Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation

Barrett Fund Awards $75,000 to Eight Community Groups

February 13, 2012

SHEFFIELD, MA—Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation announced today that the William J. and Margery S. Barrett Fund for Adams, Cheshire and Savoy recently awarded grants totaling $74,763 to eight nonprofit organizations in those three towns.

“Berkshire Taconic is proud to be the steward of Margery Barrett’s legacy,” said Jennifer Dowley, president of the Foundation. “Margery was born in North Adams and spent most of her life as a teacher in Adams. Her dream was to enhance the quality of life for the residents of Adams, Cheshire and Savoy. She would be thrilled today to see the great good it has done over the years.”

The William J. and Margery S. Barrett Fund for Adams, Cheshire and Savoy was established in 1995 by Margery Barrett using Pfizer stock inherited from her father and husband. Mrs. Barrett remained anonymous until she died in 2000, when the remainder of her trust was added to the fund. The fund has since distributed more than $2 million to worthy projects.

The nonprofit groups that received Barrett Fund grants include: Adams Police Department ($10,000) for the Police Athletic League, a program that allows the department to work closely with area youth in a structured athletic setting through basketball; BART Charter Public School ($7,003) for promoting Health and Wellness; Berkshire Nursing Families ($10,000) for the North Berkshire Lactation Project, a program that provides comprehensive breastfeeding support services for families in Adams, Cheshire and Savoy; Cheshire PTG ($4,200) for the Berkshire Theatre Festival Residency Program; Child Care of the Berkshires ($7560) to support science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum; Elder Services of Berkshire County ($8,000) for Meals on Wheels and group meals for seniors in Adams, Cheshire and Savoy; Elizabeth Freeman Center ($10,000) for the Child Safe Child Strong Program; and Youth Center ($18,000) for Community Programs and Outreach.

Child Care of the Berkshires will use its Barrett Fund grant to improve learning opportunities for young children in Adams and Cheshire. Anne Nemetz-Carlson, Executive Director of Child Care of the Berkshires stated, “Children are avid learners, and STEM will allow them to be involved in fun hands-on math and science activities. The grant we received will also help support the new STEM curriculum so that our children will be ready to enter kindergarten. We are very excited to have the opportunity to start this new project.”

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation celebrates 25 years of building stronger communities and helping donors make a difference through charitable giving in northwest Litchfield County, CT; Berkshire County, MA; and Columbia County and Northeast Dutchess County, NY. Each year, the foundation distributes over $7 million through grants and scholarships to nonprofits and individuals in the arts and education, health and human services and environmental protection. Berkshire Taconic is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity. You can make a difference. We can help.

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