Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Opens New Office
SHEFFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation celebrated the opening of its new office building at 800 N. Main St. on Friday, Aug. 6, with an open house attended by donors, advisors, fund holders and grantees.“At Berkshire Taconic, we rarely host our own events, but rather, support events that community groups host for funds under our stewardship,” said Jennifer Dowley, president of the foundation.
“But we felt this was an occasion that calls for us to gather together. We welcome you to our new home so that you are comfortable and familiar with your home base for doing good in the region and we celebrate your dedication to our community. Together we’ve made a difference over the past 23 years and we at Berkshire Taconic look forward with renewed fervor to doing good with you in the years to come.”
Berkshire Taconic purchased the 5,000 square-foot property from Landmark Volunteers, Inc. late last year. “With interest rates as low as they are, it’s a great time to buy a home and this move affords the foundation the opportunity to reduce its occupancy costs,” stated Virginia Smith, chair of the foundation’s board of directors. “From this beautiful and stable home, Berkshire Taconic will continue to grow and serve our community. The foundation’s 500 funds cover 2,000 square miles and a quarter of a million people and there is so much more work to do.”
Berkshire Taconic’s new headquarters were built in the 1950s and operated as Sheffield Motors by George and Sabina Ulrich. It was a Nash Rambler American Motors dealership, repair shop and gas station. In 1977, a surveyor bought the building and housed his office there, as well as leased space to several enterprises for the next 20 years, among them a pizza parlor and a hair salon. Finally in 1998, it was purchased, renovated and expanded as office space for Landmark Volunteers.
The foundation is making its two conference rooms available to nonprofit organizations at no cost to use for meetings. One room seats six and the other seats 20. In addition, the Nonprofit Resource Center is open to anyone in the community who wishes to do grant fundraising research by accessing Berkshire Taconic’s subscription to the Foundation Center’s database. To reserve a space, contact Pat Salvi at 413-229-0370.
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation builds stronger communities and improves the quality of life for all residents of Berkshire County; Columbia County and northeast Dutchess County, N.Y.; and northwest Litchfield County, Conn. Berkshire Taconic connects donors with causes they care about by administering and investing their charitable funds. Thanks to its generous donors, in 2009 Berkshire Taconic distributed nearly $7 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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