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Business Briefs: Entry to Entrepreneurship applications open; BTCF grants for housing workshops; the Mount exceeds match challenge; autism organization name change; new Berkshire United Way board members

BerkShares' Entry to Entrepreneurship program offers a forum in which young people can learn the fundamental tools and considerations of business.

Applications open for Entry to Entrepreneurship

Great Barrington — Entry to Entrepreneurship, BerkShares Inc.’s crowd-sourced business planning program for young people, will be accepting applications through Friday, Dec. 16.

The program, offered in partnership with the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network’s Berkshire Regional Office and in collaboration with Berkshire Community College, offers a forum in which young people can learn the fundamental tools and considerations of business. On the first day of the program students are asked to consider what is currently being imported to the Berkshires that could be produced or offered here instead. Students are encouraged to look at those gaps in the local economy as business opportunities, and they spend the rest of the program developing their own business plan to meet one of those needs. Students who complete the program by submitting a business plan and presenting their business ideas to the public will earn 200 BerkShares in start-up capital.

Young people between the ages of 14 and 25 interested in learning more about business is encouraged to apply online. The Entry to Entrepreneurship steering committee will review applications and notify students of their acceptance to the program by Friday, Dec. 23.

–E.E.

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BTCF announces grants for affordable housing, workshops

Sheffield — Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation’s (BTCF) HousingUs initiative has announced over $30,000 in grants to five organizations to plan and convene outreach activities that bring residents together to explore the interrelated issues of affordable housing, economic development and town center vitality. The awards follow a request for proposals announced in mid-July that has resulted in at least one funded project in each of the four counties that BTCF serves.

Grants were awarded to the following organizations:

  • Hudson River Housing, Poughkeepsie, New York – $6,400 for a three-part project in the towns of Amenia, Pine Plains and Millerton: a seven-week community leadership training program, a series of interactive housing and community development workshops, and a gathering of regional leadership teams for a problem-solving and knowledge-sharing session known as collaborative learning.
  • Philmont Beautification Inc., Philmont, New York – $5,000 to engage residents, businesses, municipal leaders and nonprofits in workshops to boost results from the organization’s community renewal project focused on the Philmont waterfront.
  • Salisbury Affordable Housing Commission, Salisbury, Connecticut – $8,000 to host a series of community workshops designed to produce resident-driven scenarios for expanded housing options and economic vitality in Salisbury’s town centers.

–E.E.

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The Mount exceeds match challenge

Lenox — The Mount has raised over $65,000 in response to a $50,000 match challenge issued by the Jane and Jack Fitzpatrick Charitable Trust this past summer. Thanks to the community’s quick and generous response, the Trust will award the Mount an additional $50,000 in addition to an initial $50,000 gift from the Trust to the Mount in early August. All monies raised will be used to continue the restoration of the historic stable including repairing foundations, sills, sashes, doors and window frames; demolishing a coal bin; and installing utility upgrades.

This phase of restoration started in fall 2015 thanks donors Jan Winkler and Hermine Drezner. In May, the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund awarded $100,000 to the Mount. In addition, the Mount secured $150,000 from a private foundation. Thanks to the Jane and Jack Fitzpatrick Charitable Trust and the support of the community, the restoration work will continue through spring 2017.

–E.E.

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Autism organization changes its name

Pittsfield — Community Resources for People with Autism has announced that it has changed its name to Autism Connections in order to better reflect the mission of the 27-year-old autism center. Autism Connections was founded in 1989 by parents of children with autism, is staffed by autism professionals, and works closely with family members to provide a wide variety of services through autism centers in Pittsfield and Easthampton as well as family and individual support through referrals by the Department of Developmental Services. Autism Connections is a program of Pathlight in Springfield.

–E.E.

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Berkshire United Way appoints new board members

Pittsfield — Berkshire United Way (BUW) board chairperson Christopher Mathews has announced the appointment of four new board members:

Jen Glockner is a communications professional with experience in television, radio, social media and press relations. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and received recognition in BusinessWest magazine’s “40 under 40.” She has been actively involved in Downtown Pittsfield Inc., Junior League of Berkshire County, the Berkshire Leadership Program steering committee, the Mass Audubon Berkshire Wildlife Sanctuaries committee, and the Ad Club of Western Massachusetts. She lives in Pittsfield with her husband and twin sons, Sam and Ben.

Charles “Chuck” Leach is the CEO of Lee Bank. He previously served as senior vice president in charge of wealth management at Berkshire Bank and has also served in senior management roles at TD Bank Wealth Management Group in Pittsfield and the Gilder Technology Group in Housatonic. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Colby College and his MBA from Claremont Graduate School’s Peter F. Drucker School of Management. He is on the board of Downtown Pittsfield Inc. and is a past board member of Berkshire Children & Families. He lives in Lee with his wife, Leigh Minor, and his son, Keegan, and daughter, Mackenzie.

Veronica Torres Martin is a graduate of Smith College and manager of language services for Berkshire Medical Center (BMC). She previously served as a medical interpreter/translator for BMC and is conversant in Portuguese and fluent in Spanish and English. She has served as the interpreter/translator for Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes and as the bilingual liaison to the family center at Conte Community School. She also served as a workplace campaign executive for Berkshire United Way. She lives in Pittsfield with her children Antonia, Juan-Emilo and Santiago.

Ellen Rudley is a development professional who earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh and a master’s in arts education from New York University. Since 2005, Rudley has served nonprofits throughout the northeast as principal of Ellen Rudley and Associate. She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and Kripalu Yoga Teachers Association. She is fluent in Spanish and lives in Egremont with her partner, Neil Fox.

–E.E.

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