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MONTHLY NEWS / SEPTEMBER 2018
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Rolling Grocer 19 Coordinator Selha "Cece" Graham was excited to help shoppers at the grand opening of the mobile market in Hudson on Sept. 19. "We're bringing organic, local food to residents, and the tiered pricing system is groundbreaking. I'm proud to be a part of it," she said. Read more below. Photo: Darryl Gangloff
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Program, Philanthropy & Leadership Highlights
Grocery Store on Wheels: Rolling Grocer 19, an innovative mobile market full of wholesome, locally sourced food, officially hit the road in Hudson, N.Y., this month with support from our Fresh and Healthy Food for All initiative. A three-tiered fair pricing model allows shoppers to pay what they can afford, ensuring food accessibility for all. Rolling Grocer 19 is open five days a week throughout the year at various Hudson locations as outlined on the market's website, with plans to ultimately expand to all of Columbia County.
Strengthening Town Centers: As part of our focus to increase economic opportunity as a strategic priority for our four-county region, we are accepting emails of intent through Oct. 2 for our Community Development Collaborations initiative. The program, formerly known as HousingUs, will provide one-year grants of up to $10,000 for nonprofits, community organizations, public agencies and town committees to plan and implement outreach activities that will help improve the economic well-being of residents and/or sustain town centers as commercial and civic hubs.
Tax Law and Charitable Giving: BTCF President Peter Taylor discussed the impact of the new federal tax law on charitable giving with attorneys, accountants, financial planners, trust officers, insurance agents and other professional advisors at a seminar hosted by the Berkshire County Estate Planning Council on Sept. 12. Trevor Forbes, president and chief investment officer of the Renaissance Investment Group, and Martin Huban III and Laurie Swint, partners at Brazee & Huban, completed the Tax Topic Trifecta.
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Board, Staff and Committee News
New Staff Member: Tim Wilmot, Ph.D., has joined our team as director of strategy, evaluation and learning. In this new position, Tim will develop and refine program strategies, evaluate the foundation's impact and promote learning among staff, board and donors about our priorities and issues facing the region. He was previously the director of strategic learning at the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust in Phoenix, Ariz. Email Tim or call 413.429.8419.
New Area Fund Committee Members: We are pleased to welcome new members to our area fund committees, which conduct grantmaking in specific geographic sectors of our four-county region. Joining our committed group of local leaders are: Van Ellet of Williamstown, Mass. (Fund for Williamstown); BTCF Board Vice Chair Robert Norris of Great Barrington, Mass. (South Berkshire County Fund); and Ellen Janis of North Adams, Mass., Daniel Shandor of Lanesborough, Mass., and Candace Wall of Stamford, Vt. (James and Robert Hardman Fund).
Thirty Years of Activism: Rachel Fletcher, who sat on the Berkshire Taconic board from 1999 to 2008, has retired after 30 years as the founding director of the Housatonic River Walk in Great Barrington. A celebration was held in her honor at Crissey Farm on Sept. 13. Read about Rachel's inspiring work in the Berkshire Edge.
We're Hiring: We are seeking a Community Engagement Officer for Philanthropic Services who will advance our relationship development, donor stewardship, competitive grant and area fund programs. Learn more
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Grants in the News
Produce for Pantries:
Backyard Bounty of the Berkshires, a nonprofit that has received support from the Green Pastures Fund, is in its second year of harvesting food for those in need. Read about the good work of the founders, who recently won the Rising Star award from the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires, and their group of dedicated volunteers in the Berkshire Eagle.
Shoes for Children: The Northeast Dutchess Fund awarded $3,000 to the Susie Reizod Foundation to purchase new shoes for children from low-income families living in northeast Dutchess County. The award was highlighted as good news last month in the Poughkeepsie Journal.
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Poetry Reading: Tyree Daye, the 25th and current recipient of the Amy Clampitt residency, will read from "River Hymns," his collection of poetry that won the 2017 American Poetry Review/Honickman First Book Prize, at the Bookstore in Lenox, Mass., on Thursday, Oct. 4, at 5:30 p.m. For over a decade, the residency program has provided poets and literary scholars a paid six- or 12-month stay at Clampitt's former home near Lenox, where they can focus exclusively on their work.
Evening Workshop: The Becket Athenaeum hosts a series of evening workshops funded by a grant from the Central Berkshire Fund. The next free event will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 23, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and will outline how to contact your state representatives and senators.
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