PCTV: Healthy Eating Matters

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield Community Television (PCTV) has partnered with Berkshire Health System's Operation Better Start and the BHS Berkshire North WIC program to produce a community service television episode of Healthy Eating Matters. 
 
Healthy Eating Matters harnesses the services of Berkshire Health System's Operation Better Start, a pediatric and family nutrition program, with Berkshire North WIC, and Pittsfield Community Television to meet the needs of mothers and infants.  Funded by a grant from Health New England, the Healthy Eating Matters show presents two segments designed to assist WIC families as they shop and prepare meals with WIC-eligible foods. 
 
In the shopping segment, the WIC community coordinator accompanies a current WIC client through the supermarket highlighting healthy foods and how to shop using the Massachusetts WIC app on a smartphone.  In the cooking session, a registered dietitian from Operation Better Start hosts the WIC staff and client as they prepare several quick and healthy breakfast foods using WIC-eligible foods. 
 
PCTV provided their kitchen studio, professional television equipment and expert staff members for pre-production, recording and post-production.  The Healthy Eating Matters show will be broadcast on PCTV and available on demand. Healthy Eating Matters will be posted on the Berkshire Health System's Operation Better Start and WIC websites.

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ServiceNet Hopes to Open Pittsfield Warming Center in Nov.

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— A warming center is again planned in the First United Methodist Church for the cold months. 

During last week's Homelessness Advisory Committee meeting, Erin Forbush, director of shelter and housing at ServiceNet, reported that they hope to begin operating the nighttime center in mid-November. 

It would operate from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. in the church, which abuts The Pearl shelter. Forbush said the warming center would be the same program as in the past. 

"Again it's a warming center, so there's no cots or beds, but it is certainly a place to come in, and we'll have a hot coffee or cocoa ready for folks," she explained. 

"It will be a place to be inside and warm."

This year, ServiceNet hopes to secure full funding from the state so the warming center can open on Sundays at 5 p.m. In years past, they found that Sunday is the most challenging day for unhoused individuals because many community spaces aren't open. 

The First Housing Resource Center, managed by Hearthway, opened earlier this year as a low-barrier option for people to rest and access amenities. It is open seven days a week, and Forbush said if people could come to the warming center on Sundays at 5, there would be a fuller day of coverage. 

"It does still leave a little gap for Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, as spaces like the library close at five, but we know that Sundays were something that people were looking for," she said. 

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