Lee Bank Foundation Distributes Grants in First Funding Round of 2022

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LEE, Mass. — Lee Bank Foundation has awarded $83,750 to twelve Berkshire area organizations and an additional grant to Pittsfield Public Schools in its first-round of 2022 community funding. 
 
Recipients were awarded grants ranging from $1,000 to $16,000 to support their local programming. Included in the awards are a series of Arts Access Grants for arts and culture organizations to expand access to programming for underserved audiences.
 
The following organizations received funding from Lee Bank Foundation:
  • Berkshire Center for Justice
  • Berkshire Community Diaper Project
  • Berkshire Concert Choir
  • Berkshire County Arc
  • Berkshire Historical Society
  • Berkshire Family YMCA
  • Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity
  • Community Access to the Arts
  • Great Barrington Public Theater
  • Greenagers
  • Roots Rising
  • The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center
Arts Access Grants of $1,000 each were awarded to Berkshire Concert Choir, Berkshire Historical Society, and Great Barrington Public Theater. Additionally, Lee Bank Foundation announced a $16,000 grant to the Pittsfield Public Schools -- $1,000 for each school serving children and adults in Pittsfield, to coincide with the groundbreaking of the new Lee Bank branch on South Street.
 
The deadline for the next round of 2022 Foundation funding is June 1. The application and more information can be found on the Community Impact section of Lee Bank's website (https://www.leebank.com/community-impact/donations-sponsorships.html)
 
To be considered for grant awards, applicants must be a (501)(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Foundation is focused on funding programs that work to bridge income and opportunity gaps in our region. Funding requests should reflect one or more of Lee Bank Foundation's primary focus areas:
 
  • Education and literacy
  • Food security and nutrition
  • Economic growth and development
  • Health and human services
  • Mentorship, internship and "school to work" initiatives
  • Arts and culture
 
Applicants are only eligible for funding once in a 12-month period.
 

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Community Hero of the Month: Officer Joshua Tracy

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
LEE, Mass.—Lee Police Department patrolman Joshua Tracy has been selected for the February Community Hero of the Month. 
 
The Community Hero of the Month series runs for the next 9 months in partnership with Haddad Auto. Nominated community members and organizations have gone above and beyond to make a positive impact on their community. 
 
Tracy has been an officer in the Berkshires for seven years, working for multiple departments including North Adams, Pittsfield, and as of approximately 5 months ago, Lee. 
 
Prior to being an officer, Tracy served 12 years in the Army National Guard. He became an officer when he left the service because it not only allowed him to help others, which he knew he enjoyed, but allowed him to utilize his military training. 
 
When on a call, Tracy knows he is likely walking into someone's worst day, which is why he strives to be a dependable person for the people out in the community, he said. 
 
"I think the thing that I think about the most of making an impact is showing up on these calls that we go on and de-escalating and calming the situation down," Tracy said. 
 
"You know, most of the time when we show up, it's because someone's having one of their worst days or just a really bad day."
 
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