Great Barrington – This past Wednesday (April 22) Berkshire South Community Center began the Nourishing Neighbors initiative, a supplemental community program to provide pre-prepared meals each Wednesday for the next eight weeks to families and individuals whose lives and livelihoods have been upended by the COVID19 epidemic.

A team of volunteers, including State Rep. William “Smitty” Pignatelli (D-Lenox), provided 500 meals through a contactless “drive-thru” method, according to Shannon Castille, associate director of Marketing and Communications for Berkshire South.

“We distributed all 500 meals last week,” Castille reported, “the majority on site at Berkshire South. Smitty took some meals to Riverbrook himself afterwards, and the Community Center staff took some to Fairview Hospital and to Price Chopper for essential employees.

“We are fully staffed with volunteers, and we’ve had such an outpouring of generosity. So many people in our community want to help in a tangible way.”

Home-bound community members may make a reservation for delivery by writing to meals@berkshiresouth.org. Delivery will be available as long as the Center has volunteer drivers to deliver. All meals will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Castille noted that the Berkshire United Way and Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation have funded the Nourishing Neighbors initiative with a COVID-19 emergency fund.

“This effort has shown us all how Berkshire South is able to demonstrate the power of community, and we are all so grateful to be a part of such an important effort especially at this time,” she added.

For information about Nourishing Neighbors, email meals@berkshiresouth.org. Gifts can be made directly to the meals program HERE.