Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation

$125,000+ Now Available to Fund Emergency Aid for Berkshire Hilltown Residents

July 12, 2011

Sheffield, MA—Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation announced today that the Central Berkshire Fund has met and exceeded the Neighbor-to-Neighbor challenge grant. The Central Berkshire Fund announced a challenge grant of $100,000 to support the Neighbor-to-Neighbor program in central Berkshire County. The fund would match $5 for every $1 raised by the residents of Becket, Cummington, Dalton, Hinsdale, Peru, Washington and Windsor. Each town had to raise $1 per resident up to its population size with a minimum of 20 gifts per town. Every town met its match and there is now a total of $128,453 available to help residents of Dalton and the Hilltowns who need assistance this winter.

All of the donations are being dedicated to Berkshire Taconic’s Neighbor-to-Neighbor program for each specific town. 317 local residents gave to the Neighbor-to-Neighbor challenge, and gifts ranged from $1 to $4,000.

“We are thrilled with the level of support that the residents of the Hilltowns have shown this holiday season,” said Jennifer Dowley, president of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. “It is truly a testament to the strength of our community that even in these difficult times, people are willing to help their neighbors in need.”

The total amount raised by each town is:

Neighbor-to-Neighbor provides emergency assistance for local residents who are in economic distress. The program makes small grants (generally around $500) to help those with overdue utilities, medical bills, short-term housing costs, and transportation problems. Checks are written to the vendor (landlord, utility company, pharmacy or mechanic) on behalf of the community member in need. The funds are not intended for long-term or ongoing assistance, but for strategic intervention to help achieve a measure of stability and avert further crises. Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation has recently launched Neighbor-to-Neighbor throughout the tri-state Berkshire Taconic region, with programs in Berkshire County, MA; Columbia County and northeast Dutchess County, NY; and northwest Litchfield County, CT.

Neighbor-to-Neighbor is an expansion of Berkshire Taconic’s Emergency Relief Fund, which for more than 15 years worked with social service organizations and churches to help those in desperate need. Neighbor-to-Neighbor now gives everyone in our region the opportunity to offer help to their neighbors.

In Berkshire County Neighbor-to-Neighbor is partnering with Berkshire Community Action Council (BCAC), a countywide social service agency, to administer this program for the Central Berkshire Fund. Thanks to the generosity of the donors, the Berkshire Community Action Council now stands ready to help those in need: if you know someone who needs assistance please direct them to www.bcacinc.org or Berkshire Taconic's website. Or have them call 413.445.4503 extension 140.

About Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation and the Central Berkshire Fund The Central Berkshire Fund seeks to improve the quality of life for the residents of Becket, Cummington, Dalton, Hinsdale, Peru, Washington and Windsor. This Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation endowed fund makes grants annually to nonprofits serving the hilltowns. Grants have supported food pantries, enrichment programs for schools, community recreational trails and youth empowerment programs.

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation builds stronger communities and improves the quality of life for all residents of northwest Litchfield County, CT; Berkshire County, MA; and Columbia County and northeast Dutchess County, NY, acting as an agent for positive change in the region. Since 1987, Berkshire Taconic has managed a growing collection of charitable funds created by individuals, families and businesses. Each year, the foundation distributes over $7 million through grants and scholarships for programs in the arts and education, health and human services and environmental protection, helping thousands of donors achieve their philanthropic goals and hundreds of nonprofits carry on their good work. Berkshire Taconic is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity.

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