Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Establishes Disaster Recovery Fund for Haiti

January 15, 2010

Great Barrington, MA—Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation has established a Disaster Recovery Fund for Haiti in response to the recent earthquake. Donors are invited to make contributions to the fund online through www.berkshiretaconic.org or by sending a check made out to Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, with Haiti noted on the memo line. The proceeds will be divided equally between Oxfam, Doctors Without Borders, and Paul Farmer's Partners in Health. There is no community foundation in Haiti, so Berkshire Taconic selected these three reputable nonprofit organizations, each of which has long worked in Haiti, to receive the funds.

“In times of international or national disaster, Berkshire Taconic has a history of offering its communities ways of extending their generosity to those in need,” stated Jennifer Dowley, president of the foundation. “Generosity is in our collective DNA. The cries for help from Haiti cannot be ignored.” Community members in southern Berkshire County are organizing a number of fundraising events for the Disaster Recovery Fund for Haiti to take place this weekend, including setting up a table to accept donations at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center (14 Castle Street in Great Barrington) on Saturday afternoon, January 16, during the Met Opera “Live in HD” broadcast and, also on Saturday, a dance party at Dewey Memorial Hall (91 Main St./Rt. 7 in Sheffield) produced by EnLivenment that includes a one-hour swing dance lesson at 7pm with Nadia and Paul Rix at 7pm, followed by “blues boogie-woogie jazz with soul” music by The Colbys with Bev Rohlehr from 8pm to 11pm. Other fundraisers or individual donors are welcome to contribute to the fund at any time.

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation builds stronger communities and improves the quality of life for all residents of Berkshire County, MA; Columbia County and northeast Dutchess County, NY; and northwest Litchfield County, CT. Thanks to its generous donors, in 2009 Berkshire Taconic distributed nearly $7 million in scholarships and grants for programs in the arts and education, health and human services, and environmental protection. Berkshire Taconic is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization For more information visit www.berkshiretaconic.org.

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