Why funded partner site visits matter
Rooted in trust-based philanthropy, our funded partner site visits help us move beyond written reports to real connections. We invite donors, volunteers, and our board members to join us on these visits so they can learn firsthand how these organizations serve children, youth, and families through high-quality education, programs, and services. Site visits deepen understanding, build mutual trust, and offer insight you simply can’t get on paper. It's also an opportunity to see our strategic priorities in action and learn how our unrestricted funding directly supports our funded partners.
From mid-March to early May, we visited with all of our 29 funded partners. While these visits are required as part of our funding agreement, we also use them as opportunities to check in.
Our visit with the team at Literacy Network of South Berkshire (LitNet) helped us better understand the growing needs of the people they serve, how they’re meeting those needs, and how vital our support has been for their organization.
"General operating support from BUW has been key to stabilizing LitNet's foundation, ensuring we can retain key program staff and expand our services wisely so that we can continue to meet the needs of Berkshire County's growing immigrant community,” said Leigh Doherty, Executive Director. “Beyond funding, BUW's Katherine Von Haefen and Chloe Rychcik have really helped us rethink how we collect data from our community of learners, allowing us to more fully and accurately illustrate LitNet's impact in our community."
As we approach the second half of our two-year funding cycle, we anticipate a reduction in funding due to projected budget constraints. We have shared this information with our funded partner CEOs, and while the news is understandably difficult, many have expressed appreciation for the advance notice, allowing them time to plan ahead. We know our support helps bridge critical gaps where other funding falls short — making your support more important than ever.
View our gallery of funded partner visits
March 17 | George B. Crane Memorial Center
Volunteer Jaime Campbell (Williams College, BUW Board); Kellie Meisl (Community Relations Director) and Aaron Elzner (Center's Board President); volunteers Laurie Gallagher (BUW Board) and Jennifer Kerwood (Education at Work, BUW Board); and BUW's Chloe Rychcik and Katherine von Haefen.
March 17 | CHP Berkshires
Mary Feuer (Director of Family Services), volunteers Pam Breslin and Melissa Orazio (Hillcrest Educational Centers, BUW Board Vice Chair), BUW's Katherine von Haefen and Chloe Rychcik, and Bethany Kieley (CEO, BUW Board); missing, Carrie Barth (VP Advancement and Family Services).
March 18 | Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity
Volunteer Bethany Kieley (CHP Berkshires, BUW Board), BUW's Katherine von Haefen and Chloe Rychcik, and Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity CEO Carolyn Valli and Lead Community Navigator Tonya Frazier.
March 24 | Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center
Sharra Blache (Program Manager & ABC School Age Enrichment Director), BUW's Chloe Rychcik and Katherine von Haefen, CEO Kelly Marion, BUW's Jennifer Baril, volunteer Becki Beron (Greylock Federal Credit Union), and Abigail Allard (Development & Communications Manager); missing from photo but part of the visit: Alysa Goddard (Early Childhood Education Director & Family Access Administrator) and Lucy Schwartz (Children, Youth, and Families Empowerment Director/Eureka! Coordinator).
March 25 | Flying Cloud Institute
Flying Cloud Education Coordinator Christian Drake talks about flying in preparation of building paper airplanes with 5th graders at Morningside Community School, where Flying Cloud has a residency as part of their S•M•Art Schools program.
March 25 | Berkshire Community Diaper Project
Volunteer Jennifer Kratovil-Moriarty (UCP of Western MA), Berkshire Community Diaper Project Board Secretary Terry Cooper and President Daltrey Turner, volunteer Stephanie Storie (Lenox Library, BUW Board), and BUW's Katherine von Haefen.
March 31 | Child Care of the Berkshires
BUW's Chloe Rychcik, volunteer Carrie Healy, Christen Romanick (Program Director of Family Support Programs at Child Care of the Berkshires), and volunteer Keith Girouard.
March 31 | 18 Degrees
Volunteer Jennifer Kratovil-Moriarty (UCP of Western MA), Sarah Frederick (VP of Advancement), Bryan House (VP of Youth Development Programs), Stephanie Steed (President and CEO), BUW's Katherine von Haefen, volunteer Rosalind Kopfstein, BUW's Chloe Rychick, Danielle Butler (Assistant Director of Child Care Services), Gena Blake (Vice President), Sarah Kelley (Director of Community Support Programs), volunteer Lori Flynn, Elise Weller (Senior Director of Early Education and Care), and volunteer Rachel Melendez Mabee (BUW Board).
April 2 | Berkshire County Head Start
Donna Brule-Denning (BCHS Director of Program Operations), volunteers Becki Beron and Debbie Davine (both GFCU), BCHS Executive Director Brett Random, BUW's Katherine von Haefen, volunteers Keith Girouard and Jason Ostrander, and BCHS' Alyssa Sakowski (Executive Coordinator), Maggie Steele (Director of Engagement), and Hunter McCormick (Director of Finance).
April 7 | Roots Rising
Roots Rising Executive Director Jess Vecchia, volunteer Linda Ruberto, Roots Rising Development Director Erin Kaplan, BUW's Katherine von Haefen, and volunteers Alexandra Visher, Laurie Gallagher (BUW Board), Christopher Smith, and Linda Rhoads in front of the new Farm and Education Center.
