Four Berkshire Organizations Awarded DEIB Grants

03:54PM / Sunday, November 17, 2024Print Story | Email Story

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Health New England has awarded $80,000 in grants to non-profit organizations that work to advance youth health and well-being in Western Massachusetts.

The company's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Grants went to 38 organizations in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester counties.

In Berkshire County these organizations were awarded funding:

Barrington Stage Company (Pittsfield), Playwright Mentoring Program
Berkshire Bounty (Great Barrington), Food Purchase Program
Berkshire Pride (Pittsfield), Empowerment and Well-being: After-School Program for LGBTQ+ Teens & Tweens
Roots Rising (Pittsfield), Roots Rising's Youth Crews

Health New England's DEIB mission is to improve the health and lives of people as it applies to individuals of all races, genders, sexual orientations, religions, and levels of ability.

Health New England's DEIB Grants are designed to fund local non-profit organizations that focus on health equity and engage around at least one social determinant of health (SDOH). SDOHs are conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age that affect health, quality of life, and life expectancy. These conditions may include socioeconomic status, food insecurity, education, access to health care, safe housing, discrimination, violence, and trauma, etc.

Health New England focused this year's DEIB grants on youth health and well-being after a Springfield Public Schools Youth Health Survey revealed that more than four in ten surveyed eighth-grade students felt so sad or hopeless for two weeks or more that they stopped participating in some usual activities. The grant winners' programs and projects must also assist youths and adolescents gain what the World Health Organization's Adolescent Well-being Framework states they need to thrive:

Good health and optimum nutrients
Connectedness, positive values, and contribution to society
Safety and a supportive environment
Learning, competence, education, skills, and employability
Agency and resilience

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New Camp Is Safe Place for Children Suffering Loss to Addiction

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
06:26AM / Saturday, December 27, 2025

Last year's Happy Campers courtesy of Max Tabakin.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A new camp is offering a safe place for children who have lost a parent or guardian to addiction.

Director Gayle Saks founded the nonprofit "Camp Happy Place" last year. The first camp was held in June with 14 children.

Saks is a licensed drug and alcohol counselor who works at the Brien Center. One of her final projects when studying was how to involve youth, and a camp came to mind. Camp had been her "happy place" growing up, and it became her dream to open her own.

"I keep a bucket list in my wallet, and it's right on here on this list, and I cross off things that I've accomplished," she said. "But it is the one thing on here that I knew I had to do."

The overnight co-ed camp is held at a summer camp in Winsted, Conn., where Saks spent her summers as a child. It is four nights and five days and completely free. Transportation is included as are many of the items needed for camping. The camp takes up to 30 children.

"I really don't think there's any place that exists specifically for this population. I think it's important to know, we've said this, but that it is not a therapeutic camp," Saks said.

She said the focus is on fun for the children, though they are able to talk to any of the volunteer and trained staff. The staff all have experience in social work, addiction and counseling, and working with children.

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