Pittsfield Named 2025-2027 Mass Save Community First Partner

11:10AM / Wednesday, July 09, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Sponsors of Mass Save announced the 2025-2027 cohort of Community First Partners, and Pittsfield was chosen as one of the 58 municipal partners.

58 municipalities and community-based organizations will work with their local Mass Save Sponsor to provide energy efficiency solutions to residents and small businesses to reduce energy use and increase the comfort of homes and buildings.

The initiative leverages local knowledge and trusted relationships of municipalities and community-based organizations to increase participation in Mass Save energy efficiency programs. This initiative seeks to target renters, landlords, income-eligible households, language-isolated households, and small businesses in participating communities to ensure the benefits of energy efficiency are more equitably distributed, particularly among those who have been historically underserved.

As part of the proposed Massachusetts 2025-2027 Energy Efficiency and Decarbonization Plan, the Sponsors will enhance support and flexibility for Community First Partners, enabling them to tailor their outreach strategies more effectively, retain skilled staff and design marketing initiatives that resonate with their residents and small businesses owners. Additionally, the Sponsors will provide training for the lead vendors and energy advocates on small business incentives and opportunities to drive more small business energy assessments.

The 2025-2027 Community First Partners may receive:

Up to $85,500 per year to support an Energy Advocate* and local marketing efforts
Comprehensive training on energy efficiency and electrification
Support from energy efficiency and electrification experts
Co-branded multilingual marketing materials
Coaching and best practices to encourage program participation

"Through the Mass Save Community First Partnership, our goal is to make energy efficiency more accessible and affordable for all," said Maggie Downey, Chief Administrative Officer at Cape Light Compact. "Partnering with municipalities and community-based organizations allows us to reach more renters, multilingual families, and income-eligible residents to offer real solutions that lower energy use and support a cleaner community.

In 2022-2024, Community First Partners received up to $60,000 in funding annually for up to three years, as well as in-kind marketing and technical support.

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Pittsfield Remembers Lives Lost to Overdose, Underscores Harm Reduction

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:33AM / Tuesday, September 01, 2026

Mayor Peter Marchetti reads a proclamation at City Hall encouraging residents to raise awareness and lift each other up.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Dozens of people gathered downtown on Monday to remember those lost to overdose and work toward a future of zero deaths from substance use disorder.

The Berkshire Overdose and Addiction Prevention Collaborative and its partners held a proclamation reading and flag-raising at City Hall, followed by a standout in Park Square with signs promoting the use of naloxone, harm reduction, and reducing associated stigma.

There were 23 fatal overdoses in Berkshire County in 2025, 11 in Pittsfield. This is down 44 percent from the 41 countywide fatalities in 2024.

While it is a significant decrease, advocates want to see that number at zero.

"On the one hand, we're very pleased to see this significant of a decrease. This is actually the lowest number that we've had since [Department of Public Health] started collecting these numbers in 2013, but the goal is still zero," said Andy Ottoson, public health planner with the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission.

August is International Overdose Awareness Month, the world's largest annual campaign to end overdose, remember those lost without stigma, and acknowledge the grief of families and friends left behind. September is National Recovery Month, a national observance to educate the public on the importance of substance use treatment and mental health services.

Samantha Kendall of Berkshire Harm Reduction explained that it is truly meeting people where they are, as they are, and when they are, "and I think we all do a really great job at that."

"We also want to remember that we're building a community for everybody, and systems and policies for everybody. That's really important in harm reduction work, so that's also the reason we're here today," she said.

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