Berkshire Taconic Awards Grants to 14 Nonprofit Groups in Central Berkshires
January 5, 2007
Great Barrington, MA — Two Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation funds, the Central Berkshire Fund and the Community Fund, have awarded grants to support community programs and services ranging from arts programs in the public schools to family events to hot meals for the elderly. The Central Berkshire Fund provides grants for nonprofit groups serving Dalton and the hilltowns of Windsor, Hinsdale, Peru, Cummington, Washington and Becket. The Community Fund is Berkshire Taconic’s unrestricted fund, which addresses changing challenges and needs throughout the tri-state region served by the foundation.
The following nonprofit groups received grants from the Central Berkshire Fund:
Becket Arts Center: $2,213 for structural repairs to the Becket Arts Center, which offers low cost professional arts instruction to people of all ages.
Berkshire Theatre Festival: $3,000 for the BTF Plays! Residency program for a 14-week playwriting program emphasizing creative communication and ensemble work in the Beckett/Washington and Kittredge schools.
Jacob’s Pillow: $2,000 for Jacob’s Pillow Curriculum in Motion, a Residency at Becket Washington Elementary School, in which teachers and students use dance and movement to explore key academic concepts.
Dalton Community Recreation Association: $3,000 for the Family Matters Program, which supports monthly family events for the community.
Becket Washington School: $1,769 for an electronic piano for school performances, private lessons and general community use.
Nessacus Middle School: $1,200 for a drama club in which students will write and perform original plays, as well as explore other aspects of the performing arts. $2,000 for a Community Service Learning Program, a unique educational opportunity for students to learn through community service initiatives.
Berkshire County Regional Employment Board: $2,500 for an internship program to strengthen the existing school-to-career initiative at Wahconah High School, which allows students to explore a diverse array of job opportunities.
Elder Services of Berkshire County: $2,960 for a meal program that ensures that elders in Dalton and the Hilltowns are receiving home-delivered meals.
Elizabeth Freeman Center: $1,358 for a new curriculum to help young people foster healthy relationships and prevent future domestic violence.
Sisters Ink.: $3,000 for programs for teenage and preteen girls that support self-discovery and use the arts to foster empowerment.
The Community Fund awarded grants to:
Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity: $2,200 to purchase equipment that will allow construction volunteers to work safely and efficiently when building or rehabilitating homes for low-income families and individuals.
Junior League of Berkshire County: $2,196 for “Discovery,” a mentoring program for at-risk teenage girls at the Gladys Brigham Center in Pittsfield.
Teen Parent Program: $1,500 for “Teen Parenting and the Law” workshops, which provide information about the law as it applies to teen parents and links students to supportive community resources.
The Central Berkshire Fund is led by committee of local residents which reviews applications and awards grants based on excellence of the proposed project or service, its impact on the organization or community, and the ability of the organization to carry out the project. The next deadline for the Central Berkshire Fund and the Community Fund grant applications is September 1, 2007. Applications are available online at www.berkshiretaconic.org/grants-scholarships.html or by calling 800-969-2823.
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation builds stronger communities and improves the quality of life for all residents of the region it serves: Berkshire County, MA; Columbia County and northeast Dutchess County, NY; and northwest Litchfield County, CT. Each year we help thousands of donors achieve their philanthropic vision and hundreds of nonprofit organizations carry on their good work. For more information, please contact Berkshire Taconic at 271 Main Street, Suite 3, Great Barrington, MA, 413-528-8039, info@berkshiretaconic.org or visit www.berkshiretaconic.org.
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