Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Awards $2.1 Million in Summer Grants Cycle, Including $445,444 in Scholarships
Sheffield, Mass.—The Board of Directors of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation today announced the recipients of the second round of grantmaking for 2015. The foundation distributed a total of $266,234 in grants to individuals and nonprofits and $445,444 in scholarships to high school, college and graduate school students in the four-county region it serves. Grants from donors with charitable funds at the foundation totaled $1.4 million.
In Dutchess County, the foundation awarded $76,750 in grants from the Northeast Dutchess Fund, an area fund serving the residents of Amenia, Clinton Corners, Dover Plains, Millbrook, Millerton, North East, Pine Plains, Stanford, Washington, Wassaic and Wingdale; $6,250 from the Dover Education Enrichment Program (DEEP) and $5,093 from Pine Plains’ Sustaining Education Enrichment and Development (SEED), two of Berkshire Taconic’s three enrichment funds for area schools; and $3,100 in scholarships.
Education and Enrichment: DEEP will support a total of eight projects in the coming school year, including: a “Be a Tree” dog safety program, a hydroponics garden project and a “Book Buddies” project. SEED provided grants to support four projects, including lab kits for a technology education start-up, a digital photography club and kindergarten enrichment.
In addition, the Northeast Dutchess Fund made six educational grants to: Dover Union Free School District, for “Scrubs Club: Pathways to Health Careers”; Dutchess Community College, for child care and transportation for GED and ESL students; Millbrook Early Childhood Education Center, for ischolarship assistance; North East Community Center, for its childhood enrichment programs; Reach Out and Read, in partnership with Berkshire Taconic, to provide an early literacy program in pediatric practices in Amenia, Dover and Pine Plains; and a challenge grant to Dover Education Enrichment Program (DEEP).
Scholarships: Thomas J. Berlinghoff Scholarship Fund for graduating seniors of Webutuck High School: Zachary Thomas (Amenia), Utica College; Rhoda Lubalin Art Scholarship Fund for graduating seniors of Webutuck Central School who intend to study visual arts: Christian Ball (Millerton), Dutchess Community College; Northeast Dutchess Scholarship Fund for a graduate of Dover High School, Millbrook Public High School, Stissing Mountain High School or Webutuck High School: Cameron Greer (Wassaic), American University.
Health and Human Services: The Northeast Dutchess Fund awarded eight grants for organizations that provide health and human services, including: Food of Life/Comida de Vida Food Pantry; Millerton Adopt-A-Family; North East Community Center’s Care Car Senior Transportation Program and Senior Chore Service; Rebuilding Together Dutchess County’s home repair programs; and the Town of Amenia, to support a community kitchen at Amenia Town Hall.
Arts and Culture: The Northeast Dutchess Fund awarded grants to: Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, for “Free Will” at Millbrook Middle School; NorthEast-Millerton Library, for the 2015 “Music in the Annex” series; the Town of Amenia, for its dance program; and the Wassaic Project, for sound and lighting for the 2015 Summer Festival.
Environment: The Northeast Dutchess Fund awarded a grant to the Bard College Center for Civic Engagement for the Pine Plains Citizen Science project.
A full list of regional grants can be found at www.berkshiretaconic.org/summergrants and a full list of regional scholarships can be found at www.berkshiretaconic.org/2015scholarships.
About Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation
For over 28 years, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation has built stronger communities and helped donors make a difference through charitable giving in northwest Litchfield County, CT; Berkshire County, MA; and Columbia County and northeast Dutchess County, NY. Each year, the foundation distributes over $8 million through grants and scholarships to nonprofits and individuals in the arts and education, health and human services and environmental protection. Berkshire Taconic is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity. You can make a difference. We can help.
