Director Alisa Costa highlights some of the successes the organization had in the last three years.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Working Cities is in its final year of funding and believes it has made an impact.
The organization threw its annual barbecue on Wednesday that Initiative Director Alisa Costa said is a chance to not only share what the organization has been doing but also to get additional feedback. The organization put out sheets asking about the challenges and successes in the neighborhood.
"When we started this work, residents reported feeling isolated and not welcome in many spaces in Pittsfield. You told us where you struggle and what you need. And we've been working together for three years toward a long-term, 10-yearr goal. Building a just, thriving, and safe city for everyone," Costa told the crowd.
She asked, "what have we accomplished together?" And then she answered
"We have seven community navigators on the ground in our neighborhoods working to connect their neighbors to opportunities. Whether that is a program, a job, food, or shelter, this team is connecting people to what they need," Costa said.
The navigators completed more than 500 hours of work in the community, helping connect people with the resources they need. The organization has provided 250 people with Bridges Out of Poverty training. It graduated 90 people from the Getting Ahead program. And it has hosted 20 community meetings reaching some 317 residents and where ideas on to how to help the community were pitched.
Of those, a bus program from Pittsfield to Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival was created to help low-income residents enjoy the arts and culture. A police outreach post opened in the same building as Working Cities and Habitat for Humanity on Columbus Avenue. Rose and Cole Co-op Transport was created to provide low-cost transportation options. And the Tyler Street Lab opened. Costa said the organization got involved in all of those partnerships because of the responses from the community.
The initiative began three years ago with funding through the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Berkshire United Way, Berkshire Bank, Greylock Federal Credit Union, and 1Berkshire. The focus of the group is to help low-income residents overcome "structural barriers such as inadequate access to education, transportation, jobs, and opportunities."
The group was funded for three years but Costa said the work is not done. She will be looking for funding to continue on into the future.
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Flushing of Pittsfield's Water System to Begin
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city of Pittsfield's Department of Public Utilities announces that phase 1 of the flushing of the city's water system will begin Monday, April 22.
Water mains throughout the city will be flushed, through hydrants, over the upcoming weeks to remove accumulations of pipeline corrosion products. Mains will be flushed Monday through Friday each week, except holidays, between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.
The upcoming flushing for April 22 to May 3 is expected to affect the following areas:
Starting at the town line on Dalton Avenue working west through Coltsville including lower Crane Avenue, Meadowview neighborhood, following Cheshire Road north.
Hubbard Avenue and Downing Parkway.
Starting at the town line on East Street working west through the McIntosh and Parkside neighborhoods.
Elm Street neighborhoods west to the intersection of East Street.
Starting at the town line on Williams Street, working west including Mountain Drive,
Ann Drive, East New Lenox Road, and Holmes Road neighborhoods.
Although flushing may cause localized discolored water and reduced service pressure conditions in and around the immediate area of flushing, appropriate measures will be taken to ensure that proper levels of treatment and disinfections are maintained in the system at all times. If residents experience discolored water, they should let the water run for a short period to clear it prior to use.
If discolored water or low-pressure conditions persist, please contact the Water Department at (413) 499-9339.
Flushing is an important operating procedure that contributes significantly to the maintenance of the water quality in the water distribution system.
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