Great Barrington Opens ARPA Applications to Local Nonprofits

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Great Barrington has opened an application form process for local nonprofits seeking grants from American Rescue Plan Act funds received by the town.

The town received $2,075,908 in ARPA funds to mitigate the economic impacts of COVID-19 on households in Great Barrington. In April, the town earmarked $850,000 to organizations supporting housing-related assistance. 

The town will now distribute another portion of the ARPA funds to Great Barrington-based nonprofits serving low- and moderate-income households, households that experienced unemployment, and households that experienced food or housing insecurity.

"The impacts of COVID-19 are still with us and will stay with us for some time, so we hope these ARPA funds will help our local nonprofits in their work caring for our community's residents," said Town Manager Mark Pruhenski.

Eligible nonprofits are those providing housing and housing assistance (including rent, mortgage and utility assistance), food/food assistance, health care, transportation-related assistance, and employment and job training assistance.

The application form can be downloaded here or from the Town Manager’s page of the town website, www.townofgb.org. Proposals are due Sept. 30 by 4 p.m. via email. Funding awards will be made by the town manager in accordance with ARPA priorities approved by the Selectboard.

Recipient organizations will be required to sign a grant agreement with the town, file quarterly program updates with the town, and collect any required demographic or other data that may be required by the U.S. Treasury in order to document use of ARPA funds and ensure compliance with federal requirements.

ARPA grant funds are eligible for expenses incurred between July 1, 2022 and Dec. 31, 2024. All funds incurred by that deadline must be expended by Dec. 31, 2026.


Tags: ARPA,   nonprofits,   

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Fairview Lab Draw Station Moves to New Location

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) has announced that the Laboratory blood draw station at Fairview Hospital, called the Laboratory Patient Service Center (PSC), has been moved to the ground floor of the hospital.
 
The relocation to the former medical records space puts the PSC closer to the main entrance of the hospital.
 
The new area is designed to enhance patient privacy and patient comfort, according to Kathy Lavinio, outreach manager for Laboratory Services at BHS. 
 
"Located in the area that was previously Medical Records, patients no longer navigate an elevator and wait in the hallway for service. Now patients arrive at a waiting area that is spacious and light and receive care in one of two private bays," said Lavinio.
 
The project took over a year to complete, from planning and relocation of medical records to design and renovation, in compliance with regulatory standards. The PSC opened on April 29, 2024, ahead of schedule, thanks to teamwork and collaboration of the project leaders, noted Lavinio.
 
Mark Robert, administrative director of the BHS Laboratories, which oversees seven PSC's throughout Berkshire County, said, "This renovation and relocation is part of Berkshire Health Systems integrated care model, providing outstanding PSC standards at all of our locations across the system."
 
Patient response to the relocation has been very positive, with patients citing easier access for their blood draws.
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