Lee Bank Foundation Awards $55K In First Grant Cycle of 2026

LEE, Mass. — The Lee Bank Foundation has awarded $55,000 in its first grant cycle of 2026 to support thirteen Berkshire-based nonprofit organizations.

Grant awards in this cycle ranged from $500 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 strength of our community comes from the organizations doing the work every day to support Berkshire County residents," said Chuck Leach, President and CEO of Lee Bank. "Through the Foundation, we are proud to invest in programs that create opportunity, address critical needs, and make a meaningful difference across the region."

The recipients in this grant cycle are:

• AdLib
• Berkshire Community Diaper Project
• Berkshire Film & Media Collaborative
• Berkshire Humane Society
• Berkshire Innovation Center
• Hilltown Village
• Lee Youth Association
• Literacy Network of South Berkshire
• Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center
• Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arts
• Momentum Ag
• Railroad Street Youth Project
• The Mount

Nonprofit organizations interested in applying for the next round of funding, due by June 1, 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 during a 12-month period.

St. Mary's Wins Northern Berkshire Babe Ruth Tournament

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires.com Sports
08:23PM / Sunday, June 28, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Dom Newton struck out eight in five innings on the mound and went 2-for-4 at the plate Sunday to lead the Southern Berkshire Babe Ruth St. Mary’s team to a 12-7 win over Moresi and Associates in the championship game of the inaugural Northern Berkshire 15-year-old Babe Ruth Tournament at Alcombright Field.

 

Newton doubled, drove in a pair of runs and scored twice for St. Mary’s, which jumped on top with a three-run first inning and never relinquished the lead.

 

Newton allowed two earned runs before giving the ball to Mason Bailey, who pitched two scoreless innings in the sixth and seventh.

 

The long outing from the St. Mary’s starter helped it get through a run of four games in three days, including the semi-finals and finals on Sunday.

 

“We kind of planned it out,” St. Mary’s coach Jeffrey Simmons said. “Cam [Simmons] threw on Friday. He pitched the whole game there. And we saved Dom, who is one of our aces as well, for today.”

 

Simmons struck out 12 in 5 and a third innings in a 9-6 win over North Adams Fire Department on Friday; he also went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBIs in that game.

 

Simmons played behind the plate in two of St. Mary’s four wins, including the finale, when he tripled in a run, walked twice and scored three times en route to earning the tournament’s most valuable player award.