Lee Bank Foundation Awards $48,600 in Grant Funding

LEE, Mass. — Lee Bank Foundation has awarded $48,600 to sixteen Berkshire area organizations for their third-round of 2022 community funding.

Recipients were awarded grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,600 to support their local programming. Included in the awards are a series of Arts Access Grants for arts and culture organizations to expand access to programming for underserved audiences and Food Security Grants for organizations with a program focused on providing food to community members in need.

The following organizations received funding from Lee Bank Foundation:

• Berkshire Innovation Center
• Berkshire Regional Planning Commission
• Center for Peace Through Culture
• Chabad of the Berkshires
• CDCSB
• Dalton CRA
• E for All
• Good Work Institute (Alliance for a Viable Future)
• Housatonic Heritage (The Mastheads)
• Lee Historical Society
• Life Needs Co-Op (Stanton Home)
• Second Street Second Chances
• The Christian Center
• The People’s Pantry
• Volunteers in Medicine
• WAM Theatre

The deadline for the next round of 2022 Foundation funding is December 1st. The application and more information can be found on the Community Impact section of Lee Bank's website (https://www.leebank.com/community-impact/donations-sponsorships.html)

To be considered for grant awards, applicants must be a (501)(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Foundation is focused on funding programs that work to bridge income and opportunity gaps in our region. Funding requests should reflect one or more of Lee Bank Foundation’s primary focus areas:

• Education and literacy
• Food security and nutrition
• Economic growth and development
• Health and human services
• Mentorship, internship and “school to work” initiatives
• Arts and culture

Applicants are only eligible for funding once in a 12-month period.

Lee Bank Foundation was established in 2021 to support Lee Bank’s long-standing mission of community reinvestment. In its first year, 2021, the Foundation awarded a total of $228,610 in grants and the Bank contributed an additional $84,000 in sponsorships.

Nonprofit Center Recognizes Community Leaders and Volunteers

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:38AM / Wednesday, May 22, 2024

More than 200 people attended the award ceremony at Kripalu. Some 62 nominations were submitted in seven categories. See more photos here.

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — More than 200 people gathered at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health on Tuesday morning to recognize individuals who better the community through non-profit organizations.

 

Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires honored seven individuals who have gone above and beyond in their work: Jess Vecchia, Kate Barton, Jude Wesselman, Noelia Salinetti, Brenda Petell, Karen Richards, and Chris Melski. 

 

For the second year in a row, Kids 4 Harmony performed during the the ceremony. The chamber players, who are the most advanced students in the program, performed two pieces of which one was composed by a student. 

 

A panel of 21 judges from schools, businesses, and nonprofits combed through 62 nominations for the annual awards. They were solicited in seven categories: Executive Leadership, Board Leadership, Volunteer, Samya Rose Stumo Youth Leadership, Rock Star, Unsung Hero, and Lifetime Achievement. 

 

The morning was described as the "Oscars for the Nonprofits." During the ceremony, NPC founder Liana Toscanini and state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier helped distribute the awards, House and Senate citations, and front newspaper pages made by NPC partner The Berkshire Eagle.  

 

Also recognized was longtime state Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli, who is leaving his seat after 11 terms. 

 

Although unable to attend the ceremony, Attorney General Andrea Campbell thanked the award recipients for the work they do in a video clip.