When there are so many choices, why choose Berkshire United Way?
Leadership donor Rob Coco, vice president, agency finance – individual markets at Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, gives to Berkshire United Way for a number of reasons. He gives “because the fortunes of our community rise and fall with the individuals in our community.” He gives “because Berkshire United Way has a proven track record of assessing a vast landscape of needs and bringing resources to bear on systemic issues and improving lives.” He gives “because I feel like a small part of a solution.”
Here are just a few more ways you will make a difference by giving to Berkshire United Way.
- You can help your friends and neighbors throughout the community:
“My financial coach helped me see possibilities and encouraged me through a job loss,
re-employment and even getting my taxes done. I learned how to use a computer.
I feel so blessed to be able to manage things on my own and provide a home and stability to my
family.” - recipient of financial stability services
- Berkshire United Way leads the effort in addressing three priority community issues: early childhood literacy, positive youth development and financial stability, the building blocks for a good quality of life.
- Berkshire United Way has established measurable goals in each of these areas
- 90% of Berkshire County 3rd graders will read proficiently.
- Berkshire County’s high school graduation rate will show a continuous upward trend.
- The percentage of Berkshire County families that are low-income will be reduced.
- Berkshire United Way maximizes your return on investment. Real people just like you help determine how donated dollars are invested. Community volunteers, along with our Community Impact team, spend hundreds of hours determining which programs best align with our strategies to achieve our community goals
- Berkshire United Way seeks lasting solutions to our communities’ most challenging issues.
- Berkshire United Way makes Berkshire County a community of hope and opportunity where every individual and family lives, works and thrives.
United Way’s Workplace Campaigns are about bringing people together where they work to tackle our community’s most challenging issues – because no one person or organization can do it alone.
It’s easier than ever to participate in building our community through employee payroll deduction – over 190 workplaces across Berkshire County participate in an employee charitable campaign that allows employees to maximize their gift throughout the year by giving an amount each pay period.
Workplace campaigns make supporting the needs of your local community painless and seamless, and when everyone gives, regardless of the amount, we are collectively investing in solutions that address our most challenging community concerns.
If you have any questions or would like more information about Workplace Campaigns, please contact Duffy Judge, Development Manager at 413-442-6948 x12.
What your gift provides
Corporate Giving
Become a Berkshire United Way Corporate Sponsor
- BENEFIT from year-round local visibility.
- INCREASE your brand exposure and elevate your corporate identity in the community by linking your brand with Berkshire United Way, one of the most recognized and respected non-profit brands in the country.
- REINFORCE your company’s reputation as a good corporate citizen to your customers, employees and residents.
- EXPERIENCE the guaranteed reach of local marketing exposure and benefit from the positive image of supporting Berkshire United Way.
- SUPPORT year-round Berkshire United Way communication activities which allow
- Berkshire United Way to direct more donor dollars to make a greater impact in the community.
- RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT as tangible impressions and measured media value far exceed the cost of sponsorship.
If you are interested in more information about corporate sponsorships, please contact Ilene Marcus, Director of Development, at (413) 442-6948 x18.
Individual Leadership
Leadership giving fosters, promotes and recognizes the importance of voluntary community service and personal philanthropy at exceptional levels.
Leadership gifts offer the unique opportunity to join with like-minded individuals to build and shape our community. Leadership givers are outstanding individuals with a sense of purpose guiding them to use their strengths and personal funds to help others. With willing hands, hearts and resources, their combined efforts create more real, lasting change in the Berkshires than they can accomplish alone.
There are many ways to participate and become personally involved.
- Tocqueville Society members meet an annual leadership giving standard of $10,000 or more.
- Greylock Society members meet an annual leadership giving standard of $1000 or more and may take advantage of a variety of ways to pay, including by check, credit card, or through billing, etc.:
- Beacon $5,000 - $9,999
- Tower $3,000 - $4,999
- Summit $2,000 - $2,999
- Peak $1,000 - $1,999
- You may contribute through your workplace campaign's payroll deduction, or by check or credit card. Spouses' individual giving is combined to reach the leaderership standard.
Benefits of leadership giving include recognition in Berkshire United Way’s Leadership Giving Report and invitations to all Berkshire United Way events and receptions. Special information regarding Berkshire United Way programs and initiatives are also provided throughout the year. Interested in more infomraiton on Leadership Giving? Contact Ilene Marcus, Director of Development, at (413) 442-6948 x18.
Workplace Campaign
Berkshire United Way has a workplace campaign with over 175 local companies here in the Berkshires which helps to raise about 65% of our campaign total annually. This includes over 6,000 employee donors who are helping Berkshire United Way improve the quality of life for all. Leadership giving extends to a number of local corporations, businesses and community groups. Year after year these organizations devote their resources and efforts to help others. They know their support will help to build and shape the community they live and work in and they understand the benefit of their organization’s commitment and expertise.
Their gifts take many forms—contributions, matching gifts, products and services—but their combined impact helps ensure delivery of programs and services that meet the most critical needs in the Berkshires.
Perhaps your organization would like to contribute but you’re not sure how best to do that. In-kind giving might be a good option. For more information contact Duffy Judge, Development Manager at (413) 442-6948 x12.
Thinking about going to electronic pledging?
Electronic pledging makes giving one of the easiest decisions to make. E-pledge is a way to make all of your pledges online and cut down on using paper forms. Several companies, from large ones like Berkshire Bank to smaller ones like Hill Engineers Architects Planners, Inc. use e-pledge and find the resource easy. In addition, the ability to get real time reports makes keeping track of the campaign a breeze. Interested in signing up? Contact Duffy Judge, Development Manager at (413) 442-6948 x12.
Pinnacle Companies
Pinnacle Group - Campaign 2017-2018
Pinnacle status is unique to companies that meet at least six of eight criteria, such as campaign goals for increased dollars raised and employee participation, at least one donor at the leadership level, a corporate contribution, an active campaign that included presentations to company employees by Berkshire United Way staff or volunteers, and special events that generated interest and engagement within their companies.
See the Pinnacle status criteria information here. For the 2017-2018 campaign, the following companies went above and beyond and achieved Pinnacle status.
- 1Berkshire
- Berkshire Bank
- Berkshire County Kids’ Place and Violence Prevention Center
- Berkshire Health Systems/Berkshire Medical Center
- Berkshire United Way
- Cain, Hibbard & Myers, PC
- Covestro
- Crane Currency
- Fairview Hospital
- General Dynamics
- Greylock Federal Credit Union
- Guardian Life Insurance Company of America
- Hill Engineers, Architects, Planners, Inc.
- Hillcrest Educational Centers
- Interprint, Inc.
- Lee Bank
- Petricca Industries, Inc.
- Pittsfield Cooperative Bank
- Target 2121
- The Johnson Dealerships
Donor Privacy Policy
Your privacy is important to us.
We believe that you should have control over who receives the personal information you provide to us as a donor (such as your name, address, zip/postal code, e-mail address, telephone number).
We do not trade or sell your personal information. We only share donor information with third parties carrying out business activities, operations or functions on our behalf with a signed confidentiality agreement.
We do not send donor mailings on behalf of other organizations.
Sensitive data, such as credit/debit card numbers, are processed using industry standard security measures.
Berkshire United Way will hold all information obtained from or about donors in strictest confidence. When anonymity is requested on a current pledge or gift, we do not publish names, amounts or gift conditions, with the exception of requests for information by government agencies and courts, and all legally required tax and regulatory findings.
If a donor’s gift is designated to another charity, we provide the name, contact information, and amount of the donation to that charity unless the donor requests anonymity on the current pledge form.