Barrett Fund Awards $175,000 in Grants in Adams, Cheshire and Savoy
February 8, 2008
GREAT BARRINGTON, MA –
The William J. and Margery S. Barrett Fund for Adams, Cheshire and Savoy, a fund of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, recently awarded grants totaling $175,000 to 18 nonprofit organizations in the three towns. The grants support a wide range of community programs, ranging from community CPR class to efforts to fight hunger in northern Berkshire County.
“It’s wonderful to see the enormous impact of Margery Barrett’s legacy in the community each year,” said Jennifer Dowley, president of Berkshire Taconic. “Margery was a schoolteacher who used inherited stock create a fund that would take care of the towns she loved even after her death.”
“We’re pleased to award Barrett Fund grants this year to a diverse group of nonprofits,” said Jennifer Dowley, president of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, which manages the fund. “As the fund grows, it will be able to reach even more residents through arts programs, education and social services.”
The following nonprofit groups received 2007 grants:
Adams Agricultural Fair: $8,500 to upgrade the electrical system for the fair
Adams Cheshire Savoy Youth Coalition: $32,000 to expand its programs in schools, the community and within families.
Adams Community Development: $18,500 for new cultural programs for the town.
Berkshire Art Charter School: $2,868 to purchase musical instruments so that more students can participate in the instrumental music program.
Berkshire Dance Theatre: $4,686 for new flooring for its Adams studios
Berkshire Museum: $10,445 for “Teaching in Nature II,” a program of outdoor, hand-on education experiences for student in grades K-5.
Berkshire Nursing Families: $10,000 for its comprehensive lactation support services
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation: $5,000 for its Emergency Relief Fund, which assists people with acute, short-term needs.
Elder Services of the Berkshires: $5,907 for the Meals on Wheels program, which provides hot meals for senior citizens in Adams, Cheshire and Savoy.
Northern Berkshire Community Television Corporation: $2,100 for a stipend for teachers assisting in developing a comprehensive education plan.
Topia Arts Center: $28,394 for architectural drawings and cost estimates required for applying for funding from the Economic Development Fund, summer activities in the theater, and a strategic planning study.
Transportation Association of Northern Berkshire: $27,000 to add a van to the group’s school age youth/community van pool.
Youth Center Inc: $19,600 for its program for students at the Adams, Savoy and Cheshire elementary schools and Adams Memorial Middle School.
The William J. and Margery S. Barrett Fund for Adams Cheshire and Savoy is directed by a committee of local residents who review applications and award grants annually. The next deadline for grant applications is October 1, 2008.
Applications are available online at www.berkshiretaconic.org/grants-scholarships or by calling 413.528.8039.
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation builds stronger communities and improves the quality of life for all residents in the region it serves: Berkshire County, MA; Columbia County and northeast Dutchess County, NY; and northwest Litchfield County, CT. Founded in 1987, Berkshire Taconic currently has 500 funds and manages more than $83 million in assets. Each year, we distribute more than $7 million through grants and scholarships, helping thousands of donors achieve their philanthropic goal and hundreds of nonprofits carry on their good work.
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