The Department of Children and Families, in conjunction with the Children’s Trust Fund of Massachusetts, gave nbCC the opportunity to build a complementary resource center for families in northern Berkshire County. The foundation of this work will be to support and provide preventative services to northern Berkshire families.  The framework for programming and services will be the five protective factors for families; parental resilience, social connections, knowledge of parenting and child development, concrete supports in times of need, as well as children’s healthy social and emotional development. Our implementation plan has included building on existing partnerships  to help identify and share with the Coalition what families need to be happy, healthy, and successful in northern Berkshire communities.

The work here at nbCC is just beginning. Amber Besaw was hired in October of 2011 to be the Project Coordinator for the resource center. With the help and creativity of community members, the nbCC Board of Directors, the staff of nbCC, and our advisory board we have named the program, “The Family Place”. The Family Place will be joining the current Coalition space at 61 Main Street in North Adams, expanding the current Coalition office by 580 square feet. This location will grant us the opportunity to use the conference room space, kitchenette space, as well as add on a family friendly gathering place, space accessible to the community, and a playroom for children of all ages. This project has passed through stages of design and construction and is entering the final stages of painting and furnishing.

We look forward to working with the community to create an overall programming structure that fits the needs, strengths, and ideals of northern Berkshire families.

Mass in Motion, which will be funded through DPH over the next five years, is a comprehensive set of initiatives to address the overweight and obesity epidemic in the Commonwealth. nbCC has chosen specific initiatives to target the issues that align with the needs of Clarksburg, North Adams, and Adams. Mass in Motion will work towards creating conditions that encourage, nurture and promote wellness with particular focus on the importance of healthy eating and physical activity. Mass in Motion will look at implementing and expanding Safe Routes to School; a program that provides safety for children as they walk to school, enabling more children to walk, alleviating congestion at the schools and increasing physical activity in children. Mass in Motion will also focus on implementing the new state nutritional guidelines in schools among the three municipalities. These are just two key examples of the many tasks and goals Mass in Motion will meet in the northern Berkshire community.

nbCC has hired Amanda Chilson as the Project Coordinator of Mass in Motion. She will also work closely with town and city officials and leadership committees comprised of people in the communities, as well as with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, to help make this program a success. To learn more about Mass in Motion click here.

February 2012

March 2012

April 2012

May 2012

nb21/Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol (CMCA) Seeks Strategy Team Leader

The underage drinking prevention program at the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol/nb21, is looking for a new strategy team leader for the towns of the Mt. Greylock Regional School District.  This is a part-time paid position for about 10 hours/month that is perfect for someone who wants to change community norms that support underage drinking.  The ideal candidate will have excellent networking skills, and enjoys finding ways to build bridges between community members.  Duties include:

• Community organizing and networking
•  Facilitation of a monthly CMCA strategy team meeting, including taking and emailing minutes to strategy team members
• Sending meeting reminders to members and potential members
• Attending a monthly meeting with the CMCA Program Coordinator
• Providing data and information for quarterly funder reports
• Providing support for community projects as directed by Strategy Team and/or CMCA Program Coordinator

Please send a letter of interest and resume (mail only) by May 31st to Lois Daunis, c/o Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, 61 Main St., Suite 218, North Adams, MA 01247.   The nbCC is an equal opportunity employer.

Join us for our monthly forum of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition. This forum will introduce the community to our newest program, The Family Place!

We will begin with a round of introductions, followed by brief announcements of your upcoming events or new projects. Please bring flyers about your announcements also, as there will be a table available for display. The organizers of the food pantry at the Friendship Center ask friends who attend Northern Berkshire Community Coalition meetings this year to please remember to bring a non-perishable food item for the pantry, which is located at 43 Eagle St.

Come join us in conversations with your neighbors, friends, and colleagues to help make the northern Berkshire community a better and healthier place to live. We hope to see you on Friday, March 9, 10 a.m. to noon, at the First Baptist Church in North Adams.  Please use the Eagle Street entrance. For more info, contact Al Bashevkin at 413-663-7588. To arrange for childcare, contact Liz Boland at the Coalition.

This guide has resources to help you be the best caregiver you can be.

There are only four kinds of people in the world  those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers and those who will need caregivers.
—Rosalynn Carter

Download the Family Caregiver Resource Guide here