In Berkshire County, more than 22,000 children and adults receive food assistance from the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance.
On November 1, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits paused due to the government shutdown – and nearly 20% of our Berkshire neighbors faced a food crisis!
Berkshire United Way, along with United Ways across Massachusetts, mobilized immediately to raise funds through the United Response Fund. Locally, we established a food and emergency relief fund to address urgent food insecurity and emergency needs across Berkshire County. Combined, a total of $51,630 was raised and distributed.
These organizations received funding:
- Berkshire Bounty
- Berkshire Community College Foundation
- Berkshire Dream Center
- Berkshire Grown
- Community Health Programs (CHP)
- First United Methodist Church
- Friends of the Pittsfield Senior Center
- Great Barrington Farmers Market
- Pittsfield Community Food Pantry
- seeing rainbows
- Sonrisas
- The Christian Center of Pittsfield
- The People's Pantry of Great Barrington
- Village Food Box
- Westside Legends
These organizations were supported through collaborations with the funded organizations:
- Berkshire Food Project, North Adams
- Berkshire Hills School District Food Box Program, Great Barrington
- Christian Assembly, Pittsfield
- Helping and Holding Hands, Pittsfield
- Lanesborough American Legion, Lanesborough
- Lee Food Pantry, Lee
- Mercado de Vida, Pittsfield
- Monterey Food Pantry, Monterey
- Otis Food Pantry, Otis
- Sheffield Food Assistance, Sheffield
- South Community Food Pantry, Pittsfield
With this funding, organizations:
- served more than 15,000 individuals
- provided 2,300 hot meals
- purchased over 4,715 gallons of milk locally
- purchased over 2 tons of protein and dairy products from local suppliers
- stocked pantries with fresh produce and essential non-food necessities, like toilet paper, soap, and personal care items
- handed out 30+ gift cards to families and individuals to purchase their own food
SNAP updates from the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts
SNAP enrollment remains open. The DTA and the Food Bank’s SNAP Enrollment team are continuing to help people apply for benefits. Call the SNAP team at 413-992-6204.
Food Pantries and Meal Sites
Berkshire County is home to a robust network of emergency food sites including food pantries, meal sites, school district food distributions, senior centers, and other food access organizations.
Food Pantry and Meal Sites | November 2025
If you are interested in volunteering at a local food pantry or meal site, visit our Volunteer Center for opportunities or contact your nearest food site.
Pittsfield Farmers Market – 2026 Outdoor Season
Second Saturday of May - Second Saturday of October
9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Pittsfield Common, 100 First Street, Pittsfield
Summer Eats: Free breakfast and lunch to all youth when school is out | breakfast 9:00-10:30 AM, lunch 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Market Match: Roots Rising continues to offer Market Match.
HIP (Healthy Incentives Program): HIP is managed by the state. If you have an active EBT card, you automatically have HIP, which provides $40-$80 per month (depending on household size) to buy fruits and vegetables at this market. Balances reload at the beginning of each month.
In the news
Berkshire Edge: Less than 24 hours before federal food-assistance benefits are cut off, Berkshires food pantry network already struggling to meet the local need
Berkshire Eagle: With loss of SNAP benefits looming amid shutdown, Berkshire organizations race to fill void for families in need
In partnership with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United Way responded to direct threats to SNAP with a statewide effort to support Massachusetts residents whose SNAP benefits were at significant risk. The United Response Fund deployed emergency financial assistance to individuals and families who experienced disruptions to their food assistance benefits through SNAP.
The United Response Fund provided immediate support and urgently needed stability to neighbors, frontline organizations, and communities across the state and helped ensure United Ways were equipped to address as many challenges as they could.