GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Berkshire Bounty, a 501(c)3 food rescue organization, will be conducting a crowdfunding campaign Aug. 16 to 22 to address an urgent community need. 

 

The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts (FBWM) will be moving their facilities from Hatfield to Chicopee at the end of August, preventing them from making deliveries Aug. 28 to Sept. 6.

 

"This is a move that will help the region, and there's simply no way to manage it without shutting down temporarily," said Morgan Ovitsky, Executive Director of Berkshire Bounty. "That means that emergency food sites in the Berkshires that depend on FBWM will miss two weeks of deliveries, resulting in a substantial food shortage for our food insecure neighbors."

 

Berkshire Bounty and community partners Berkshire United Way and Berkshire Community Action Council are stepping in to help procure and distribute food to fill this gap. The Helpful Hands crowdfunding campaign aims to raise $10,000, allowing Berkshire Bounty to purchase and deliver fresh produce, dairy, and eggs for two weeks to at least six Berkshire County emergency food sites that would otherwise not be able to serve the community.

 

"We are so grateful for Berkshire Bounty's partnership with FBWM and our agency partners, and appreciate their efforts to maintain access to nutritious food in Berkshire County during this transition from our current building to our new, larger distribution facility in Chicopee," said Christina Maxwell, Director of Programs at the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.  

 

The Helpful Hands campaign is aided by a match from Berkshire Money Management (BMM). BMM is stepping in with a $5,000 dollar-to-dollar match for donations below $150 and will triple every donation of $150 and above (up to an additional $5,000). 

 

"Having a plan can make all the difference. Berkshire Money Management is proud to support Berkshire Bounty as they prepare to provide extra support to our neighbors in a time of need," said Allen Harris, CEO and Chief Investment Officer at Berkshire Money Management.

 

Berkshire Bounty does not endorse or promote advisory services provided by BMM.

 

"The BMM match is just another example of our community pulling together," said Mark Lefenfeld and Jay Weintraub, board co-presidents and co-founders of Berkshire Bounty.  "We are very grateful."