Biz Briefs: Bromley Ski Resort Donates $3,050 to SVMC Cancer Center
'Mom's Day Off' donation
Bromley Mountain Ski Resort recently gave a donation of $3,050 for women's cancer care at Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center in Bennington, part of Southwestern Vermont Health Care.
The donation was raised through Bromley's "Mom's Day Off" events on Feb. 5 and March 6. More than 100 mothers received a $25 lift ticket when they showed a photo of their child or children at the resort's ticket window. The entire value of the ticket was donated. Additional donations reached $1,025.
Cancer Center staff — including radiation oncologist Dr. Matthew Vernon, Cancer Center Nurse Manager Jenny Coutu, and radiation therapists Adam Bugbee, Danielle Gaudete and Erin Roy — were on the mountain, located just outside of Manchester, Vt., to show their appreciation and join in the fun.
Dellea.biz anniversary
Dellea.biz Computer Services celebrated two years of full-time service since its resurrection in 2018 on March 19. Sole proprietor Arthur Dellea started his business in 1996 and was forced to shut down in 2017 to work for another company full-time. Realizing that he had made a mistake and that many of his former clients missed having his services, he decided in 2018 to return to full-time self-employment.
Dellea is the sole proprietor of Dellea.biz Computer Services, helping local residents, self-employed and small businesses in Southern Berkshire County Massachusetts with their Windows computer problems since 1996. He is a multi-generational resident of Alford where he resides with his wife and two children. He is CompTIA A+ certified, a seasoned technology blogger, and is the technology coordinator and drummer at Sheffield Chapel.
Homebuyer assistance
Pittsfield Cooperative Bank has been selected to participate in Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston’s (FHLBank Boston) Housing Our Workforce program. HOW provides assistance to FHLBank Boston financial institution members to help local homebuyers earning more than 80 percent and up to 120 percent of the area median income with down payments on owner-occupied primary residences.
The $2.5 million program offers a two-to-one match of homebuyer down payments made at the time of purchase by eligible homebuyers. Borrowers can receive up to $20,000 in assistance on a first-come, first-served basis. "This program is designed to help homebuyers who may not qualify for other homeownership assistance programs because they have slightly higher incomes. Through this program, a greater number of working individuals and families are able to afford housing in communities where home prices have been rising steadily," said Michael E. Barbieri, senior vice president of Residential and Consumer Lending at Pittsfield Cooperative Bank.
The Pittsfield Cooperative Bank is eligible to receive up to $100,000 in 2020 through HOW depending on availability of funds. Since the program launched in 2019, FHLBank Boston has awarded $2 million in funds assisting 135 income-eligible households to purchase a home. To learn more about applying for assistance, contact Richard Whalen at 413-629-1610.
Nonprofit survey
The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires, in collaboration with The Women's Fund of Western Massachusetts, has released the results of its flash survey on pressing nonprofit needs. Five concerns have floated to the top: meeting payroll and general cash flow, cost of pivoting to work remotely, fundraising in the midst of a crisis, staying connected and advice on messaging, need for volunteers.
Immediate needs include: cash to pay bills, short term operating grants and low interest loans, access to information on what relief is available, help providing for clients (food, gift cards, drivers, childcare, diapers etc.), help getting the word out about online fundraisers and programs, and video conferencing equipment.
"It's important to understand that most of our nonprofits are small, lean, and somewhat fragile financially speaking. Nonprofits are chronically under-funded for basic infrastructure needs such as staff, equipment, and professional development. Many don't have three months of operating reserves in the bank," NPC Executive Director Liana Toscanini said.
Nonprofits anticipating longer-term needs will require stop-gap funding, help with grant writing, unrestricted grants, additional marketing, and capacity building. For more information on COVID-19 resources for nonprofits and ways the community can help, visit the website.
Edward Jones accolade
For the 21st time, Edward Jones is named one of the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For by Great Place to Work and Fortune Magazine. Edward Jones took the number seven spot on the prestigious list, the 16th year the firm has ranked in the top 10.
Great Place to Work, a global people analytics and consulting firm, analyzed responses from more than 650,000 employees at Great Place to Work-certified(TM) organizations across the United States. The firm evaluated more than 60 elements of team members' experience on the job. These included the extent to which employees trust leaders, the respect with which people are treated, the fairness of workplace decisions, and how much camaraderie there is among the team.
Locally, Rob Adams' Edward Jones office is located at 71 Main St. in North Adams. He and office administrator Patricia Kolis can be reached at 413-664-9253.
