Over $1 Million in Kitchen Equipment Helps Nonprofits Feed Berkshire County

By Deirdre McKenna / December 13, 2024

Berkshire Taconic has sent out its last round of Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) to ten local nonprofits providing food assistance to moderate and low-income individuals. These grants utilize funding provided by the Massachusetts CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act. For the funding to reach its intended recipients and have the greatest impact, the state partnered with community foundations for their grantmaking experience and local knowledge. BTCF was one of 13 community foundations across the state entrusted to re-grant these federal funds. 

BTCF decided to focus on supporting capital equipment purchases for food security infrastructure, knowing that this investment would have long term lasting benefits to organizations, helping them sustain and grow their operational capacity to reach more people. Nonprofits providing food assistance needed to solve challenges around collection, transport, storage and distribution. In some cases, additional kitchen space and updated equipment were crucial to being able to cook and prepare healthy meals in larger volume. At the close of this program, BTCF administered over $1 million total in grants for capital equipment purchases and improvements to organizations serving over 50,000 residents. 
 
Emily Bronson, Senior Community Engagement Officer for Initiatives & Special Projects at BTCF, spearheaded the coordination of the multi-year CDBG grantmaking program. She shares, “We are grateful to have had the opportunity to partner with the state to provide crucial support to organizations in our own backyard. These funds created the opportunity for organizations to serve the most vulnerable Berkshire residents with greater effectiveness and efficiency. "

Funded Projects:

  • Berkshire Dream Center’s "Bright Morningstar Kitchen" Expansion Project 
    Capital purchases for the neighborhood’s only restaurant-style soup kitchen increased efficiency to provide more healthy and fresh food to those in need within the Morningside Community in Pittsfield, considered a USDA food desert.  Purchases included a walk-in cooler & walk-in freezer, steam table and warmers, commercial ice machine, self-standing food warmer, meat slicer and a commercial coffee maker.   
  • BRIDGE, Mutual Aid: BRIDGE Food Security Program 
    BRIDGE brings foundational food and farming and gardening education to families. Kitchen equipment and storage capacity purchases increased efficiency in their Solidarity Kitchen supporting Berkshire County’s economically vulnerable residents. 90% of BRIDGE's recipients are individuals and families of color and others living in poverty, providing foster-care, caregiving for elders or individuals with disabilities, and children.  
  • Community Health Programs, Enhancing Access to Food in Berkshire County  
    CHP purchased a refrigerated van suitable for driving on rural roads to meet the increased demand for food access and support. The van picks up food from local farms and transports it to CHP locations for distribution. In addition, shelving, wagons, bins, coolers, ice packs, bags, and tables for the vehicle itself were purchased to expand and support operations throughout Berkshire County with the Mobile Food Pantry. 
  • Elder Services of Berkshire County, Inc., Senior Nutrition/Meals on Wheels Program 
    Funds provided new equipment to replace outdated and inefficient equipment for the Meals on Wheels Program. New equipment made it possible to efficiently prepare an increased number of meals to meet demand. Meals on Wheels prepares and distributes over 225,000 meals (950 per day) to the homes of seniors in Berkshire County every year. The program includes well-being checks conducted with each meal delivery. The interactions seniors have with their driver is often the only interaction they may have all day, which provides emotional support and decreases isolation. 
  • First Baptist Church of North Adams Kitchen Program 
    The church offers a Saturday soup kitchen, feeding 50-75 community members and houses a food pantry. Grant funding allowed volunteers to prepare meals at the church (versus at their own homes), which allowed them to serve a larger population and add another day of the week to offer meals. Funds purchased a new stove/oven unit with a grill, a larger capacity refrigerator, a larger capacity freezer, a new dishwasher, heated holding cabinets, a three-component sink, a microwave and shelving.
  • Food Bank of Western MA, Food Bank Food Distribution & SNAP Outreach & Application Assistance 
    Funds were used to purchase capital equipment for the distribution of food from the regional food bank to food pantries in Berkshire County. The new equipment improved efficiency and food safety by moving inventory more quickly and in a cleaner food-safe warehouse. Also funded were a reach truck and ride-on pallet jacks to significantly improve warehouse efficiency to receive, store, and distribute food faster. Also purchased were computers to improve food inventory management, SNAP outreach and application assistance. 
  • Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center, Community Center Kitchen 
    Updated kitchen facilities were funded (a walk-in refrigerator, freezers, a dishwasher, new cabinetry and flooring) which improved safety and efficiency for meal prep and allowed the center to provide a nutrition curriculum for youth and families in the Early Childhood Education program. This program teaches school-age youth to safely cook their own meals, access healthy food, and how to help grow their community out of food insecurity. 
  • Goodwill Industries, Fighting Hunger in the Berkshires 
    In order to maintain and expand food deliveries to North County families, Goodwill purchased a 26’ truck to supplement the acquisition and distribution of food beyond that provided through the Regional Food Bank. A growing number of families are reliant on Goodwill's distribution of food; the truck allows for the distribution of thousands more pounds of canned foods, fresh fruit, vegetables and frozen meat. 
  • South Congregational Church of Pittsfield MA, South Community Food Pantry 
    The South Community Food Pantry is the largest food pantry in Berkshire County, serving 900-1000 families weekly, including over 370 weekly home deliveries to elderly, people with disabilities and those without transportation. Funds purchased a new energy efficient and larger fridge and freezers. Need has increased and the pantry has expanded in-person pantry pickup hours. ‘Grab ‘n Go’ dinners and breakfasts are also available. 
  • Stanton Home, New Kitchen at Stanton Home 
    Stanton Home oversees a ten-acre residential farm, seven homes, multiple greenhouses, gardens, a food distribution center and farm store. The home has 30 residents and day program participants as well as 70+ staff in the low-to-moderate income category. During the Covid pandemic residents and staff experienced food insecurity on many levels. New kitchen equipment was purchased for a culinary vocational program and for improvements residents can utilize. Residents and staff have access to healthy, affordable food, daily lunches, prepared meals, products, and farm fresh produce on site at the farm and in the residential homes. The new kitchen equipment has provided a professional facility to process, store and package the food grown at Stanton Home and eliminates the reliance on higher-priced foods only available at stores.