I am thrilled to be writing to you as the fifth President of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. Having worked with our talented staff, dedicated board, generous donors, and volunteers for the past seven years, I have a deep admiration and affection for the extraordinary people who bring our mission to life. It is the honor of my career to be charged with leading such a “dream team” in shaping the foundation’s future.
A connection to place is the guiding force and unique strength of every community foundation, and the area we serve has long held a special place in my heart. Our four counties, spanning three states, form one of our country’s most scenic regions, enriched by engaged citizens, fearless nonprofits, and a vibrant creative economy. This is also a place of great need, unaffordable and out of reach for so many who work here.
One of our foundation’s core roles is to fortify our region’s nonprofits, which meet a wide range of community needs and provide vital resources to our most vulnerable residents. We are living in a precarious and frightening time for so many of our neighbors, who, along with the nonprofit sector—and civil society in general—are facing unprecedented threats and challenges.
At BTCF, we stand in solidarity with our nonprofit grantees and the people they serve. Our values will continue to guide our grantmaking, including our commitments to:
- The Equity Fund and its mission of advancing racial and social justice, with grantmaking by and for communities of color;
- Our Immigrant Support Funds, which provide direct cash assistance to families whose daily life is increasingly shaped by fear and threats of deportation, separation, and loss of income; and
- The recently-launched BTCF Guaranteed Income Pilot for Columbia County, to improve the financial stability and well-being of single parents with young children.
With our community by our side, we remain steadfast in our commitment to meet the challenges of the moment—and support our region’s essential work—with creativity and compassion. We look forward to harnessing our shared values and collective strength to guide our work in the months and years to come.
Warmly,
Kara Mikulich
