Berkshire Bank, a leading socially responsible community-dedicated bank with financial center locations in New England and New York, announced more than $2.8 million in Foundation philanthropic investments during 2022. During the fourth quarter of 2022 (October 1- December 31), more than $764,000 was contributed to help the communities Berkshire Bank serves. The grants awarded cover a wide range of projects that help foster upward economic mobility, support overall well-being, and enhance opportunities for individual and small business success, particularly for underrepresented populations. The investments also support the Company’s BEST Community Comeback which includes a planned $15 million in community contributions by the end of 2024.
In total, Berkshire’s Foundation assisted 155 nonprofit organizations during the fourth quarter of 2022 through grants supporting a wide range of critical projects like food insecurity, health, wellness, homelessness, educational advancement, arts, culture, diversity, and inclusion. The Berkshire Bank Foundation is committed to supporting programs that work toward providing equitable opportunities for economic prosperity. In addition, the Foundation supports programs that align with Berkshire Bank’s Center for Women, Wellness, and Wealth (CWWW) to provide opportunities for women to build a future enriched with financial stability, balance, and growth.
“We are so proud of the impact we have made collectively at Berkshire Bank through our financial support and volunteer service,” said Lori Gazzillo Kiely, Director of the Berkshire Bank Foundation. During 2022, Berkshire Bank employees donated more than 23,000 volunteer hours to help our communities,” she added. Kiely continued, “We are pleased to continue to support non-profits doing great work to positively impact individuals, families, and small businesses within our Berkshire Bank footprint.”
The grant recipients listed below are just a sample of the projects Berkshire Bank has supported to strengthen organizations throughout MA, NY, CT, RI, and VT. They include:
- Berkshire Resources for the Integration of Diverse Groups and Education, Inc. (MA)
- Berkshire Black Economic Council, Inc. (MA)
- Bennington Museum, Inc. (VT)
- Columbia County Recovery Kitchen (NY)
- Catholic Charities Worcester County (MA)
- Cradles to Crayons (MA)
- Connecticut Children’s Medical Center Foundation, Inc. (CT)
- Disability Policy Consortium (MA)
- Double H Ranch (NY)
- Fenway Community Development Corporation (MA)
- Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell (MA)
- Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective (CT)
- Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless (NY)
- Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection (NY)
- Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art Foundation, Inc. (MA)
- Peoples Equal Action And Community Effort (PEACE) Inc (NY)
- Quinebaug Valley Community College Foundation (CT/RI)
- Rhode Island Black Storytellers (RI)
- Rhode Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (RI)
- Rescue Mission of Syracuse (NY)
- Salve Regina University (CT/RI)
- Sculpture Now (MA)
- Springfield Museums (MA)
- Thames Valley Council for Community Action, Inc. (CT/RI)
- The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Inc. (MA)
- The Reading League, Inc. (NY)
- The Springfield Puerto Rican Parade (MA)
- The Vermont Food Bank (VT)
- UMass Memorial Health Care (MA)
- Urban League of Greater Hartford, Inc. (CT)
- YMCA of Greater Boston (MA)
- Vermont Symphony Orchestra (VT)
- Women’s Business Development Council (CT/RI)
Additional details on the Foundation’s grant programs and focus areas can be found at berkshirebank.com/foundation.
About Berkshire Bank
Berkshire Bank, founded in 1846, is becoming a high-performing, leading, socially responsible community bank. It empowers the financial potential of its stakeholders by making banking available where, when and how it’s needed through an uncompromising focus on exceptional customer service, digital banking, and positive community impact. Providing a wide range of financial solutions through its consumer banking, commercial banking and wealth management divisions, the bank has approximately $11.7 billion in assets and a community-based footprint of 100 financial centers in Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Headquartered in Boston, Berkshire Hills Bancorp (NYSE: BHLB) is the parent of Berkshire Bank. Named one of America’s Most Trusted Companies 2022 by Newsweek, Berkshire is also listed in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index and a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality. To learn more, visit www.berkshirebank.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.