UNICO of Pittsfield Hosts Souper Bowl Food Drive

04:01PM / Saturday, February 01, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD — UNICO of Pittsfield is organizing its annual Souper Bowl Community Food Drive, collecting nonperishable food items to benefit local food pantries in the Berkshires.

The drive begins January 27 and runs through Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025.

Donations should consist of foods that can be eaten from a bowl, such as soup, pasta, stews, cereal, tuna, and noodles. Collection sites will accept donations during their business hours at the following locations:

Ready Set Learn (133 Dalton Ave. & 41 Wendell Ave., Pittsfield) – Jan. 27 to Feb. 7
Berkshire Fitness & Wellness Center (137 North St., Pittsfield) – Jan. 27 to Feb. 7
Balderdash Cellars (81 State Road, Richmond) – Weekends, Feb. 1-2 and Feb. 7-9, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Students at Richmond Consolidated School will also participate by collecting nonperishable items in their classrooms from Jan. 27 to Feb. 7.

All donations will be distributed to local food pantries.

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ServiceNet Hopes to Open Pittsfield Warming Center in Nov.

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:48AM / Thursday, October 15, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— A warming center is again planned in the First United Methodist Church for the cold months.

During last week's Homelessness Advisory Committee meeting, Erin Forbush, director of shelter and housing at ServiceNet, reported that they hope to begin operating the nighttime center in mid-November.

It would operate from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. in the church, which abuts The Pearl shelter. Forbush said the warming center would be the same program as in the past.

"Again it's a warming center, so there's no cots or beds, but it is certainly a place to come in, and we'll have a hot coffee or cocoa ready for folks," she explained.

"It will be a place to be inside and warm."

This year, ServiceNet hopes to secure full funding from the state so the warming center can open on Sundays at 5 p.m. In years past, they found that Sunday is the most challenging day for unhoused individuals because many community spaces aren't open.

The First Housing Resource Center, managed by Hearthway, opened earlier this year as a low-barrier option for people to rest and access amenities. It is open seven days a week, and Forbush said if people could come to the warming center on Sundays at 5, there would be a fuller day of coverage.

"It does still leave a little gap for Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, as spaces like the library close at five, but we know that Sundays were something that people were looking for," she said.

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