Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation

$200,000 Gift for the Arts and Humanities in the Hudson City School District

November 23, 2009

Great Barrington, MA—Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation announces the establishment of the Hudson City School District Arts and Humanities Fund. An anonymous donor has made a gift of $200,000 to launch the fund, $100,000 of which is a challenge to the community to match the gift for a permanent endowment by 2014. The gift also includes $20,000 per year for five years for immediate grantmaking. The purpose of the Arts and Humanities Fund is to enhance and enrich the educational experience of students and teachers in the Hudson City School District through access to programs in the arts and humanities that emphasize excellence, innovation and creativity.

“We are thrilled to be able to introduce Hudson students to new programs that will expand their creativity and cultivate their critical thinking skills,” stated Jack Howe, superintendent of the Hudson City School District. “This will make a positive difference in ways we can only imagine right now. We remain grateful and fortunate to be able to partner with Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation on the Hudson Arts and Humanities program.”

Grants will be made to projects that are outside of the school curriculum and not covered by tax dollars. Projects funded might include professional artists-in-residence, readings by poets or other creative writers, field trips to museums, historic sites or performances, teacher training in the arts or humanities, or commissions for artists or professionals in the humanities to engage in projects with the students and school community. For the first five years of the fund, programs will focus on students in the 2nd, 6th, 8th and 11th grades. The enrichment activities will be designed to enhance students’ capacity to achieve excellence both in school and in the community, as well as to cultivate citizens of good character and enhance communications skills among, and mutual respect for, fellow students.

Hudson City School District Arts and Humanities Fund is one of Berkshire Taconic’s 25 Education Enrichment funds. Over the past seven years, Berkshire Taconic has worked closely with an extraordinary anonymous donor and the school districts of Chatham, Germantown, Kinderhook, New Lebanon, Taconic Hills and now Hudson to create this web of support for creative programs not funded by tax dollars. With this $200,000 gift to the Hudson City School District, all six Columbia County public school districts now have permanent endowments (totaling $726,058) to support arts and humanities for local students in perpetuity.

“This means that, despite school budget cutbacks, our students in Columbia County have the means to visit museums, attend theater and dance performances, produce student newspapers, take photography workshops, play musical instruments and more,” said Jennifer Dowley, president of Berkshire Taconic. “A whole world of learning opportunities is open to them. The education made possible by these enrichment funds will have an impact for generations.”

To help the school district meet its matching grant challenge, please send contributions to Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation (271 Main Street, Suite 3, Great Barrington, MA 01230-1972) earmarked for the Hudson City School District Arts and Humanities Fund or donate online.

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 2008 Berkshire Taconic distributed nearly $9 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.

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