Biz Briefs: McCann Tea Room Open for Business This Week
Time for tea: The McCann Tea Room will be opening on Tuesday, Oct. 3, serving from 10:45 a.m. to noon. The Tea Room is a fully functioning restaurant open to the public from twice a week for a few weeks each semester. Students enrolled in the school's Culinary Arts Program learn hands-on skills used to work in all levels of food service industries. Within the program there are multiple group and individual projects structured to ladder difficulty levels from freshmen to senior year. The culinary program is also incorporated with a business class in which seniors are taught employability and entrepreneurial skills related to everyday tasks encountered in the workshop areas.
Fall semester dates are as follows: Oct. 3 and 5, Oct. 17 and 19, Oct. 31 and Nov. 2, Nov 14 and 16, Nov 21 and 23, and Dec. 5 and 7. The menu can be found online.
Setting goals: The Berkshire United Way is seeking proposals to address its Economic Prosperity goals, including connecting residents to available work and advancing career opportunities through exposure to various employment opportunities. The Request for Proposal is now available online at for funding from Nov. 15, 2017, through June 30, 2020.
There are more than 17,000 individuals unemployed in Berkshire County, with only 2,700 of those collecting unemployment benefits with job placement support. An additional 26,000 were underemployed, not working 35 hours a week for 50 weeks a year. Job and income growth leads to a stronger local economy by increasing spending and the production of goods and services and stimulating economic activity. Social benefits to the community include reduced social costs related to crime, drugs, family disruption and strengthened security, education, and physical and mental well-being. Job creation further increases economic prosperity for all and promotes higher living standards.
Instructions for completing on-line eligibility as well as a complete list of eligibility requirements are included in the RFP. Among the latter – organizations must be financially stable, located in and primarily serving residents of Berkshire County, structured as a not-for-profit, governed by an active, locally based, volunteer board of directors, and deliver programs and outcomes that align with one or both of the strategies: Employment Match Maker (Family Sustaining Employment-Pathways) and/or Adult Work-Based Experiences (includes College Internships).
All applicants must confirm eligibility through Survey Monkey. After submitting the required eligibility documents by email, eligible applicants will receive email confirmation with instructions on completing the application and details on registering for the mandatory Bidder’s Conference. Applicants must attend a Bidder’s Conference on Oct. 3. All applications are due by midnight on Oct. 20. For technical assistance, email Julie Singley no later than noon on Oct. 6.
Bank on it: The North Adams branch of NBT Bank on State Road is holding a food drive for the entire month of October. For every one non-perishable item a customer brings in, that customer gets one chance to win a Thanksgiving Basket, which includes all the fixing for a Thanksgiving dinner and also a $10 gift card to Stop and Shop.
All donations will be brought to the local food bank in North Adams the first week of November.
It's a sale: The Outlet @ Pine Cone Hill, located at 125 Pecks Road in Pittsfield, will hold its annual Columbus Day Weekend Tent Sale from Friday, Oct. 6, through Monday, Oct. 9. The sale will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day and will fearture many items at steep discounts. Credit cards, cash, checks, and gift cards will be accepted as forms of payment. No other discounts apply during the sale. Clearance items are included. All sales are final; no returns or exchanges
