South Berkshire Community Health Coalition Announces Upcoming Trainings

06:11PM / Wednesday, May 14, 2025Print Story | Email Story

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass.— The Southern Berkshire Community Health Coalition (SBCHC), a program of Railroad Street Youth Project (RSYP), has announced three upcoming trainings in May.

Translate Gender will present a Caregiver/Parent Forum on Tuesday, May 20, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Sheffield. This trans-led organization will cover the basics of gender identity to support transgender, nonbinary, gender expansive, and/or questioning youth. Registration for this event is available at this link.

Two Kitchen Table Talk (KTT) Workshops will be held at the Great Barrington Family Resource Center, 141 West Avenue in Great Barrington. A Facilitator Training will take place on Monday, May 19, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., covering the philosophy and facilitation practices of KTT. A Practice Training will be offered on Thursday, May 29, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., providing an opportunity for facilitators to practice with volunteer parents. The Practice Training will be available in both English and Spanish.

On Tuesday, May 27, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., a Mocktail Demo and Conversation will be held at NoComply Foods, 258 Stockbridge Rd, Great Barrington. Laura Rodriguez, Director of SBCHC, and Elliot Seward, RSYP’s Youth Advocate, will lead a demonstration on making summer mocktails, followed by discussions on youth alcohol and substance use in South County.

iBerkshires.com Text Ads

rk MILES Blding Materials

Are You Ready to Update Your Home? Start With rk MILES. 4 Locations (800)670-7433

www.rkmiles.com

Greylock Youth SummerFest

Come join in on the wealth building fun! August 3-8. Click for event details. Insured by NCUA.

www.greylock.org

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Berkshire South Sees $1M Earmark for Expansion

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:48PM / Thursday, August 06, 2026

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass.— The Berkshire South Regional Community Center was earmarked for more than $1 million to expand its north wing.

On Thursday, Congressman Richard Neal sat with Executive Director Jenise Lucey, board members, and other staff at the center to see how those dollars will help expand childcare, among other areas. He announced a $1,015,000 earmark for the project.

"As you can see, we are really, really busy and really busting at the seams," Lucey said while showing the congressman plans.

"So your advocacy to make this happen, so that we can really move on to the next steps and serve our community, couldn't be better timed, and we're just so grateful for your support."

The 6,000-square-foot addition will add about 20 spaces for infant and toddler care and increase the 40,000-square-foot building by about 15 percent. It will also allow BCRCC to expand its fitness center, upgrade its HVAC system, and relocate administrative offices.

BCRCC sees about 200,000 visitors per year and is licensed to welcome 100 summer campers, running a nine-week program during working hours. Childcare programming runs year-round, with the center serving about 240 youth annually.

Open since 2002, the community center will soon celebrate its 25th anniversary. The allocation was made through Congressionally Directed Spending from the Rural Housing Service with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Neal said that childcare was one of the biggest issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.

View Full Story