Berkshire County Arc Awarded $250K for its New Pittsfield Home

10:36AM / Tuesday, March 03, 2026Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire County Arc (BCArc) was awarded $250,000 from the Federal Home Loan Bank to help offset the cost of building a home in Pittsfield for four men with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.

"This new home will enrich the lives of four men who need an accessible and supportive place to live," said Maryann Hyatt, BCArc president and CEO. "The list is long for individuals waiting for a residential program like this, and BCArc is pleased it can continue to expand and provide these opportunities."

BCArc runs 44 residential programs in Western Massachusetts – from Berkshire County to the Pioneer Valley, supporting individuals with intellectual/development disabilities and brain injuries, along with numerous other programs to support the population.

In addition, the Agency employs individuals with disabilities to run a bottle and can recycling center (The Green Redeem) and a fulfillment operation (Speedy Fulfillment). The Agency has 850 staff members and supports more than 1,000 people and their families.

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15 People Displaced in Pittsfield Home Fires

Staff Reports11:35AM / Sunday, October 11, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Fifteen people were displaced after 2-alarm home fires this weekend on Springside Avenue and Elaine Drive.

On Friday evening, the Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 209 Springside Ave., which took a four-hour battle to extinguish and resulted in a partial roof collapse. The next day, on Saturday evening, crews knocked down a fire at 121 Elaine Drive in about an hour.

The garage and part of the single-family home on Elaine Drive were gutted to the frame, along with a vehicle parked in the driveway. On Springside Avenue, the top level and porch of the multifamily were burned through.

A GoFundMe has been started for the family of the Elaine Drive home, which includes several young children. The fundraiser, with a $5,500 goal, explains they lost their home and all of their belongings. (iBerkshires.com does not confirm or endorse fundraisers; they are provided as information only.)

There were no civilian or firefighter injuries, and both incidents are under investigation. One dog was rescued on Springside Avenue.

On Oct. 10, around 6:15 p.m., PFD responded to the Springside Avenue home for a reported structure fire and saw a 2 1/2-story wood frame multifamily with a heavy blaze showing from the second-floor front porch, extending out.

The building suffered a partial roof collapse, which prolonged extinguishment. The fire was brought under control after about four hours.

“An aggressive offensive attack was mounted by first arriving crews stretching hose lines into the building as well as primary searches that proved negative. Ladders were placed around the structure to provide access as well as escape if needed. An off-duty Fire Captain had also been on scene early in the incident to help evacuate the structure and rescue a dog,” PFD wrote in a press release.

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