Berkshire Bounty Fundraiser Responds to Growing Community Need

GREAT BARRINGTON — Berkshire Bounty, a 501(c)(3) food-recovery organization, will conduct a crowdfunding campaign April 22-29 to raise funds to address an urgent and growing community need.

“Like many nonprofits in our community, Berkshire Bounty has been affected by cuts and fluctuations in federal funding,” says Morgan Ovitsky, executive director of Berkshire Bounty. “We’re also closely watching potential cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. If enacted, the most vulnerable Berkshire County residents will be heavily impacted.”

The “Spring into Action” campaign aims to raise $75,000 for Berkshire Bounty. The crowdfunding campaign is the public-facing portion in which Berkshire Bounty reaches out to supporters and asks for help in reaching that goal.

The Greater Boston Food Bank report indicated that the food-insecurity rate in Berkshire County was at 45%. Berkshire Bounty has data from partner emergency food sites about increased use, particularly among people the working poor and the immigrant community. Reporting data collected quarterly in 2024 from emergency food sites show a 30% increase in people accessing food assistance over the year. Projections and trends indicate the increase in food insecurity will continue to climb.

“Food pantries are serving more people than ever and struggling to procure enough to satisfy the demand. Berkshire Bounty receives calls daily for more food,” said Mark Lefenfeld and Jay Weintraub, board members and co-founders of Berkshire Bounty. “We are so grateful to our community for their support.”

“Spring into Action” is aided significantly by the Donald C. McGraw and BlackRock foundations, offering a $20,000 dollar-to-dollar match. “Our foundation and family are proud to support Berkshire Bounty as they prepare to provide extra support to our neighbors in a time of need,” said Robin McGraw, director of the foundations.

Donations to the crowdfunding campaign can be made online by clicking here. For more information or to inquire about making an online or offline donation, email Sara Haimowitz, Berkshire Bounty director of Development, at sara@berkshirebounty.org.