BCC, Mill Town Partner to Support Philanthropy Through 40 Under Forty

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) and the Mill Town Foundation announced a collaborative effort aimed at promoting philanthropy through the 40 under Forty awardees.
 
For several years, BCC has been organizing the '40 Under Forty' event, an annual celebration honoring 40 young individuals in Berkshire County for their significant contributions to their communities. This year's event, scheduled for March 28, 2024, will go beyond recognition.
 
"The nonprofit organizations of the Berkshires are essential to the way of life here. Giving back to these institutions is not only a way of thanking them, but also a way to promote giving in general," said Berkshire Community College President Ellen Kennedy. "The incredible gift from Mill Town Foundation is an opportunity for 40 Under Forty award recipients to serve as inspiration for a shared movement toward philanthropy across the Berkshires."
 
The Mill Town Foundation has committed funding for each of the 40 Under Forty recipients to re-grant $1,000 to a Berkshire-based nonprofit organization of their choice. This initiative, intended to encourage purposeful giving, prompts the award recipients to thoroughly research local nonprofits to understand their missions and impact before making donation decisions.
 
"To promote and engender the spirit of philanthropy, we are proud to empower the 40 Under Forty recipients with the ability to support their community," said Dave Mixer, founder of Mill Town Foundation. "When young people experience the value of philanthropy first-hand, it becomes an important part of their lives, and they pass it on to future generations. This cycle is critical to the well-being and sustainability of a healthy community."
 
The Mill Town Foundation's philanthropic philosophy emphasizes a thoughtful approach centered on collaboration and sustainability, aligning with BCC's values of engagement, innovation, diversity, inclusion, service, and sustainability.
 
The selected Berkshire County-based nonprofit organizations benefiting from the 40 Under Forty re-grants include a diverse range of entities such as:
  • 18 Degrees
  • 1Berkshire
  • The Blackshires Community Empowerment Foundation c/o 1Berkshire Strategic Alliance Foundation
  • 1Berkshire Youth Leadership Program
  • African Francophone of the Berkshires
  • Berkshire Agricultural Ventures
  • Berkshire County Arc
  • Berkshire County Kids' Place
  • Berkshire Education and Correction Services, Inc.
  • Berkshire Humane Society
  • Berkshire Immigrant Center
  • Berkshire Nursing Families
  • Berkshire Pride
  • Berkshire United Way
  • BFAIR
  • Boy's and Girls Club of the Berkshires.
  • Community Access to the Arts (CATA)
  • Construct
  • Elder Services of Berkshire County Inc
  • Entrepreneurship for All, Berkshire County
  • Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center
  • Heart & Soil Collective, Inc
  • Lanesborough-New Ashford Dollars for Scholars
  • Love of T Foundation, Inc.
  • NAMI Berkshire County
  • No Paws Left Behind
  • Northern Berkshire Community Coalition
  • Northern Berkshire United Way
  • Stearns Elementary PTA
  • The Brien Center for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
  • The Pediatric Development Center
  • Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) Berkshires
  • Word X Word Inc. c/o Adelson & Company, PC
The '40 Under Forty' event not only celebrates the professional achievements of the winners but also supports the Berkshire Community College Foundation, which manages scholarships and programs aimed at supporting workforce development and higher education accessibility in the region.
 

Tags: 40 under 40,   BCC,   mill town,   

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Companion Corner: Fox at Berkshire Humane Society

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There's a sweet and energetic dog at the Berkshire Humane Society waiting for his new family.

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home.

Fox is a 3-year-old Pomeranian who has been at the shelter for about a month.

Canine caregiver and adoption counselor Simone Olivieri told us about Fox. 

"He's a bundle of joy. He would love a family who's home with him a lot, because he's just, he's very social and wants to be with his people a lot. And he would be fun to bring out and about, bring a lot of places, because he's very happy to go anywhere," she said.

When Fox enters the room he is immediately a puffball of energy that goes around and around the room.

He came to the shelter after his former owner could not take care of him anymore. 

"The owner was just not able to care for him anymore. Had he came in with another dog, Wolf, and she already did find her forever home just last week," said Olivieri. "The two of them were left with a friend of the original owner, and the owner did not come back to pick them up, and the friend had too many animals in the house, and too much going on, and she just couldn't continue to look after them, so they did end up coming to us."

Fox can go home with cats and children but is not recommended to go home with other dogs as he gets too excited.

"He would love a home where people are home quite a bit to give him all the attention that he so desires. He loves kids. He absolutely adores children. So he would like a home with kids to play with. He could live with cats. We are saying that he should not live with other dogs. The only reason is that he gets very humpy, and he does not leave the other dogs alone," she said.

With his energy it is recommended he goes to a home that can keep him active whether walks or hikes and even fetch in the yard.

Fox does need to learn more about walking on a leash and has a tendency to mark in the house but he was recently neutered. Olivieri said belly bands will be sent home with whoever adopts him to help prevent marking and managing it.

"He would like an active home. He really does like to go for walks daily. He likes to run around in the yard. He does need a little work on leash walking. He sometimes gets a little tangled still under your feet, and he's learning how to walk on a leash," she said. "So, someone who's got some patience and some time to work on some training with him."

"He also is not fully potty trained, so he does know to go potty outside. However, he will still mark, urinate in the house sometimes, and he might poop here and there in the house."

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