Introducing the Immigrant Support Funds
Investing in Dignity, Equity, and Belonging Across Our Region
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation is proud to launch Immigrant Support Funds in each of the four counties we serve—Berkshire, Columbia, northeast Dutchess, and northwest Litchfield. Initially, these funds will provide direct financial assistance and programmatic support to immigrants, refugees, and undocumented residents who are facing mounting barriers in our communities.
Our Mission
The Immigrant Support Fund will support immigrants in the Berkshire Taconic region by investing in programs that meet essential needs and create pathways to stability and opportunity. The Fund provides funding for human services, direct cash assistance, legal support, and access to education and workforce development.
Rooted in the belief that strong communities are built on inclusion and equity, the Fund helps ensure that immigrants can thrive and fully participate in the social, economic, and civic life of our region.
Responding to Crisis, Building for the Future
This Fund is designed to exist beyond the current emergency. In the short term, we are focused on mobilizing resources to provide emergency relief as circumstances evolve. Long term, the Fund will continue to address systemic inequities and invest in community strength and resilience.
A Legacy of Quiet Support
In 2021, BTCF was entrusted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to distribute emergency cash assistance to undocumented immigrants, a response made necessary by the pandemic and federal policy. Over three years, $1.2 million was distributed in Berkshire County alone through our trusted network of nonprofits. The impact was deep and dignified—and largely invisible by design.
We now take that work forward with greater visibility and renewed resolve.
The Current Crisis
For many immigrants in our region, daily life is shaped by fear. Raids by ICE, threats of detention, and the uncertainty of shifting federal policies have forced families into the shadows. Parents are too afraid to send their children to school or visit food pantries. Some are losing income because they’re too scared to go to work.
And even without these threats, the barriers are already immense—language gaps, ineligibility for public benefits, off-the-books jobs with no legal protections, and lack of access to reliable housing or transportation. Together, these challenges make it nearly impossible to get help.
How the Funds Work
Each county-specific Immigrant Support Fund will channel flexible direct cash support through trusted local partners. Our goal is to get resources to families quickly and directly while also supporting the systems that help people move from survival to stability.
The Power of Direct Cash Assistance
For immigrants facing urgent challenges—from job loss and housing insecurity to legal fees and medical emergencies—direct cash assistance is one of the most effective and immediate tools we have. It provides flexibility, dignity, and relief, allowing individuals and families to address their most pressing needs without delay or red tape.
Unlike traditional aid programs that may be difficult to access due to language barriers, immigration status, or complex eligibility requirements, direct cash assistance reaches people quickly and respectfully.
Join Us!
This is a call to action—for donors, neighbors, businesses, and institutions. Together, we can stand for a region where everyone has the opportunity to belong, contribute, and thrive. Families can stay together, stay safe, and begin to rebuild with dignity and hope.
Donate Today
Berkshire County Immigrant Support Fund Columbia County Immigrant Support Fund
NE Dutchess County Immigrant Support Fund NW Litchfield County Immigrant Support Fund
In addition to the BTCF Immigrant Support Funds, these resources are also helping our immigrant community now and in the future:
The New World Fund has been providing scholarship and program support for new immigrants (5 years or less) to the Berkshires since 2000.
The New Americans Fund has been established as an endowment that will provide enduring support for immigrants in Berkshire County, Mass., who are striving to overcome financial hardship.
The New Americans Fund
Questions?
Please contact Kelly Sweet, Interim Director, Philanthropic Services
413.717.7036 Email.