NAMIBC Kicks Off Mental Health Awareness Month

PITTSFIELD, Mass. In honor of May's Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM), the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Berkshire County (NAMIBC) and advocates across the country, are raising awareness of mental illness and supporting individuals in their mental health journey.

This year, NAMI Berkshire County is helping emphasize the importance of normalizing mental health care by hosting a fundraising and awareness event: NAMIWalks Berkshire County at 5pm on May 3 in collaboration with First Fridays at Five.  

"It is essential to foster an open and safe environment for sharing stories, and during Mental Health Awareness Month, we are calling on mental health advocates across the country to come together and address the stigma around mental health by providing testimonies and offering support," explains Melissa Helm, Executive Director of NAMI Berkshire County. "NAMIWalks Berkshire County encourages everyone to prioritize and talk about their mental well-being without feeling guilty or ashamed; because mental health affects each and every one of us." 

The non-profit encourages all Berkshire County residents to register for NAMIWalks Berkshire County online at namiwalks.org/berkshirecounty. The event is free to attend, however, anyone who raises over $100 in support of the nonprofit's mission to provide free mental health support, education and advocacy to anyone in the Berkshires, will receive an official 2024 NAMIWalks t-shirt. 

"It takes a village to ensure the continued success of our mission, and we're grateful to have one of the best here in the Berkshires. Thank you to Downtown Pittsfield Inc. and First Fridays at Five for partnering with us to make this event possible; and thank you to our event sponsors: Center for Motivation and Change Berkshires, Berkshire Health Systems, The Brien Center, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Lenco Armored Vehicles, Brown and Brown Insurance, Mountain One, Miraval Berkshires, Massachusetts Behavioral Health Helpline, Teton Management and Cintas,' Helm continues.  

Check-in for NAMIWalks Berkshire County will begin at 5pm with the opening ceremony taking place on the First Fridays at Five main stage at 6pm with the walk directly following. Participants will walk from the main stage at Park Square up North Street towards the hospital, around Berkshire Medical Center, and back down North Street to the Main Stage. 

NAMI Berkshire County is pleased to offer additional Mental Health Awareness Month events throughout May:

• Thursday, May 2: Live rendition of Every Brilliant Thing at Miraval Berkshires at 7pm. Tickets on sale at namibc.org/EBT.

• Friday, May 3: NAMI Walks Berkshire County at First Fridays at Five, namiwalks.org/berkshirecounty.

• Friday, May 3: Live rendition of Every Brilliant Thing at Hotel on North at 7pm. Tickets on sale at namibc.org/EBT.

• Wednesday, May 15: Benefit Bingo at Hot Plate in Pittsfield.

• Tuesday, May 21: Dine to Donate at the Locker Room in Lee.

The non-profit also highlights upcoming MHAM events being held by their community partners, such as:

• May 11: Love of T Foundation's May-nia Comedy Show at Dorothy's.

• May 26: The Brien Center's Community Conversations at Lenox Library. 

For more information on Mental Health Awareness Month and to download materials like social media content and graphics, visit nami.org/MentalHealthMonth.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Berkshire County is a local affiliate of the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness. NAMI BC offers information about mental illness conditions, symptoms and treatment at www.namibc.org or through the NAMI HelpLine at 800-950-NAMI (6264).

Learn more and get involved: namibc.org and @namiberkshire on Instagram. 

ServiceNet Cuts Ribbon on Vocational Farm to 'Sow Seeds of Hope'

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
06:30AM / Saturday, May 18, 2024

Lori Carnute plants flowers at the farm and enjoys seeing her friends. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Smiles were all around as farmers, human service workers, and officials cut the ribbon Friday on ServiceNet's new vocational farm on Crane Avenue.

Whether it is planting flowers or growing fresh produce, the program is for "sowing seeds of hope" for those with developmental disabilities.

"What Prospect Meadow Farm is about is changing lives," Vice President of Vocational Services Shawn Robinson said.

"Giving people something meaningful to do, a community to belong to, a place to go every day and to make a paycheck, and again, I am seeing that every day from our first 17 farmhands the smiles on their faces. They're glad to be here. They're glad to be making money."

Prospect Meadow Farm Berkshires held a launch event on Friday with tours, music, snacks, and a ribbon cutting in front of its tomato greenhouse. The nonprofit human service agency closed on the former Jodi's Seasonal on Crane Avenue earlier this year.  

It is an expansion of ServiceNet's first farm in Hatfield that has provided meaningful agricultural work, fair wages, and personal and professional growth to hundreds of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities since opening in 2011.

Eventually, the farm will employ 50 individuals with developmental disabilities year-round and another 20 to 25 local folks supporting their work.

The pay is a great aspect for Billy Baker, who is learning valuable skills for future employment doing various tasks around the farm. He has known some of the ServiceNet community for over a decade.

"I just go wherever they need me to help," he said. "I'm more of a hands-on person."