The Season of Giving: Ways to Give Back to the Berkshires
You’re washing the attic stench off of your sweaters, your deck is slick with a thin sheet of frost, and your dad keeps calling you to see if you’ve put your snow tires on yet (you haven’t). You know what that means – it’s the holiday season! With the holidays quickly approaching, we want to share some of the ways you can give back, as well as a few of the ways we gave back to our beloved Berkshires community this year.
The Pass Dispensary Berkshire Community Partners
Throughout the year, The Pass donates a portion of our proceeds from our philanthropic brand, Berkshire Bud, to impactful organizations in our community. These organizations strive to make the Berkshires ample with opportunity and diverse culture, thus improving the community as a whole. Here are some of the organizations we donated to this year:
Berkshire Black Economic Council (BBEC)
(BBEC) is a Pittsfield-based non-profit that fosters Black businesses and introduces policies to spur economic development in the Berkshires and the Commonwealth. They host programs that inspire local partnerships and increase supplier diversity by raising awareness of the issues local Black entrepreneurs experience and solving barriers to their prosperity.
The Elizabeth Freeman Center
With offices in Pittsfield, North Adams, and Great Barrington, the (EFC) is a vital resource for individuals facing life-and-death issues related to domestic abuse and sexual assault. Through sheltering, advocacy, education, and other social services, EFC is an incredibly remarkable resource for abuse victims in our county.
Berkshire Pride
Providing safe spaces and events where LGBTQIA+ community members can live and thrive as their authentic selves is what Berkshire Pride is all about. In addition to helping individuals —from Rainbow Seniors and the youth-led Q Club to everyone in between—Berkshire Pride also promotes and educates others on the principles of creating truly safe spaces where no one ever feels marginalized or unwelcome.
Berkshire Natural Resource Council (BNRC)
Committed to protecting and preserving the natural beauty and ecological integrity of the Berkshires, BNRC actively maintains trails throughout the Berkshires so they can be enjoyed by all. As a non-profit, BNRC relies on donations from individuals and community partners to keep land open and accessible. Similarly to our previously mentioned Berkshire Bud donations, we fund our donations to BNRC through our TrailBlazers product, with a portion of the proceeds of every sale going directly to the environmental group.
Berkshire Bounty
The good folks at Berkshire Bounty and their army of more than 100 volunteers work daily to ensure everyone in the county has access to sufficient nutritious food for themselves and their families. As our yearly tradition, we have set up a food drive in our retail location for customers to bring in nonperishables. At the end of the month, all of the donations go to Berkshire Bounty, which then disperses them to areas with a great risk of food insecurity within our county.
Where Can You Donate in the Berkshires?
While the Berkshires is a beautiful county with great opportunities for many, there are undoubtedly areas of need, especially around the holidays. You may be feeling the urge to help out in some way this season, but the idea of impactfully donating feels unobtainable. Well, donating doesn’t have to just be about giving money. Between donating your time, your excess essentials, or cash where you can spare it, there are several ways to give back this giving season. Here are a few:
Louison House
Louison House is a private non-profit organization established to serve the Northern Berkshire County community facing homelessness. Helping both families and individuals, Louison House provides transitional and permanent housing as well as a whole host of other services. While they take monetary donations, they also accept goods like cleaning supplies, toiletries, and clothing, which is especially important as winter approaches.
Elder Services of Berkshire County
This Pittsfield-based non-profit organization provides Berkshire elders, caregivers, and individuals with disabilities with essential care and the opportunity to achieve the highest possible quality of life. Elder Services offers a plethora of volunteer opportunities, from grocery shopping to food services, money management, companionship programs, and more. There are so many different ways you can help out your elderly community.
Berkshire Food Project
Another service opportunity for our north county friends, Berkshire Food Project, is a no-cost, no-questions-asked meal site at the First Congregational Church in North Adams, providing hot, nutritious meals every weekday. You can volunteer your time to provide these weekly meals between prep, cooking, serving, dishwashing, and cleaning up.
Local Food Pantries
Even if there aren’t many volunteer opportunities near you, there is likely a food pantry in your town for some of your fellow residents struggling with food insecurity. Check out Project Bread to find a food bank in your area.
The Season of Giving in the Berkshires
The Berkshires is a wonderful place to live, vacation, and operate a business — and part of that relies on the tight-knit community that pulls for each other in times of need. If you want to help out this year, take a look at some of the aforementioned organizations or find one that resonates with you the most. Happy Holidays, everybody, and happy Season of Giving from The Pass!