Soldier On Breaks Ground for Veterans Village

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
10:59PM / Thursday, October 29, 2009Print Story | Email Story

John 'Jack' Downing, right, of Soldier On receives a standing ovation for his work. Below, the project was named for former VA Deputy Secretary Gordon Mansfield.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — It was an emotional moment on Thursday as some 200 veterans, residents and civic leaders gathered under sunny skies to ceremonially break ground on the first-in-the-nation "village" for homeless veterans.

The setting was the parking lot of the Pittsfield Plaza on West Housatonic Street, yards away from the former Optimum Care Center that will be transformed into a unique 39-unit affordable housing complex for former servicemen and -women. The village is being constructed by the nonprofit group Soldier On and named for Gordon H. Mansfield, a highly decorated veteran and Pittsfield native who aided the group's efforts as deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

"Gordon Mansfield has become the source and the passion that I bring to my work every day," said Soldier On President John "Jack" Downing, his voice occasionally breaking as he told of how the now retired Mansfield became the group's friend and advocate after Downing "kicked the snot" out of the VA at a congressional hearing. "I have stood on his shoulders every day since. ... He hooked me up and never once told us to apologize and never once told us to temper our passion."

That passion brought together local, state and federal agencies, other nonprofits, local banks and the community to develop the first-ever limited equity housing project for veterans.

"Formerly homeless veterans will realize the American dream of home ownership with this Veterans Village," said Mansfield. "This concept the end of the story for homeless veterans."

The first Soldier On Award, a bronze sculpture by Andrew DeVries, was awarded to Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mullen was unable to attend the groundbreaking but was expected to make a tribute dinner in Holyoke.

The $6 million project will give formerly homeless veterans who would have difficulty taking out traditional mortgages the chance to purchase equity shares in the property. The value of their shares will be held in trust and become part of their estates; if they decide to move out, they'll get their money back.

Soldier On has been working with homeless veterans for 15 years through its 120-bed shelter for men at Northampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center and 12-bed home for women in Leeds and the transitional housing facility on the Pittsfield property where the new village will be built.

Both will include "universal" design making them accessible for disabled and elderly (allowing veterans to "age in place") and include green technology with the use of photovoltaic cells to generate electricity. Funding was made available through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston in partnership with Berkshire Bank.

Once homeless veterans who have progressed through Soldier On's shelters and transitional living facility will be eligible for the village, where they will continue to have access to the services they need. The complex will managed by the veterans as well.

Downing said the veterans don't like asking for help. "They need to be surrounded by people who were willing to accept them the way they were, share their brokenness and then help them make them decisions that might led them to sobriety, sanity and integrity."

Veterans Affairs can provide a host of services, said Mansfield, but "Soldier On is here to fill in the gaps and help those who have served reclaim their lives and their place in the community. ... This will be a community, a permanent home for veterans."

The reality that government "cannot and should not be expected to do it all" was stressed by other speakers such as Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray, who lauded the collaboration on all levels to create innovative ways to attack homelessness.

Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray, chairman of a reinvigorated governor's council on homelessness, lauded Downing and Soldier On.

"We say that all the time at the agency ... you cannot do it alone, it takes partnership, it takes collaboration," said Peter Dougherty, director of homeless programs for the VA. "The only numbers you need to know is the number of homeless veterans is going down, and the number of resources are going up Our goal is to eliminate homelessness amoung veterans, not to manage it, but to eliminate it."

Fred Karnas, senior adviser of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, reiterated that pledge, saying it came directly from the White House: "The only number the president care about is zero homeless veterans, zero homeless veterans. He's made that very clear."

"Shelters are important to get people off the street but this project is the dream," he continued. "I don't know any projects like this anywhere. ... Pittsfield should be extremely proud about how they've accepted the folks here. This is an exciting project, it's a project you want to do over and over again."

That may soon come true. A second village is being planned for Leeds and Soldier On is eyeing the old police academy in Agawam. The Pittsfield complex is being touted as a national model not only for aiding veterans struggling to reintegrate back into their communities and lead healthy lives, but also as a model for future sustainability.

An artist's rendition of one of the housing units that will be available next summer. For more photos, click here.

"We have the challenge now to make sure that as a whole new new generation returns home we are equal to the task," said Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray. "Soldier On has been an incredible partner in that regard."

Speakers at the event included Downing's nephew state Sen. Benjamin B. Downing as emcee, Mayor James Ruberto, General Dynamics General Manager Michael Kent-Tweed, Robinson Donovan PC managing partner Jeffrey L. McCormick, whose firm has been heavily involved in Soldier On and Federal Home Loan Bank Vice President Joanne M. Sullivan. The color guard, traffic control, stage and speakers were provided by the Berkshire County sheriff's office and the U.S. Navy Band played. Opening and closings prayers were by the Rev. Will Durant and Pastor James Gregory, respectively; Michael LaFleur of Soldier On leade the pledge of Allegiance.

Top photo includes the Rev. Will Durant, Mayor James Ruberto, Gordon Mansfield, Michael Kent-Tweed, Jeffrey L. McCormick, Fred Karnas, Peter H. Dougherty, Joanne M. Sullivan, Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, Willie Ledbetter of Soldier On and Jack Downing.

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PHS Community Challenges FY27 Budget Cuts

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:31AM / Tuesday, March 31, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The School Committee received an early look Wednesday at the proposed fiscal year 2027 facility budgets, and the Pittsfield High community argued that $653,000 would be too much of a burden for the school to bear.

On Wednesday, during a meeting that adjourned past 10 p.m., school officials saw a more detailed overview of the spending proposal for Pittsfield's 14 schools and administration building.

They accepted the presentation, recognizing that this is just the beginning of the budget process, as the decision on whether to close Morningside Community School still looms. The FY27 budget calendar plans the School Committee's vote in mid-April.

Under this plan, Pittsfield High School, with a proposed FY27 budget of around $8.1 million, would see a reduction of seven teachers (plus one teacher of deportment) and an assistant principal of teaching and learning, and a guidance counselor repurposed across the district.

The administration said that after "right-sizing" the classrooms, there were initially 14 teacher reductions proposed for PHS.

"While I truly appreciate the intentionality that has gone into developing the equity-based budget model, I am incredibly concerned that the things that make our PHS community strong are the very things now at risk," PHS teacher Kristen Negrini said. "Because when our school is facing a reduction of $653,000, 16 percent of total reductions, that impact is not just a number on a spreadsheet. It is the experience of our students."

She said cuts to the high school budget is more than half of the districtwide $1.1 million in proposed instructional cuts.

Student representative Elizabeth Klepetar said the "Home Under the Dome" is a family and community. There is reportedly anxiety in the student body about losing their favorite teacher or activities, and Klepetar believes the cuts would be "catastrophic," from what she has seen.

"Keep us in mind. Use student and faculty voice. Come to PHS and see what our everyday life looks like. If you spend time at PHS, you would see our teamwork and adaptability to our already vulnerable school," she said.

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