Berkshire Bank Awards Us a Generous Grant!

The Pittsfield Family YMCA is proud to be the recipient of a $10,000 grant from Berkshire Bank to be used for capital improvement.

Specifically, the grant will be applied toward upgrading the Y’s HVAC.

Peter J. Lafayette, Executive Director of the Berkshire Bank Foundation stated “We are pleased to make this grant to the Pittsfield Family YMCA to carry out climate control improvements which will result in energy cost savings and help ensure a comfortable environment for its users. This is an important downtown Pittsfield institution and we want to do our part to help it stay strong and responsive to community needs.”

The Y plans to make these renovations in the near future and also plans to raise additional capital grants to do other improvements.

“We are proud to have received this generous grant from Berkshire Bank,” said CEO and Executive Director Randy Kinnas.

“Our members have voiced, and these improvements will make a difference in our members’ and guests’ experience with us while helping us to continue our mission of strengthening our communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility,” Kinnas said.

Berkshire Bank Foundation Inc. and Berkshire Bank Foundation – Legacy Region the charitable arms of Berkshire Bank, America’s Most Exciting Bank^SM, are leaders in philanthropy and community involvement.  The foundations’ mission is to enhance the quality of life in Berkshire Bank’s footprint by providing priority funding to education and community/economic development projects.  They also fund programs dedicated to the arts, education, and human services. Each year the two foundations award nearly $1.3 million to nonprofit organizations in their footprint.

In addition to monetary giving, the Berkshire Bank has a large Employee Volunteer Program that carries out group community service projects benefiting schools, non-profit organizations and communities within the bank’s service area.  In 2011, Berkshire Bank employees completed 67 volunteer projects in which over 50% of Berkshire’s employees participated donating over 26,000 hours of service through both company-sponsored and individual volunteer efforts to help their local communities. The American Bankers Association honored Berkshire Bank with their National Certificate of Recognition for Community Involvement through their Community Bank Awards program in early 2012.
For more information, visit www.berkshirebank.com/foundation, “Like” them on www.facebook.com/BerkshireBank or email foundation@berkshirebank.com