South Berkshire Rural Health Network Gets State Grant

12:10PM / Thursday, June 01, 2023Print Story | Email Story

BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced an award of nearly $250,000 in Local Food Policy Council program funding to 17 organizations across Massachusetts.

This includes an $11,820 grant for South Berkshire Rural Health Network that will be used to develop a strategic plan and improve connections to the region's most vulnerable residents.

"Massachusetts' local food policy councils and food working groups are vital to the fabric of our food system and help connect communities to healthy, nutritious foods. We are happy to recognize and invest in this important work," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. "This support is critical, especially as our local food system weathers an increasingly volatile climate."

The capacity of the South Berkshire Rural Health Network's coordinator will be supported by funding for increased time and consultant support. Outcomes will include the development of a Plan that addresses system change, increased capacity of the coordinator to facilitate ongoing strategic planning, equity as a vital component of the work, and the strengthening of collaborative relationships among partners through formal and informal structures to build a healthy food network and sustainable local system.???

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources' (MDAR) grants will enhance the work of existing and new local food policy councils and food working groups across Massachusetts. The grants will help to accelerate their development, expand their capacity, and increase their connections and opportunities for peer-to-peer learning to support the Massachusetts local food system.

"We greatly appreciate this appropriation from our partners in the state legislature to provide these grants to our Massachusetts local food policy councils and food working groups," said MDAR Commissioner Ashley Randle. "Projects and initiatives funded through this program will develop and continue work to impact the long-term viability and sustainability of our local food system in Massachusetts."

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Great Barrington Public Theater Appoints Artistic Director

09:57AM / Monday, December 29, 2025

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Great Barrington Public Theater announced that Associate Artistic Director Judy Braha will now join Jim Frangione at the helm as Artistic Director of Great Barrington Public Theater.

"We at Great Barrington Public Theater are thrilled that Judy Braha will assume the role of Artistic Director alongside myself. I couldn't have asked for a better partner to help advance the interests of the theater as we move into the next phase of growth as the region's premiere developmental theater," Founder & Artistic Director Jim Frangione said. "Judy brings a tremendous amount of experience and value to our company and has, in just a few short years, grown and greatly enhanced GB Public Theater's signature program, Berkshires Voices, where playwrights develop their work, leading to public readings and in some cases workshops and full productions. I look forward to working more closely with Judy to select the next generation of plays to be presented under the GB Public banner. It's a "Bear" of a job! But we feel great about the direction of our theater."

Judy Braha joined the GB Public artistic leadership team in 2023 as the Associate Artistic Director after 2 years directing for the company. She has since then been collaborating with Founder and Artistic Director Jim Frangione on the selection of new work for readings and full productions in the summer season. Her impressive portfolio of credits and accomplishments strengthened Great Barrington Public's creative programming and offered new perspectives to the body of works and events produced each year.

Judy Braha has been a career director, actor, teacher and artist for social justice for over four decades with directorial credits in theaters and universities throughout New England. She led the M.F.A. Directing Program at Boston University's School of Theater, retiring in 2022 after 29 years of service at BU.

"Judy has the strength of commitment, leadership and passion for theater and how it affects communities that fit hand-in-glove with our founding mission and core beliefs," Founder and Producing Director Deann Halper Simmons explains. "Her artistic integrity, sense of stage esthetic and ability to make important choices that craft life from the script continues to be a great asset to our company and growth."

"Judy's distinguished artistic voice has significantly contributed to the exceptional growth of GB Public in recent years," Managing Director Serena Johnson added. "We are truly excited to have her stepping into this leadership role in the 2026 season."

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