Pittsfield Adult Learning Center Appoints Director

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Paul Gage
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Paul Gage has been appointed director of the Pittsfield Adult Learning Center.
 
Gage applied for the position as an opportunity to use his nonprofit management and educational experience to help a rapidly expanding and diverse population gain basic literacy skills.
 
A graduate of University of Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting, he worked for several years as a financial analyst for an insurance company. 
 
"It was a great experience but after a few years, I realized that my heart was in public service," Gage said. As a result, he started taking teacher licensure courses at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts while completing a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies.
 
Gage began his educational career as a special education teacher with Hillcrest Education Centers, followed by a permanent substitute teacher position at Hoosac Valley High School, and later, as a social studies teacher at Wahconah Regional High School.
 
Gage also earned a Masters of Public Administration in Non-Profit Management Westfield State University in 2008.
 
His skills were put to the test as executive director of the Louison House, a family life support center for the homeless of northern Berkshire County. 
 
"Working with homeless individuals and families, especially children, to help them achieve even a small degree of normalcy was a humbling and valuable experience during the 4 1/2 years I was at Louison House," Gage said.
 
The center is located at 141 North St. For more info, call 413-499-9530 or click here.
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Pittsfield Affordable Housing Initiatives Shine Light, Hope

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

Housing Secretary Edward Augustus cuts the ribbon at The First on Thursday with housing officials and Mayor Peter Marchetti, state Sen. Paul Mark and state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The holidays are here and several community members are celebrating it with the opening of two affordable housing initiatives. 
 
"This is a day to celebrate," Hearthway CEO Eileen Peltier said during the ribbon-cutting on Thursday. 
 
The celebration was for nearly 40 supportive permanent housing units; nine at "The First" located within the Zion Lutheran Church, and 28 on West Housatonic Street. A ceremony was held in the new Housing Resource Center on First Street, which was funded by the American Rescue Plan Act. 
 
The apartments will be leased out by Hearthway, with ServiceNet as a partner. 
 
Prior to the ribbon-cutting, public officials and community resource personnel were able to tour the two new permanent supported housing projects — West Housatonic Apartments and The First Street Apartments and Housing Resource Center
 
The First Street location has nine studio apartments that are about 300 square feet and has a large community center. The West Housatonic Street location will have 28 studio units that range between 300 to 350 square feet. All units can be adapted to be ADA accessible. 
 
The West Housatonic location is still under construction with the hope to have it completed by the middle of January, said Chris Wilett, Hearthway development associate.
 
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