PITTSFIELD, MA, July 14, 2016 – Berkshire Bank announced today that its charitable Foundation awarded $1,120,862 in grants from January 1, 2016 to June 30, 2016 to nonprofit organizations across Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut and Vermont.
In addition to supporting organizations within the Foundation’s funding focus areas of education, community and economic development projects, it also donated to youth, cultural and human service organizations that provide vital services to the community. Berkshire Bank Foundation, Inc. plans to award more than $1.8 million this year to nonprofit organizations across the Bank’s service area.
In total, 365 nonprofit organizations received grants from the Foundation during the first half of 2016 including the following recent grant recipients:
Berkshire County, MA:
- 1Berkshire Strategic Alliance Foundation
- Berkshire Community Action Council
- Berkshire Family YMCA
- Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity
Pioneer Valley, MA:
- Baystate Health Foundation
- Brightside for Families & Children
- Chicopee Neighborhood Development Corporation
- ReGreen Springfield
Central, MA
- The New England Center for Children
- OARS, Inc.
- Veterans Inc.
- YWCA of Central Massachusetts
Eastern, MA:
- HomeStart, Inc.
- The Jimmy Fund
- Merrimack Valley Housing Partnership, Inc.
- Victory Programs, Inc.
Capital District, NY:
- Center for Disability Services
- Girls, Inc. of the Greater Capital District
- Parsons Child & Family Center
- Capital District YMCA
Central, NY:
- Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection
- Mohawk Valley EDGE
- SUNY Polytechnic Institute Foundation
- United Way of the Valley & Greater Utica Area
Connecticut
- InterCommunity Recovery Centers, Inc.
- Interval House
- Connecticut Science Center
- YMCA of Greater Hartford
Vermont:
- Bennington Museum
- Hunger Free Vermont
- Vermont Humanities Council
- United Ways of Vermont
Lori Gazzillo, Vice President and Director of Berkshire Bank Foundation, applauded the efforts of these and many other organizations working to improve and enrich community life throughout the Bank’s footprint: “We are so pleased to be able to continue to support the important work of so many vital organizations making an impact in all of the communities that we serve,” she said.
In addition to financial support, the XTEAM®, Berkshire’s nationally acclaimed Employee Volunteer Program, provides employees with paid time off to volunteer during regular business hours; another way the Bank gives back to the community. 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.
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. In 2015, Berkshire Bank was named one of Massachusetts’ Most Charitable Companies by the Boston Business Journal. This year, Berkshire Bank and NESN teamed up to raise $38,000 for Habitat for Humanity by donating funds to the Hockey 4 Housing campaign each time the Boston Bruins achieved a penalty kill. To learn more about Berkshire Bank Foundation, visit www.berkshirebank.com/community
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 $7.8 billion in assets and 93 full service branch offices in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, and Vermont providing personal and business banking, insurance, and wealth management services. In 2015, Berkshire Bank was named one of Massachusetts Most Charitable Companies by the Boston Business Journal. To learn more, visit www.berkshirebank.com, call 800-773-5601 or follow us on: Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Berkshire Bank, is the official bank of NESN’s Boston Bruins coverage
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Media Contact:
Heidi Higgins
AVP Marketing
hhiggins@berkshirebank.com
(413) 236-3756