MountainOne Donates $25,000 for Food, Fuel Assistance in Local Communities

NORTH ADAMS — MountainOne announced it will donate $25,000 to local community organizations across the Berkshire County and South Shore regions to assist with combating food insecurity and providing winter fuel assistance.

This financial commitment arrives at a moment when many local partners are seeing record need. Rising fuel costs have pushed many households to the edge, and increasing demand at food pantries has led to strained resources. MountainOne is stepping in with funding that will help keep homes warm and ensure families have access to healthy meals.

In Berkshire County, MountainOne will contribute $10,000 to local food pantries, including Thanksgiving Angels Inc., Berkshire Grown Inc., Berkshire Food Project Inc., Al Nelson Food Pantry, and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

In the South Shore region, MountainOne will contribute $5,000 to local food pantries, including End Hunger New England, which provides meal packages for South Shore Food Pantries, as well as the Rockland Emergency Food Pantry, Interfaith Social Services, and the Scituate Food Pantry.

Lastly, MountainOne will direct its $10,000 donation for fuel assistance to the Pittsfield Area Council of Congregations (PACC) Hearth and Home Fuel Fund.

“I am moved to commend MountainOne for supporting the needy in our community through the PACC fuel fund with this generous gift. $10,000 will keep quite a few households warm in what is already shaping up to be a very difficult season,” said Rabbi David Weiner, PACC past president. “Funded by gifts from many congregations, corporations, and individuals and administered directly through the Salvation Army, the PACC fuel is a last-resort resource for Pittsfield residents who will be left in the cold without another oil delivery. This gift will make a difference.”

In addition to these donations, MountainOne Cares, an employee-led group, held a Thanksgiving basket raffle to raise employee donations and hosted local canned food drives for employees and customers across all locations. Proceeds from the raffle and items collected at the food drives will be donated to seven different food pantries across the bank’s communities.

“As the need around us grows, our commitment has only become stronger. The organizations we are supporting are lifelines for local families, and we are grateful for the work they do every single day,” said Brenda Petell, vice president and Community Engagement officer at MountainOne. “It is a privilege to stand with them and help provide food, warmth, and relief for our neighbors across Berkshire County and the South Shore.”