Downtown Pittsfield Business Improvement Grant Recipients

08:18AM / Thursday, May 23, 2024Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. (DPI) and the Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corporation (PERC) have announced the second round of Glow Up! Grant recipients in the city of Pittsfield.

The following businesses and property owners have been awarded grant funding for signs, painting, lighting, and improvements to their entryways: Angelina's Submarine Shop (W. Housatonic St.), Angelina's Submarine Shop (Dalton Ave.), Berkshire Pipe & Tabacco, Clark Vintage Lighting, Independent Mobility, Insight Holdings II, LLC (Phoenix Theatres), Hotel on North, Otto's Kitchen & Comfort, Pittsfield Health Food Store, Soda Chef, Thistle and Mirth, property owner GDL Associates (Brothership Building), and property owner Scarafoni Associates (Dunham Block).

Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. and the Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corporation are co-facilitating The Pittsfield Glow Up! Business Improvement Grant Program made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The program's purpose is to provide grants of up to $10,000 to eligible businesses affected by COVID-19 within ARPA's disproportionately impacted district of Pittsfield.

Grant recipients were selected using a grading system that ranked their responses on how COVID-19 impacted their business, on the details of the projects to be funded by the grant, and on the impact the projects would make on their space, keeping in the spirit of "Glowing Up" our community. $100,000 will be distributed in this second round of Glow Up! Grants.

"Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. is pleased to be working with the Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corporation (PERC) on The Pittsfield Glow Up! Business Improvement Grant Program," says Rebecca Brien, Managing Director of Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. "Thanks to ARPA funding provided by the City of Pittsfield, we are able to help small businesses on projects that the struggles of the past few years made impossible. This program can help with that fresh coat of paint; a new, easy to see sign; or lighting in a spruced-up entryway. We want to see our city become the bright, beautiful, and vibrant district we know it can be."

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Free Vaccinations Available Throughout Berkshire County

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
10:30AM / Saturday, October 10, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Fall season is also the flu season, which means vaccine clinics are now available.

The Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative will provide public vaccination clinics in Berkshire communities this fall, including the influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. There are about 49 clinics.

The collaborative began during COVID-19 to help vaccinate people across Berkshire County. Berkshire Health Systems started the Get Vaccinated Berkshires website and still manages it. The group works with the Pittsfield Public Health Department, Community Health Programs, and the Southern Berkshire Public Health Collaborative.

"The majority of people will always get the flu [vaccine] because, as I said, if you've ever gotten the flu, you will always get a flu vaccine because it's so bad. And just so you know, the flu is already in Berkshire County. It's an early season this year," said Leslie Drager, who is the senior public health nurse at Berkshire Regional Planning Commission.

Drager said last year they issued 2,705 vaccines, with more than 1,100 of them being for COVID-19 and more than 1,500 being flu. In total, they were able to vaccinate 1,669 people in Central and North County, in addition to Pittsfield.

Drager also said she will be carrying three types of COVID vaccines this year, which is in high demand.

"We have a high demand of COVID vaccine, which is awesome," she said. "So we're doing a lot of COVID vaccines. Also, I provide Pfizer, and this year I have Moderna and the Novavax, which I think is real important to get out there because the Novavax, a lot of people want, people with long COVID. So I'm carrying all three vaccines this year, which I normally only carry the Pfizer."

Public health departments also can help people access other vaccines such as for measles or meningitis when they cannot get them through a pediatrician, she added.

Using the website, people are able to get vaccines even if they are homebound by filling out a form.

All public Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative clinics are free of charge, but registrants are asked to provide insurance information, when available, in order to defray costs. The clinics are open to anyone 6 months of age or older, the age group recommended to receive an annual flu vaccine and the latest COVID-19 vaccine.

"I always encourage everybody to wear a short sleeve shirt because it makes it a heck of a lot easier to get at," Drager said. "And children, we do carry the nasal flu, the live virus of nasal flu for kids that are afraid to get needles."

Registration is highly recommended for the clinics. Walk-ins may be accepted depending on the number of vaccine doses available at each clinic, with preference given to those who are registered.

"It's really important. I'm really encouraging vaccinations for the schools, because not only you know if the kids are vaccinated and the teachers are vaccinated, the schools won't have the flu go wild right through it," Drager said. "And of course, the best way to prevent infections: washing your hands. So don't touch your face, and wash your hands."

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