Berkshire Bounty Gathers Community Members to Commemorate 10 Years
GREAT BARRINGTON — Berkshire Bounty, a 501(c)(3) food access organization, just commemorated its tenth year.
On Sept. 10, 100 guests—volunteers, partners, friends, and community members—gathered to eat, drink, recognize the organization's history, and look forward to the future of the organization.
"We were so grateful to gather with so many people who have helped shape Berkshire Bounty over the last decade, who have all played a part in helping good food reach the people and places that need it most," said Morgan Ovitsky, Berkshire Bounty's Executive Director
Berkshire Bounty was founded in 2016 to enlist volunteers to pick fruit from local orchards for delivery to feeding assistance programs. In 2019, the organization expanded its strategy to include food donated by local supermarkets. With the pandemic, food insecurity increased rapidly, and Berkshire Bounty shifted to add purchased food into its distribution programs. As its impact grew, Berkshire Bounty was called upon to participate in food drives and food security initiatives to address the needs of at-risk populations.
Today, Berkshire Bounty has evolved to implement programs that meet the basic needs of vulnerable people while working on "upstream" solutions to address systemic issues.
Jenny Schwartz, Berkshire Bounty's Program Manager, spoke about the dynamics of working with volunteers and community members on the shared goal of ending hunger in Berkshire County, stating that it was an honor and a privilege to have these partnerships.
"I would rather not have to do this work, but here we are," she said. "And I'm glad we can do this together. What started 10 years ago has grown into something much bigger than any one person or program. It has become a community – one built through shared time, generosity, local partnerships, and a belief that we can do more when we work together."
The event was sponsored by Guido's Fresh Marketplace, Adams Community Bank, and NBT Bank.
