Main Street Hospitality Group announces COVID compliance officer, new housekeeping partnership
Stockbridge — Main Street Hospitality Group CEO Sarah Eustis has announced the company’s appointment of its first COVID compliance officer.
As MSHG continues to welcome guests to its properties, the CCO makes monthly visits to each hotel for routine inspections and engagement with staff and leadership. A board-certified physician, the officer strictly adheres to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state, and government mandates. The officer also remains informed on the latest public health advancements in order to advise on any necessary changes to the hotels’ protocols and procedures.
MSHG also announced a new partnership with Blue Canary, a company that trains hotels in hospital-level cleaning methods and conducts regular check-ins. MSHG’s housekeeping leaders participated in three days of intensive sessions that focused on best practices and heightened awareness. Attendants were trained in techniques that include longer cleaning times; stronger disinfectants; new cleaning tools; and identifying critical, high-touch areas that require the most attention to ensure guest health and safety.
–E.E.
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Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires launches website to aid in COVID-19 recovery
Great Barrington — The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires has partnered with the Massachusetts Service Alliance and Cleveland-based technology firm Inspiring Service to launch an online platform for the Berkshire community to help in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Launched on Wednesday, GiveBackBerkshires.org features nonprofit profiles, stories of COVID-19’s impact, and real-time data such as volunteer hours lost, fundraisers canceled, and program and event revenue lost. The website is a digital extension of the Nonprofit Center’s Giving Back guide, which will appear Wednesday, Sept. 23, in the Berkshire Eagle. All Berkshire County nonprofits are invited to have a presence on the website at no charge thanks to sponsors Berkshire Bank, Inspiring Service and Massachusetts Service Alliance.
The Massachusetts Service Alliance is adopting the platform statewide for organizations to connect to volunteers and donors. As the community partner for the Berkshire region, the NPC will be joining the Cape, Metrowest and Boston regions in deploying this assessment, response and recovery tool. The aggregate regional data will assist funders, donors and others addressing nonprofit needs in directing their philanthropic dollars.
–E.E.
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Darrow School receives $1.5 million donation
New Lebanon, N.Y. — An alumnus from the Darrow School‘s class of 1971 has donated $1.5 million to create the Bill and Mary Makepeace Endowed Chair in Performing Arts. This donation supports the school’s Center for Musicianship and Performance, the first-ever endowed department chair in Darrow’s history.
Said Bill Makepeace: “I have been a playing and performing musician for over 50 years; my journey started at Darrow, playing music with other classmates. I have seen what can grow from a small seed planted with a gifted student at a young age. My years at Darrow might not have been completed without nurturing that seed each day, overlapping my other studies at the school.”
This gift will grow and broaden the programming of the performing arts center, which is headed by music director Andy Wrba. With this major gift, the Makepeaces have created a $500,000 matching challenge that will support the endowment.
–E.E.
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Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation announces fall grant deadlines
Sheffield — Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation has announced its fall deadlines for competitive grants in Berkshire County.
For nonprofits
The William J. and Margery S. Barrett Fund supports nonprofits, public agencies and community organizations serving the residents of Adams, Cheshire and Savoy. The committee will consider applications for the critical needs of organizations due to the pandemic. Applications are due Tuesday, Sept. 15.
The Berkshire Environmental Endowment Fund supports projects that focus on improving water quality and protecting the community’s natural resources. Berkshire County nonprofits, public agencies, schools and civic community entities may apply. Applicants must be able to match the grant in cash or in-kind services. Applications are due Wednesday, Sept. 30.
The Central Berkshire Fund supports nonprofits, public agencies and community organizations serving the residents of Becket, Cummington, Dalton, Hinsdale, Peru, Washington and Windsor. The committee will consider applications for the critical needs of organizations due to the pandemic. Applications are due Saturday, Oct. 10.
For schools
As schools reopen around the region during uncertain times, the committees of Berkshire Taconic’s education enrichment funds are working closely with school communities. These funds will award grants for projects that enhance and enrich the educational experience of students and teachers, with an emphasis on proposals that support social-emotional learning. Applications will be accepted from students, teachers, administrators, parents and members of the community:
- Berkshire Hills Fund for Excellence for the Berkshire Hills Regional School District, due Tuesday, Oct. 6;
- SEE Fund for Mount Greylock Regional School, due Tuesday, Oct. 6;
- Williamstown Elementary School Endowment Fund, due Tuesday, Oct. 6;
- Adams Cheshire Educational Partnership for the Adams-Cheshire Regional School District, due Thursday, Oct. 15;
- Seven Towns’ Education Partnership Fund for the Central Berkshire Regional School District, due Thursday, Oct. 15; and
- The Richmond Educational Enrichment Fund for Richmond Consolidated School, due Friday, Oct. 23.
For nonprofits and individuals
The Wassermann-Streit Y’DIYAH Memorial Fund supports projects that offer the public the opportunity to gain knowledge of Judaism in a meaningful and enjoyable way. Individuals, schools, libraries and other nonprofit organizations in Berkshire, Columbia, northwest Litchfield and northeast Dutchess counties may apply by Sunday, Nov. 1.
–E.E.
