Lee Bank Foundation Awards $48K in Fourth Grant Cycle of 2025

Print Story | Email Story

LEE, Mass. —The Lee Bank Foundation has awarded $48,800 in its fourth grant cycle of 2025 to support thirteen Berkshire-based nonprofit organizations.

Established in 2021 to build on decades of community support by Lee Bank, the Foundation has expanded and formalized the Bank's philanthropic impact across Berkshire County.

Grant awards in this cycle ranged from $1,000 to $10,000 and will support initiatives aligned with the Foundation's core focus areas, including education, food security, economic development, health and human services, and workforce development.

The latest grant recipients are:

  • 18 Degrees
  • Becket Athenaeum
  • Berkshire Agricultural Ventures
  • Berkshire County Head Start
  • Berkshire Grown
  • Berkshire Immigrant Center
  • Berkshire Pulse
  • Latinas413
  • Neighborhood Ninjas
  • NESEA for Cooler Communities
  • Outreach, Inc.
  • Sheffield Farmers' Market
  • The Nonprofit Center

Nonprofit organizations interested in applying for the next round of funding, with applications due by March 2, 2026, can find application details in the Community Impact section of leebank.com.

To be considered, applicants must have 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. The Foundation prioritizes program-based grants aligned with one or more of the following focus areas:

  • Education and literacy
  • Food security and nutrition
  • Economic growth and development
  • Health and human services
  • Mentorship, internship, and school-to-work initiatives

Organizations are eligible to receive funding once per 12-month period.

 


Tags: lee bank,   

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

Puppeteer Carl Sprague to Present 'Hansel & Gretel' at Ventfort Hall

LENOX, Mass. — The popular puppeteer Carl Sprague will return to Ventfort Hall Gilded Age Mansion and Museum in Lenox with "Hansel & Gretel" for two school vacation week marionette performances. 
 
The dates and times are Thursday, Feb. 19 and Friday, Feb. 20, both at 3:30 pm. The audiences will have the opportunity to meet Sprague, who knows how to pull strings.
 
"Hansel & Gretel" is a classic German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm about two siblings abandoned in the woods who find a house made of sweets, owned by a witch intending to eat them. The clever children outsmart her by pushing her into her own oven, and escape with her treasures to find their way home. This fairy tale symbolizes themes of cleverness, survival, and greed vs. kindness, stated a press release.
 
Sprague, who has appeared annually at Ventfort Hall with his "behind the scenery" mastery, has been a puppeteer since childhood.  He inherited a collection of 60 antique Czech marionettes, each about eight inches tall, that were assembled by his great-grandfather, Julius Hybler.  Hybler's legacy also includes two marionette theaters. 
 
Also, Sprague has been a set designer for such motion pictures as "The Royal Tenenbaums" and Scorcese's "The Age of Innocence," as well as for theater productions including those of Shakespeare & Company. 
 
Admission to the show is $20 per person; $10 for children 4-17 and free for age 3 and under. Children must be accompanied by adults. 
 
Reservations are required as seating is limited and can be made on line at https://gildedage.org/pages/calendar or by calling (413) 637-3206. Walk-ins will be accommodated as space allows. The historical mansion is located at 104 Walker Street in Lenox.
View Full Story

More Lenox Stories