence Bravo
Linda and Ronald Brown
Erin Bruno
Karrie Buratto
Mary and Paul Butler
Becky Cachat
Sarah Callaway
Joellen Catelotti
Jon Charbonneau
Sarah Clader
Steven Cohen
Community Access to the Arts (CATA)
David Cook
Claudia Coplan
Linda Corsi
Alisa Costa
Thomas and Deborah Curry
Kimberly Cyr
Deborah Dane
Michael Dean
Tatjana Deary
Steve and Lynn Del Negro
Warren Dews Jr. and Roberta McCulloch-Dews
Kathy Dickinson
Blair and Jessica Dils
Priscilla Drysgola
Laurie and Jay Dubner
Laura Dumouchel
Deborah and Richard Dunn
Judith Eddy
Barbara Emanuel
Jhena Faeran
Louise Farkas
David and Leatrice Finck
Patricia Flaherty
Jean Floyd
Richard Fuhrman
Lesliann Furcht
Joann Garner
Meghan Gillis
Dana Goedewaagen
Andrea Goodman
Bridget Gormalley
Deborah Gottung
Jennifer Green
Debra Guachione
Hunter Hamilton
Thomas Hamilton
Glen Hanson
Brian Higgins
Sheilaa Hite
Elizabeth Hobby
Lilly Hoch
Kathryn Holt
Matthew Hunt
Karen and Bruce Jacobs
Sandra Jarvis
Nancy Johnson
Bill and Marianne Judge
Lorraine Kalisz
Kennith Kelly
Erinn Kennedy
Greg Kerwood
Matthew and Jennifer Kerwood
Danielle Kinne
Pamela Knisley
Michelle Kopec
Karin Koff
Barbara Kotelnicki
Lillian and Edward Kulpa
James and Tammy Kupernik
Darcie and Andi Lampiasi
Ming Lash
Dennis and Diane Lawson
Shiobbean Lemme
Zenobia Love
Bonita and Richard Lovison
Katherine Ludington
Theresa Manchester
Marcia Mandel
R.E. Markham
Paul Marszalek
Veronica Torres Martin
Stephanie Martin
William Matthiesen
Andrew McKeever
Diane and Wayne McLain
Geraldine McQuoid
Jacqueline Melendez
Robert and Michelle Mellace
Kate Merrigan
Lauren Miller
Rebecca Mosher
Dorothy and Douglas Munson
Peter Murphy
Sharon DeMyer Nemser
Richard and Dana Noble
North Adams Teachers Association
Karen Nunez
Timothy O’Brien
Sandra Pantorno
Marie Paradise
Barbara and Thomas Patton
Thomas and Jody Pelkey
Randy Penn
Brenda Lee Petell
Neal Pilson
Nancy Prezenik
Kenneth Recore
Carolyn Renzi
Philip D. Rich
Karen Richards
Franklin Risatti
Cynthia Robinette
Karen Romeo-Leger
Terry Rooney
Claire Rosenberg
Jennifer Rosenzweig
Susan Russell
Jane Salata
Betsy Salinetti
Lindsey and Andreas Schmid
Keith Seidman
Laurie Shaw
Molly Sheriff
Olga Shevchenko
Jennifer Connor Shumsky
Neil Siegel
Deborah Smith
Richard and Susan Smith
Susan Smith
Dr. Jesse and Patricia Spector
Jennifer Streisand
Rose Ann and William Sturgeon
Phoebe Sugarman
Mary Sugden
Jonathan Swartz
Deirdre Swindlehurst
Sarah Thomas
Leah Thompson
Ann Tierney
Lorraine and John Tinger
Amanda Tobin
Matthew Tucker
Caryl Tuggey
Jeff Turner
Rich Weisenflue and Beth Nichols
Gloria Wesley
Rob White
Stephanie Williams
Lanny Zuckerman
READ WHAT OTHERS ARE REPORTING ABOUT OUR WORK IN THE COMMUNITY
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The fund provides flexible resources to nonprofit 501c3 organizations in Berkshire County working with individuals and families who are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and the economic consequences of this outbreak. It will help fund organizations that have deep roots in the community and strong experience working with the most vulnerable populations.
The grantmaking process is on pause.
Berkshire United Way, in partnership with BTCF and in close collaboration with our partners, will consult should the need to distribute grants through this fund arise.
While this fund is not able to provide grants directly to individuals, it will support community-based organizations that have strong experience providing services to individuals and families. Direct service agency contacts can be found here. You can also dial 2-1-1 to connect to Mass 211, a free and confidential service funded by United Ways in Massachusetts that helps people find the local resources they need.
We are not considering restricted donations at this time. The fund was created to provide flexible funding as quickly as possible to the nonprofits that are operating on the front line of response.
This Fund was not created to be the only vehicle resourcing critical community activities during this outbreak. Rather, it is working to facilitate getting more targeted resources into the community where they are needed most. If the fund’s priorities align with your interests, we hope you will consider making a donation. However, this is a critical time for so many, including the nonprofit organizations who have benefited from your generosity in the past, as well as those that have canceled annual fundraising events and public gatherings. Please continue to give to organizations you regularly support, and those that now need your help.
This fund supports nonprofit 501c3 organizations within Berkshire County.
Yes. No goods or services are provided in exchange for your contribution. Please keep a copy of the receipt that is emailed to you for your tax records and consult your tax advisor for more information.
Organizations throughout Berkshire County are looking for volunteers. You can sign up using Berkshire United Way's Volunteer Center.
Any organization can create a profile and add volunteer activities. For help getting started, contact Brenda Petell at bpetell@berkshireunitedway.org.