Berkshire Bank Foundation Awards Nearly $10,000 To Four Central Massachusetts Nonprofits

Pittsfield, MA – Berkshire Bank Foundation is excited to announce that it has awarded $9,000 in grants and pledges to four nonprofit organizations in Central Massachusetts during their third quarter grants cycle.

The funding from Berkshire Bank Foundation supported a variety of organizations, some of which include:

  • Center for Women & Enterprise, Westborough, MA - received a grant to support their teaching financial capability programs in Central, MA.
  • Straight Ahead Ministries, Worcester, MA - received a grant to support their Worcester Youth ReEntry Project.
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of MetroWest, Framingham, MA - received a grant to support their afterschool educational programs for at-risk youth.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to provide this level of support to these important nonprofits," said Lori Gazzillo, Director of Berkshire Bank Foundation. "We are proud to partner with these great organizations as we work together to strengthen our communities."

In addition to financial support, XTEAM®, Berkshire Bank's nationally acclaimed Employee Volunteer Program, provides employees with paid time off to volunteer during regular business hours. Aside from their ongoing volunteer projects, Bank employees recently completed their Xtraordinary Day of Service on June 7 in which 95% of the company's employees donated over 4,500 hours of service to benefit 54 organizations across the Bank's service area. The volunteer program is another way for the Bank to give back to the communities it serves.

About Berkshire Bank Foundation

Through foundation grants to nonprofits, scholarships to students, environmental programs, and employee volunteerism, Berkshire Bank is making a difference. Each year the Foundation donates over $1.8 million to nonprofits in the Bank's footprint and employees provide over 40,000 hours of volunteer service. Berkshire Bank was named one of Massachusetts Most Charitable Companies in 2016 by the Boston Business Journal. To learn more about Berkshire Bank Foundation, visit https://clicktime.cloud.postoffice.net/clicktime.php?X=XID824ukgo6c7339Xd2&U=www.berkshirebank.com%2Fcommunity&T=BERK&HV=
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About Berkshire Bank 

Berkshire Hills Bancorp (NYSE: BHLB) is the parent of Berkshire Bank, America's Most Exciting Bank®. The Company, recognized for its entrepreneurial approach and distinctive culture, has $7.9 billion in assets and 91 full service branch offices in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, and Vermont providing personal and business banking, insurance, and wealth management services. The company has a pending agreement to acquire First Choice Bank, a $1.1 billion bank with eight branches in Princeton, New Jersey area and a national mortgage originations subsidiary. To learn more, visit https://clicktime.cloud.postoffice.net/clicktime.php?X=XID824ukgo6c7339Xd2&U=www.berkshirebank.com&T=BERK&HV=
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, call 800-773-5601 or follow us on: Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Berkshire Bank is the official bank of NESN's Boston Bruins coverage.

Contact: Heidi Higgins
             Berkshire Bank
             Phone: (413) 236-3756
             E-Mail: hhiggins@berkshirebank.com

             Vanessa Pesa
             Berkshire Bank
             Phone: 413-447-1851
             E-Mail: vpesa@berkshirebank.com