April 9 | Barrington Stage Company (Playwright Mentoring Project)
BSC's Emily Rivera (Associate Director of Education) and Jane O'Leary (Director of Education), volunteers Dr. William DeMarco (BHS, BUW Board) and Christopher Smith, and BUW's Chloe Rychcik and Katherine von Haefen.
April 10 | Berkshire South Regional Community Center
BUW's Chloe Rychcik; Berkshrie South's Kristina Splawn (Director of Education), Executive Director Jenise Lucey, and Lorelei Randa (Director of Development); volunteer Linda Ruberto; and Berkshire South's Avery Hutchison (Grants Manager) in the Sunshine Preschool room.
April 14 | Busy Bee at Lee Youth Association
Volunteers Merle Berman, Susie Brown (Lee Bank), Kate Murphy, and Neil Berman; BUW's Chloe Rychcik; and Sharon Dolby-Capeless (Busy Bee Director), Jessica Giarolo (Behavior Specialist at Busy Bee), and Sharon Terry (LYA Executive Director).
April 16 | Berkshire HorseWorks
Hayley Sumner, Founder and Executive Director, led an activity that helped a group of students from Crosby Elementary School use critical thinking and work together.
April 17 | Berkshire Pulse
Standing: BUW's Chloe Rychcik; volunteer Linda Ruberto; Berkshire Pulse's Allegra Chin (Senior Development Manager), Mackenzie Hoffman (Youth Performing Arts Program Coordinator, Teaching Artist), Jaimee Christinat (Community and In-School Program Manager), and Sarah Daunt (Teaching Artist, Programs Assistant); and volunteers Alexandra Visher and Kate Murphy; kneeling: Abigail Rollins (Executive Director), BUW's Katherine von Haefen, and Bettina Montano (Founder/Artistic Director/Modern Dance Director).
April 21 | Berkshire Theatre Group
Volunteer Kate Murphy, BUW's Chloe Rychcik, volunteer Alexandra Visher, and Allison Rachele Bayles, Director of Education for BTG, at the Colonial Theatre during a BTG PLAYS! rehearsal.
April 22 | Greenagers
Volunteers Dave Reinhart (BUW Board) and Kate Murphy, BUW's Chloe Rychcik, and Greenagers Executive Director Will Conklin in front of the renovated, multipurpose Barn at April Hill.
April 23 | Community Recreation Association
Back row: Dustin Belcher (Director of Operations), volunteers Dave Reinhart (BUW Board) and Linda Rhoads, and BUW's Katherine von Haefen; front row: Taylor Vreeland (Administrative Manager), Collin Parrott (Program Coordinator), Ariana Massery (Executive Director), volunteer Stephanie Ham (BUW Board); and Becky Fisher and Kyle Lyman (both Program Mangers) in front of the Dalton Youth Center.
April 24 | Arts in Recovery for Youth (AIRY)
Standing: volunteer Christopher Smith, BUW's Katherine von Haefen, AIRY staff member Jack, and volunteer Pam Breslin; sitting: BUW's Chloe Rychcik, Founder and Executive Director Marney Schorr (an art therapist and teaching artist) and staff member Rachael in the AIRY art studio.
April 28 | Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) Berkshires
Volunteers Dr. William DeMarco (BHS, BUW Board) and Tiffany Moreno (BCC, BUW Board), VIM's Joshua Briggs (Grant Writer), BUW's Chloe Rychcik, VIM Executive Director Ilana Steinhauer, and volunteers Laurie Gallagher (BUW Board) and Jaime Campbell (Williams College, BUW Board) in their Pittsfield location.
April 29 | Berkshire County Kids' Place & Violence Prevention Center
Volunteers Kate Murphy and Laurie Gallagher (BUW Board), Kids' Place Program Director Heather Williamson, BUW's Chloe Rychcik, volunteer Alexandra Visher, and BUW's Katherine von Haefen. Missing from photo but part of the visit: April Slater (Director of Clinical Services), Hailey Reinhold (Family Resource Coordinator), and Maribeth Cellana (Administrative Coordinator).
April 30 | Berkshire Nursing Families (or BNF)
BNF Executive Director Julia Keosaian, volunteer Becki Beron (GFCU), BNF Program Coordinator Devin Raber (and Prenatal Yoga instructor), Ash Bell (Community Outreach & Inclusion Manager), BUW's Chloe Rychcik, and volunteers Kate Murphy, Bethany Kieley (CHP Berkshires, BUW Board), and Jennifer Kratovil-Moriarty (UCP of Western MA) at 18 Degrees, which provides space for BNF classes.
May 4 | Rites of Passage and Empowerment (R.O.P.E.)
Standing: Rosa Tabango (nurse/mentor), volunteer Daltrey Turney (BCDP, BUW Board), ROPE Founder and Director Shirley Edgerton, Louise Smith-Brizan (educator/mentor), Dr. Soma Brahmanandam (vascular surgeon/mentor), Jeannette Smith (VP of Student Affairs at MCLA/mentor), volunteer Kate Murphy, and Dr. Jean Clarke-Mitchell (Assistant Professor at Lesley University/mentor); kneeling: BUW's Katherine von Haefen and volunteer Marietta Rapetti Cawse.
May 8 | Roots & Dreams and Mustard Seeds
Roots & Dreams Co-Founder and Co-Director Michael Hitchcock, volunteer Kate Murphy, BUW's Katherine von Haefen, and volunteers Jaime Campbell (Williams College, BUW Board), and Rosalind Kopfstein at the organization's food pantry, Mercado De Vida.