Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Welcomes Berkshire Bounty

08:50AM / Sunday, November 03, 2024Print Story | Email Story

CHICOPEE, Mass. — The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts (FBWMA) announced a new partnership with Berkshire Bounty, a food rescue organization located in Great Barrington, dedicated to alleviating hunger throughout Berkshire County.

The collaboration will enhance the effort to recover and distribute fresh, nutritious food to individuals and families county-wide.

Berkshire Bounty is a volunteer-driven organization that collects food from 25 local retailers and delivers it to 31 food access sites across Berkshire County. With a network of 130 registered volunteers, Berkshire Bounty is on track to collect an estimated 450,000 pounds of food in 2024. Forty percent of this food is purchased to meet the needs of the community, including eggs, meat, fresh produce, dairy, and culturally appropriate foods.

"The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts recognized the important work of Berkshire Bounty in our shared mission to feed people in need and is thrilled to now be partners in this effort," said Brandie Taggart, food donations coordinator at the Food Bank. "We look forward to forging a strong and lasting partnership with the team at Berkshire Bounty."

In the spring of 2024, Berkshire Bounty and FBWMA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formalize their collaboration. Through this partnership, Berkshire Bounty volunteers are now transporting donated food from grocery stores directly to FBWMA member agencies, ensuring that food reaches food pantries and community kitchens four days a week. Since the beginning of the partnership, which started as a pilot program in January 2024, nearly 50,000 pounds of food, valued at $90,000, have been collected and distributed.

"The partnership with FBWMA has opened the door to providing more food to the Berkshire County community in need," said Morgan Ovitsky, Executive Director of Berkshire Bounty. "Together, we are working to increase the quantity of healthy, fresh food available to residents so they can thrive."

The Food Bank and Berkshire Bounty will continue to identify additional retail stores, farms, and food donors to expand the food rescue efforts. The partnership is expected to have a direct impact on reducing food insecurity in the Berkshires.

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Greenagers Founder Will Conklin Honored as Business Person of the Year

By Breanna Steele12:17PM / Saturday, October 03, 2026

Casey Pease of state Sen. Paul Mark's office presents William Conklin, right, with a state Senate proclamation.

EGREMONT, Mass. — The Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce honored a local businessman and nonprofit leader on Sept. 24 at Catamount Mountain Resort.

William Conklin was this year's Business Person of the Year, recognizing his work as founder and executive director of Greenagers, a nonprofit that helps youth and children engage in work in environmental conservation, sustainable farming, natural resource management, and vocational skills building.

Conklin and his family also run Sky View Farm and he is a managing partner of Konkapot Tree and Timber, a small-scale forest products business.

"If you spent any amount of time in Southern Berkshire, chances are you've heard his name, whether you realize the connection at the time or not," said board member Sierra King Watson, who emceed the event. "You might be having a conversation about farming, a new barn or structure that was built, students learning hands-on skills in sustainable agriculture, or a family that receives donated firewood to help keep their home warm through a cold Berkshire winter, or maybe you're simply talking about one of those community leaders who somehow manages to show up, support everyone, and seemingly be everywhere all at once.

"Well, one name has a way of continuously popping up, and that is Will Conklin."

Board President Mark Rulison said the region has more than 1,200 nonprofits. One in four jobs in the county is in the nonprofit sector, which ranks 27th nationally for nonprofit employment. He said the economic impact on the community is huge, thanking those who help.

For the event on Thursday, Conklin requested that as much of the food as possible was sourced locally. Most of it came from Greenagers, Sky View Farm, Indian Line Farm and Fancy Feast Supper Club, creative dinner series.

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