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North Adams Delivers Donations from Annual Food Drive

Collection boxes are put out in municipal buildings and facilities each year to gather goods for the annual holiday food drive.  Assistant to the Superintendent Bobbi Tassone, Assistant Superintendent Timothy Callahan and school facilities manager Robert Flaherty helped with the delivery. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The city delivered several boxes filled with food, personal care and other essential items to Eagle Street on Monday, all of which were donated as part of this year's annual food drive. 

This year's drive worked to re-stock the shelves of the Northern Berkshire Interfaith Action Initiative's Al Nelson Friendship Center Food Pantry, located at 43 Eagle St. City workers, as well as Timothy Callahan, assistant superintendent of North Adams Public Schools, came to deliver the items. 

Rich Davis, the food coordinator for the pantry, thanked the city and the community for helping to keep the pantry filled. 

"It's just nice to see the community out there helping to support those who are not as fortunate," he said. "... we certainly appreciate the support of the community. Not just at this time, but all year round." 

The Food Pantry is encouraging donations such as: tuna; peanut butter; brown rice; whole wheat pasta; pasta sauce; low sodium canned vegetables (e.g. potatoes, green beans, carrots); low sodium soups; whole grain cereals (low sugar) and/or oatmeal; canned fruits (no sugar added); and beans (e.g. kidney beans and garbanzo beans). In addition, personal care items such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, and shampoo were also included.

"Some of the items that we will get in today is stuff that we may carry on a regular basis, but a lot of items are not," 'Davis said. "So that gives us a little variety for us to offer to our friends, too." 

The annual food drive is one way items come to the food bank, in addition to contributions from the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, individuals, local supermarkets and businesses. Drop-off boxes were available throughout the city for residents to donate and collections were taken up in city departments, which Davis said helps the pantry get donations it may not have otherwise received. 

This year's donations weighed in at 525 pounds, Davis said later. 

"This here gives a greater number of individuals, who may not have time to do it, just on their own, but they can bring it to their work and have the city bring it into us," he said.

Berkshires Remember First Responders, Military Personnel Lost at 9/11 and Aftermath

By Jack Guerino & Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
02:30PM / Friday, September 11, 2026

North Adams Mayor Jennifer Macksey, with Fire Chief Brent Lefebvre speaks at Friday's memorial. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The county's two cities held memorials on Friday morning to mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks. 

Great Barrington was scheduled to hold a dedication of piece of steel from the World Trade Center at 6 p.m.

North Adams held its ceremony in the fire station's side garden starting at exactly 8:46 a.m., the time Flight 11 crashed into the World Trade Center's North Tower.

 

The small square of grass was packed with police officers, firefighters, wire and alarm personnel, dispatchers, and Northern Berkshire EMS employees, and city employees, officials and community members. 

 

After the ceremonial tolling of the bell, an honor guard presented the colors.

 

Mayor Jennifer Macksey said it felt odd welcoming people to a very solemn event.

 

"What happened 25 years ago put a mark on emergency services. It put additional pressure on police, fire, EMS, and dispatchers," Macksey said. "While we remember those who lost their lives during 9/11, and those who ran to help as many as they could during 9/11, we have to pause and appreciate those who continue to serve despite that awful threat that occurred 25 years ago."

 

She said it was a direct attack on the United States and all of its people.

 

"It was a question of our freedoms and our ability to be safe in our communities," the mayor said. "I can say today that here in North Adams, it could happen to us, but I know with the professionalism of our Fire Department, Police Department, EMS, and our dispatch team, we are a better community; we are a safer community than we were 25 years ago."