Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation

SABIC Innovative Plastics Donates $75k to Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation’s Berkshire County Education Enrichment Funds

February 9, 2011

SHEFFIELD, MA—Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation announced today at a press conference at Reid Middle School in Pittsfield, MA that SABIC Innovative Plastics has donated $75,000 to the foundation’s 13 Berkshire County Education Enrichment Funds. The gift was awarded based on SABIC Innovative Plastics’ charitable giving guidelines, which focus on enhancing science, technology, engineering, and math programs in the community. The allocation of the funds was determined by the size of each school district and the financial need of its students. The Adams-Cheshire Regional School District, Berkshire Hills Regional School District, Farmington River Regional School District, Central Berkshire Regional School District, Lanesborough Elementary Schools, Lee Public Schools, Lenox Public Schools, Mount Greylock Regional High School, North Adams Public Schools, Pittsfield Public Schools, Richmond Consolidated School, Southern Berkshire Regional School District, and Williamstown Elementary School will all benefit from the gift.

“The leadership of this major corporation to invest in our public school students is laudable,” said Jennifer Dowley, president of Berkshire Taconic. “The SABIC Innovative Plastics-supported grants will provide our students extraordinary learning opportunities. Local students are not just our future employees—they will become our employers and entrepreneurs. Their future is our future.”

Since 2002, Berkshire Taconic’s Berkshire County Educational Enrichment Funds have raised several million dollars for their endowments from foundations, businesses, and individuals, as well as fundraising events and bequests. Current value of the endowments is close to $3 million. During this time, the enrichment funds have granted over $1.3 million for programs not covered by school budgets. In 2010 alone, the funds combined awarded $89,900 for projects costing from $200 to $5,000. Teachers, students, community groups and nonprofit organizations annually submit grant applications to the individual funds. The education enrichment funds support a wide variety of projects in many fields of interest. Projects specific to science and math that have been supported in the past include transportation expenses for high school students to attend the MIT State Science Fair, the establishment of a robotics club at a middle school, and an innovative math program in which 4th graders studied the complex geometric principles that traditional Native American potters use to create their ceramics designs.

“SABIC Innovative Plastics is proud to continue our strong legacy of supporting the communities in which we operate. We are pleased to award this gift to Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation to help students and teachers ‘bring to life’ creative ideas in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math,” said Charlie Crew, president and CEO of SABIC Innovative Plastics. “We at SABIC Innovative Plastics believe in private industry and education collaborating to help develop local students for future roles in these critical areas of study which continue to grow in importance in today’s and tomorrow’s global economy.”

Jake Eberwein, Pittsfield Schools Superintendent said, “These grants have the potential to make a significant difference to the educational experience and ultimately the careers of our students and, on their behalf, we thank SABIC Innovative Plastics for their generous donation.”

For more information or to donate to any of Berkshire Taconic’s education enrichment funds visit Berkshire Taconic's website or call 413.229.0370.

SABIC Innovative Plastics is a leading, global supplier of engineering thermoplastics with operations in more than 35 countries and approximately 9,000 employees worldwide. The company’s global headquarters is based in Pittsfield, MA.

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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