Northern Berkshire United Way Receives Emergency Funds For Assistance

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Emergency Food and Shelter Program Awarded Berkshire County $62,726 in Phase 39 (FY20) and $193,871 in Phase ARPAR (FY21) Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) assistance funding.
 
Northern Berkshire United Way, local administrator of the program, urges qualifying organizations located throughout Berkshire County to submit an application for supplemental emergency food and shelter and to obtain it at this link: https://www.nbunitedway.org/emergency-food-and-shelte-program
 
Local organizations chosen to receive funds must be private voluntary non-profits (with a voluntary board) or units of government; have an accounting system; practice non-discrimination; and have demonstrated the capability to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs.  
 
Applicants must submit their application by email only with their financial audit by midnight on Monday, Feb. 28, 2022 to: Christa Collier at ccollier@nbunitedway.org. Paper applications will not be accepted.
 
The funds are awarded through the Department of Homeland Security and the award is made the Emergency Food and Shelter Program National Board, that consists of representatives from the Salvation Army, American Red Cross, The Jewish Federations of North America, Catholic Charities USA, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA and United Way Worldwide.  
 
Funds pass directly from the Department of Homeland Security to the EFSP program and then to local agencies that are awarded funding through a sub-committee of a local board made up of representatives of organizations that are not requesting or receiving funds determines the actual organizations that receive funding.
 
For Phase 38, EFSP awarded $67,202 which local representatives distributed to ten Berkshire County organizations: Berkshire Community Action Council, the Berkshire Food Project, the Cheshire Pantry, Child Care of the Berkshires, Elizabeth Freeman Center, Louison House, Northern Berkshire Interfaith Action Initiative, Salvation Army North Adams, Salvation Army Pittsfield and

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North Adams Council OKs Funds for Ashland Street Project Easements

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council on Tuesday approved an appropriation of $256,635 from the Land Sales Account for easements and takings related to the Ashland Street project.
 
A second roll call vote approved the easements and takings during a meeting lasting nearly three hours.
 
"This is a construction project that has been in the works for probably, like eight years, coming down the pipe in conjunction with MassDOT," said Mayor Jennifer Macksey. "And what we are asking tonight is permission for appropriation for us to pay for some permanent and some temporary easements to complete this work."
 
The mayor noted the use of "eminent domain" in the legal language but assured the council and audience that no one's home or driveway were being taken.
 
The temporary construction easements will terminate after six years; the permanent roadway easements will give the city rights to access those areas for purposes of repair or public construction. 
 
The takings are the city's contribution to the $11.4 million Complete Streets project, being funded by the state Department of Transportation through the 2026 Transportation Improvement Program. The account has $463,000, leaving a balance of $207,000 after the appropriation.
 
Macksey said this is similar to what was done for the Brayton School safe routes project but the appraisals were much higher.
 
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