Josh Billings Athletes Can Support Local Non-Profits
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. - A new fundraising initiative is giving participants in one of the Berkshires’ most recognized community traditions a simple way to support local nonprofits.
Launched this year by the Josh Billings RunAground and Mill Town Foundation, the Finish Line Fund allows participating teams to select a Berkshire-based nonprofit and invite friends, family members, colleagues, and others to support the organization through a team fundraising page.
With time still remaining before the Sept. 20 event, participating teams already have raised more than $16,000 for local nonprofits.
“The Finish Line Fund is about expanding participation in local philanthropy,” said Andy Wrba, Program Director at Mill Town Foundation. “You don’t need to make a large gift to have an impact. When hundreds of people contribute $10 or $20 to organizations they care about, those individual gifts can add up to something significant. We want to make local giving accessible, personal, and connected to an event people are already excited to be part of.”
Rather than directing all fundraising to a single beneficiary, the Finish Line Fund places the choice in the hands of participants. Teams select a Berkshire nonprofit that is meaningful to them and use their own networks and personal stories to build support for the organization. Donations made through each team’s fundraising page go directly to its selected nonprofit.
The initiative reflects a peer-to-peer approach to philanthropy in which individuals become ambassadors for the organizations and causes they value. In addition to raising funds, the program is designed to introduce more people to Berkshire nonprofits, expand their networks of supporters, and encourage community members to see themselves as active participants in local giving.
To encourage broad participation, Mill Town Foundation will also contribute an additional $500 to the nonprofit represented by each of the five teams that attracts the greatest number of individual donors. The incentive is based on the number of unique supporters – not the total amount raised – reinforcing the message that gifts of every size matter.
“We are intentionally recognizing participation rather than only rewarding the largest fundraising totals,” Wrba said. “A $5 contribution can represent someone’s first connection to a local organization, their first time learning about its work, or the first time they see themselves as a local donor. Each of those connections has value beyond the individual gift.”
The Finish Line Fund is being introduced in conjunction with the Josh Billings RunAground, a longstanding Berkshire tradition now in its 49th year. The event brings together athletes, volunteers, families, and spectators from across the region, providing a community platform for the initiative. The Finish Line Fund extends that impact beyond race day by connecting the Josh Billings community with charitable organizations throughout Berkshire County.
Teams may continue creating fundraising pages and inviting supporters to participate leading up to the Sept. 20 event. No contribution is too small - or too large - and every donor counts toward the participation challenge.
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