Federal CARES Act* dollars granted through Berkshire Taconic from 2021 through 2024 have transformed day-to-day operations for 10 food access organizations in Berkshire County.
Berkshire Taconic focused its portion of food security CARES dollars on kitchen and warehouse equipment to ensure continuity of food access to lower-income households and strengthen the local food access network over the long term. Over $1 million was mobilized to organizations serving over 50,000 residents.
Crucial equipment purchases, including extra refrigerators, stoves, warmers, and warehouse pallet jacks, have changed the game for CARES grantees. After over a year in use, we checked in with Elder Services of Berkshire County, Inc., and Berkshire Dream Center to learn how the new equipment has influenced their work.
Elder Services: Meals on Wheels
Elder Services of Berkshire County, Inc. (ESBCI) is a nonprofit organization providing a wide range of services and statewide resources to seniors and their caregivers for housing, nutrition, in-home care, and more. Their grant allowed new kitchen equipment and appliances to replace inefficient, 20+ year-old models beyond repair for their Senior Nutrition/Meals on Wheels program. Kathleen Phillips, Planning Development Specialist at Elder Services, shares that the new walk-in coolers, kettles, stoves, sinks, and cutters contribute to “an amazing” fast-paced assembly line of meal prep and packaging of over 1,000 hot meals per day. Seniors, caregivers, and individuals with disabilities receive daily meal deliveries, as do 15 Council on Aging sites across the county.
Phillips says Elder Services' kitchen staff is excited to work with the new equipment. Producing more meals in less time is vital, and there are built-in cost savings. The new appliances are energy-efficient, and there is no need for emergency repairs.
She notes that the upgrades and cost savings are even more essential, as the cost of producing each meal is rising alongside food insecurity. In addition, case managers are hearing from several seniors who are anxious about potential cuts to federal food assistance (SNAP). Despite this uncertainty, she says, “This is a good community. People are good at coming together to solve problems.” She shares that the federal CARES dollars “came at a perfect time” and that Elder Services could not have made any of these game-changing improvements without them. “It has made a difference to a whole operation.”
Berkshire Dream Center: Bright Morningstar Kitchen
Berkshire Dream Center’s (BDC) Bright Morningstar Kitchen also received federal dollars through BTCF. Housed in the former Morningside Baptist Church in Pittsfield, Mass., it is the neighborhood’s only restaurant-style soup kitchen. BDC provides various community programs that support children and families and is a SNAP provider.
BDC used its grant to purchase a walk-in cooler and freezer, steam table and warmers, a commercial ice machine, a meat slicer, and a commercial coffee maker. Founder, Executive Director, and Pastor Katelynn Miner shared that their food security project has seen “incredible growth and positive transformation” and that “the number of people we serve each month has significantly increased.” She’s enthusiastic about the state-of-the-art commercial kitchen and continues to create local awareness for it, inviting professional chefs to prepare five-star meals for the community. Recently, local chef Chris Bonivier, a food security activist and philanthropist who appeared on Food Network shows "Beat Bobby Flay" and "Chopped," visited to cook dinner for residents.
The dining experience is what sets its Morningstar Kitchen Project apart. “One of the most meaningful things we’ve heard is that people come to dinner not just for a meal but to avoid feeling isolated at home. Hearing them say they feel like part of a family and genuinely look forward to coming is at the heart of what we strive to create. With the rising cost of food and cuts to benefits, providing these meals has become even more important to them. Many individuals have expressed that they are truly struggling and rely on this to help meet their most basic needs.” Berkshire Dream Center’s goal is to expand its evening meal service from three nights per week to five, and the new kitchen has set them up perfectly to expand their program to meet increasing community need.
*Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) are provided via Massachusetts’ portion of the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act funding from the federal government.
Acknowledgments
Research for this article included collaboration with Berkshire Taconic’s Senior Community Engagement Officer for Initiatives & Special Projects, Emily Bronson, who oversaw BTCF’s CARES Act grantmaking. Additionally, we appreciate the firsthand insights from grantees and community partners Kathleen Phillips, Planning Development Specialist for Elder Services of Berkshire County, Inc. and Katelynn Miner, Founder, Executive Director and Pastor of The Berkshire Dream Center.
