Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity Free tax Assistance

08:00AM / Wednesday, February 07, 2024Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity (CBHFH) once again will provide free income tax prep to households earning $64K or less, persons with disabilities, and the elderly through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

All VITA volunteers receive extensive training and are IRS-certified.

"Most of our volunteers return year after year to help with this essential program for our underserved

communities in Berkshire County," said Carolyn Valli, CBHFH CEO. "Over 85 percent of our clients are return clients that have come to us for the past 3 to 8 years. And most of that remaining 15% was from new clients we were able to serve in South County."

Last tax season, CBHFH reported that their 17 VITA volunteers processed 831 returns, totaling $963,832 in federal and state tax refunds to local households.

"We've only been open a week this season, and it has been very busy already," said Lynne Newton, CBHFH Community Navigator and current VITA program coordinator. "But thanks to our wonderful volunteers, we are prepared and ready to help in any way our clients need."

Another plus is that, thanks to Habitat’s bilingual Community Navigators, CBHFH can offer Spanish and French translators to help explain the sometimes complicated forms and IRS requirements.

Habitat's office at 314 Columbus Avenue in Pittsfield has multilingual IRS forms, a copier, and a drop-off box with hours running Mondays through Thursdays from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm, Friday mornings from 8:30 am to noon, and Saturdays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

For South County, Habitat will offer service at the Mason Library at 231 Main St in Great Barrington, and VITA hours run from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, beginning on February 6. For more information or to make an appointment at either location, residents can call 413.442.3184. VITA Volunteers are standing by to assist.

Tags: habitat for humanity,

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Pittsfield Housing Project Adds 37 Supportive Units and Collective Hope

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:01PM / Monday, December 29, 2025

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— A new chapter in local efforts to combat housing insecurity officially began as community leaders and residents gathered at The First on to celebrate a major expansion of supportive housing in the city.

The ribbon was cut on Thursday Dec. 19, on nearly 40 supportive permanent housing units; nine at The First, located within the Zion Lutheran Church, and 28 on West Housatonic Street. The Housing Resource Center, funded by Pittsfield's American Rescue Plan Act dollars, hosted a celebration for a project that is named for its rarity: The First.

"What got us here today is the power of community working in partnership and with a shared purpose," Hearthway CEO Eileen Peltier said.

In addition to the 28 studio units at 111 West Housatonic Street and nine units in the rear of the church building, the Housing Resource Center will be open seven days a week with two lounges, a classroom, a laundry room, a bathroom, and lockers.

Erin Forbush, ServiceNet's director of shelter and housing, challenged attendees to transform the space in the basement of Zion Lutheran Church into a community center. It is planned to operate from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. year-round.

"I get calls from folks that want to help out, and our shelters just aren't the right spaces to be able to do that. The First will be that space that we can all come together and work for the betterment of our community," Forbush said.

"…I am a true believer that things evolve, and things here will evolve with the people that are utilizing it."

Earlier that day, Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus joined Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll and her team in Housatonic to announce $33.5 million in federal Community Development Block Grant funding, $5.45 million to Berkshire County.

He said it was ambitious to take on these two projects at once, but it will move the needle. The EOHLC contributed more than $7.8 million in subsidies and $3.4 million in low-income housing tax credit equity for the West Housatonic Street build, and $1.6 million in ARPA funds for the First Street apartments.

"We're trying to get people out of shelter and off the streets, but we know there are a lot of people who are couch surfing, who are living in their cars, who are one paycheck away from being homeless themselves," Augustus said.

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