Baroco Donates $500 to BCAC's Giving Tree
 Janie McCormick of BCAC receives a check from Karen Wright and Jennifer Bisbee of Baroco. |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — BCAC's Giving Tree program will help 25 more local children this Christmas with a $500 donation.
Baroco, which provides day programs for adults with developmental disabilities, donated proceeds from one its fundraisers.
"This donation comes from our annual craft fair," said Baroco Clinical Coordinator Karen Wright.
Berkshire Community Action Council's Giving Tree program connects donors with the names of children whose families are struggling financially. The donors then shop for warm clothing and gifts for those families.
BCAC already provides transportation for many of Baroco's clients and when the company's craft fair raised more money than before, it was decided to give back to BCAC. In previous years, the craft fair money had gone to various charities — including sponsoring a family through the Department of Social Services.
With the success, they are supporting BCAC's program and hoping to raise more funds in future years and build a closer partnership with programming — such as a revamped volunteer program the company is launching. The fair has been growing under Program Director Jose Larios.
According to Janie McCormick, of BCAC, the donation will support 25 of the remaining children on the list. Overall, 1,100 names were collected this year and the organization has found donors for about 800. There remains just short of 300 names on the list as of Friday but she expect all of the children will receive presents — partly because of gift's like Baroco.
"About $1,200 in donations have come through," McCormick said, excluding Barocos.
Next week, Nuclea is expected to shop for about 100 of the remaining names and any left the following week will be shopped for by the nonprofit organization.
"The community and businesses have been wonderful," McCormick said.
But, McCormick said despite those donations, there is still a need for residents to sponsor some children. Volunteers are also welcome at the Giving Tree table at the Berkshire Mall.
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