Food Services Continue to Adjust; Fundraiser Set for Williamstown Pantry

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Al Nelson Friendship Center Food Pantry will continue to operate during the COVID-19 emergency, officials announced Thursday, a day after changing its pickup procedures for the first time as a result of the pandemic.

"We as a group are committed, in the time-honored fashion of North Adams and Northern Berkshire pulling together, to do our part to take care of each other," Mark Rondeau, co-founder and board president, said in a statement. "We have hope that after this crisis much better days are coming. Stay tuned."

The next pickup is Wednesday, March 25, from the center's 45 Eagle Street location. Social distancing procedures will be followed strictly. Updates will be posted to the group's website and Facebook page. 

In addition, the Berkshire Food Project — which typically serves lunch every day from the First Congregational Church on Main Street — is altering its procedures and will serve pre-packed meals on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Staff is prepping meals and packaging them for distribution, two meals at a time since they will not be there on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Friday's meal will consist of pasta with roasted vegetables, mac and cheese with a side of mixed vegetables, and ham on the side.

No seating will be allowed inside the church.

"The meals will be handed out at the breezeway entrance," the group's Facebook post reads. "Please do not go to the kitchen door — the meals at the breezeway will be accessible without stairs."

Updates will be posted on the organization's Facebook page.

"We have a conference call of board members and staff on Sunday afternoon to assess next week," Executive Director Kim McMann said Thursday. "We are taking it week by week. … Everything is changing so much so quickly."

And in an effort to bolster the stock of necessities available at the Williamstown Food Pantry, a "Drive for Change" will take place in a drive-through lane at the Williamstown Youth Center, 66 School St., on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, March 21-23, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Drivers will deposit their loose change (ideally, without getting out of their vehicles) into five-gallon collection buckets and circle back out of the parking lot.

All of funds raised will be distributed as donations of food and emergency supplies by the Williamstown Food Pantry to those most in need. Precautions are being taken to maintain social distancing.

People can also drop off donations anytime to the shelves in the front foyer of the Sts. Patrick and Raphael Parish Center.

The food pantry in Adams remains closed. The Mobile Food Bank operated by Food Bank of Western Massachusetts suspended its schedule but hopes to resume on Monday, March 23. 

North Adams Jewelry Store Has New Owner

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
05:34PM / Thursday, December 18, 2025

Cheryl Coppens put out a call for someone to take over the jewelry business she began last spring  — jewelry maker Alexandra Padilla answered the call.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Artful Jeweler has a new owner who is looking to expand its offerings.

Cheryl Coppens opened the jewelry store in May, showcasing local artists, offering fine jewelry, and jewelry repair.

But a new grandson in Texas, and the difficulties in flying back and forth to see him, had her looking to move closer to him.

Last month, she posted on the business's Facebook that she wanted someone to take over the space and continue the venture. Alexandra Padilla reached out to her and Coppens said she met all her criteria she was looking for in anew owner.

"You have to really want to be in retail. You have to want to be in this community, priced where people can afford it. Alex is native to North Adams. Her husband, she's got two great kids, so it just felt like they would be able to continue the store," Coppens said. "So the criteria really was somebody that would work the store, not somebody that would just come in and hire employees. I didn't want that."

Padilla started taking over the store in the beginning of December. She has been selling jewelry for about three years, and has an online shop, and has worked in wholesale jewelry for about 15 years.

"I always wanted to have my own thing on it, and I wanted to bring something new, and I want to involve my family, my kids do something, and I want to be independent," she said.

Now Padilla showcases her jewelry in the Ashland Street store and plans to keep some of the local artists' items, like stained glass made by Coppens' mother.

Padilla customizes jewelry and tailors pieces to her customers.

She plans to work around her job at Berkshire County Head Start so she can open store for more hours. 

She also plans to redesign the store a little bit and bring in a couple more lines, like more rings and pearls. 

The store is open on Saturdays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursdays 9 to 2, Fridays 9 to 6, and Sundays 9 to 3. The store has also been open on Mondays 10  to 5 and Tuesdays 10  to 3 for the holidays. 

Padilla thanks Coppens for trusting her and hopes customers continue to support the Artful Jeweler.

"Thank you for trusting me. I'm going to try and do my best and work hard to make it happen," she said. "This is our first time selling retail, so we hope the community supports us in here."

Coppens will be helping Padilla until she is comfortable operating the store on her own. She said it will continue to be a space of community support.