May 1, 2020

Sheffield, Mass. – Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation today announced nine new grants totaling nearly $90,000 from the Columbia County COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, the foundation’s ongoing effort to raise and distribute new resources for nonprofit organizations serving residents disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

To date, the fund has awarded nearly $150,000 to 17 organizations. Approximately 40% of grants have focused on low-income families, 20% on seniors and 9% each on immigrants and people with mental illness. Services being provided by nonprofit grant recipients include emergency food (57%), rent support (17%), and counseling and child care, at 9% each.

“Thanks to generous donors, we are grateful to be able to continue our support for Columbia County nonprofits serving many of our neighbors in greatest need,” said Berkshire Taconic President Peter Taylor. “We all must continue to invest in organizations that are stepping in and playing critical roles supporting unmet and sometimes invisible needs in this crisis.”

Berkshire Taconic staff and local residents, including volunteer members of BTCF’s Fund for Columbia County committee, are reviewing and awarding grants on a rolling basis during the crisis as funding permits. More than 60 generous individual donors, corporations and foundations have contributed over $335,000 to the fund. The foundation encourages those who can to make a donation at BerkshireTaconic.org/ColumbiaCOVID19. One hundred percent of gifts go directly to nonprofits.

Grantee List:

Abode Farm: $5,500 to increase the number of subsidized Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares for low-income children, families and seniors in New Lebanon, in partnership with schools and nonprofits.

Coarc, the Columbia County Chapter of the Arc New York: $15,000 for food and nutritional supplements for the 400 individuals with disabilities and their families the organization serves countywide.

Columbia Children’s Center: $10,000 for operating support to provide care and three meals a day for the children of essential workers.

Columbia-Greene Community Foundation at Columbia-Greene Community College: $15,000 to provide financial support for students for costs such as tuition, housing, child care and food.

Friends of Hudson Youth: $12,000 for twice-weekly grocery deliveries to vulnerable families at four public housing sites in Hudson.

Kite’s Nest: $13,800 to keep Hudson’s only community garden safely open to serve fresh and healthy food to an estimated 200-plus low-income immigrants.

National Alliance on Mental Illness of Columbia County: $5,000 for videoconferencing fees and technical support for its website to promote services for individuals and families.

ReEntry Columbia: $6,946 to provide food and hygiene products, rental assistance and clothing to parolees, newly released or otherwise justice-involved residents who lack support systems.

Rolling Grocer 19: $5,000 to increase its outreach and food distribution to vulnerable populations, including children and youth from low-income households and seniors.

 

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