Pittsfield — Founded only six months ago, nonprofit organization Seeing Rainbows is getting a boost from the Greylock Federal Credit Union (GFCU), with the latter providing a grant for the group’s Mutual Aid Fund.
According to an October 28 news release by the Pittsfield-based trans-led arts foundation, the funds will be used for “direct aid to trans and nonbinary people, including support for gender affirming clothing, food and other basic needs.”
The $500 grant was issued September 30 and marks the first local entity to financially support Seeing Rainbows. Owned by its members, Greylock Federal Credit Union offers full-service branches in Pittsfield and throughout Berkshire County, as well as in Greenport/Hudson, N.Y.
“This funding allows us to put money directly in the hands of trans and nonbinary members of our community who are in need,” co-founder and Executive Director maayan nuri hed said.
According to Jamie Moncecchi, GFCU’s senior vice president and chief administrative officer, Greylock allows registered nonprofit community organizations and schools in its service area to apply for a one-time funding grant annually as long as those requests align with at least one of its priority areas, including education and financial literacy; health and human services; economic development; and arts and culture. “At Greylock, we believe that having access to basic resources is something that should be available to all members of our community, and that is the purpose of this funding to Seeing Rainbows,” Moncecchi stated in an email response to The Berkshire Edge’s request for comment.
Upcoming events hosted by Seeing Rainbows include a November 12 workshop on devised theater at West Stockbridge’s The Foundry at 7 p.m. and a November 20 Trans Day of Remembrance/Existence is Resistance Celebration at Pittsfield’s WANDER at 7 p.m.
For more information on this organization, visit its website.
