Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Awards $2.1 Million in Summer Grants Cycle

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SHEFFIELD, Mass.—The board of directors of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation has announced the recipients of the second round of grantmaking for 2015.

The foundation distributed a total of $266,234 in grants to individuals and nonprofits and $445,444 in scholarships to high school, college and graduate school students in the four-county region it serves. Grants from donors with charitable funds at the foundation totaled $1.4 million.

In Berkshire County, the foundation awarded grants from the Fund for Williamstown and the James and Robert Hardman Fund, two of Berkshire Taconic’s 11 area funds serving specific towns or regions; the New World Fund for newly arrived immigrants; and five education enrichment funds for area schools. In addition, a total of $257,175 in previously announced scholarships was awarded to graduating seniors and current college students.

Education and Enrichment: Grants to regional schools, school districts and students in Berkshire County through education enrichment funds totaled $62,332. Forty-nine individual projects in five districts received funding from Eagle & Janet's Fund for the Southern Berkshire Regional School District; the Lenox Education Enrichment Foundation; the Richmond Education Enrichment Fund; Seven Towns' Education Partnership Fund for the Central Berkshire Regional School District; and the Williamstown Elementary School Endowment Fund.


Select grant recipients include: Mount Everett Regional School’s and Undermountain Elementary’s robotics programs; nutrition programs at Lenox’s Morris Elementary; programming partnerships between Flying Deer Nature Center and Richmond Consolidated School; two books programs at the Central Berkshire district; and nature, art and fitness programs at Williamstown Elementary.

Health and Human Services: Nonprofits providing social and human services across the county received a total of $57,220 in grants. In Williamstown, recipients include Village Ambulance Service, for CPR workshops, and the Williamstown Youth Center, for summer camp swimming lessons. Thirteen nonprofits in Adams and North Adams were awarded grants, including United Cerebral Palsy; Goodwill Industries, for the “Dress for Success” program; and Hoosac Harvest, for subsidized CSA shares. Berkshire Immigrant Center in Pittsfield and Volunteers in Medicine in Great Barrington also received grants.

Arts and Culture: The Fund for Williamstown made a $2,000 grant to support the new tourism website Destination Williamstown.

A full list of regional grants can be found at www.berkshiretaconic.org/summergrants and a full list of regional scholarship recipients can be found at www.berkshiretaconic.org/2015scholarships.

 


Tags: Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation,   nonprofits,   

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MassDOT Project Will Affect Traffic Near BMC

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Prepare for traffic impacts around Berkshire Medical Center through May for a state Department of Transportation project to improve situations and intersections on North Street and First Street.

Because of this, traffic will be reduced to one lane of travel on First Street (U.S. Route 7) and North Street between Burbank Street and Abbott Street from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday through at least May 6.

BMC and Medical Arts Complex parking areas remain open and detours may be in place at certain times. The city will provide additional updates on changes to traffic patterns in the area as construction progresses.

The project has been a few years in the making, with a public hearing dating back to 2021. It aims to increase safety for all modes of transportation and improve intersection operation.

It consists of intersection widening and signalization improvements at First and Tyler streets, the conversion of North Street between Tyler and Stoddard Avenue to serve one-way southbound traffic only, intersection improvements at Charles Street and North Street, intersection improvements at Springside Avenue and North Street, and the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of First Street, North Street, Stoddard Avenue, and the Berkshire Medical Center entrance.

Work also includes the construction of 5-foot bike lanes and 5-foot sidewalks with ADA-compliant curb ramps.  

Last year, the City Council approved multiple orders for the state project: five orders of takings for intersection and signal improvements at First Street and North Street. 

The total amount identified for permanent and temporary takings is $397,200, with $200,000 allocated by the council and the additional monies coming from carryover Chapter 90 funding. The state Transportation Improvement Plan is paying for the project and the city is responsible for 20 percent of the design cost and rights-of-way takings.

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