Colegrove Park Elementary School - We Hold the Western Gateway

On Saturday April 6, 2024, Berkshire AHEC’s Tobacco Free Community Partnership Program will be holding Berkshire Baby Bonanza 2024 at the Stationery Factory in Dalton from 11AM – 2PM. This event will be hosted by the 2024 Community Baby Shower Committee and the Berkshire AHEC Tobacco-Free Community Partnership Program. Berkshire Baby Bonanza 2024 is focused on providing information that is geared towards those contemplating pregnancy, pregnant individuals, post-partum individuals and their partners, as well as parents and caregivers of infants and toddlers. Community Baby Showers in the past have been a great success, with many Berkshire County agencies participating and 200 - 300 people attending. See flyer for details.

North Adams Mobile Food Bank Friday, 1/5 11am to noon In the event the mobile is cancelled due to winter weather the Food Bank website is updated and the hotline (413)-419-0079 contains a notice of the cancellation. They would also send out information through social media and our community partners as soon as possible.

Upcoming programming from the Family Center.

Upcoming programming at the North Adams Public Library.

Colegrove's having fun during Spirit Week! They even had a special visit from JiJi and an elf!

Colegrove staff partnered with their PTG to host their annual Winter Fest last night. Here are some photos of their band and chorus students performing at the event. Thanks to everyone who participated! A good time was had by all!

North Adams Mobile Food Bank Friday, 12/15 11am to noon Brien Center Parking Lot (American Legion Drive). Please note that parking is limited at the American Legion. If the lot is at capacity, please come back and see us anytime before noon. In the event of inclement weather, we will send out updates through social media. The Food Bank also has a line that people can call to check on the status of the mobiles 413-419-0079. The community is also invited to join Berkshire Food Project for their holiday meal on Wednesday, December 20 from 11:30 – 2 at the Berkshire Food Project, 134 Main St (entrance on Summer St). They will be serving turkey, ham, plenty of sides and holiday cookies. All are welcome for a no-cost meal and holiday cheer!

2024 Western Mass Family Leadership Series The series is for family caregivers who are interested in learning about leadership and advocacy, creating a vision, policy making, and self-care, as well as being a networking opportunity. See flyer for details.

2024 Williams College Winter Basketball Clinic through Special Olympics MA Basketball clinic for athletes ages 5 through 18 at Williams College. Both Traditional Athletes and Unified Partners are welcome! A traditional athlete is an individual diagnosed with an intellectual disability. A Unified Partner is an individual not diagnosed with an intellectual disability. The program will run on Sunday mornings from 11 am to 12:30 pm in the Chandler Gymnasium on the following dates: January 7th, January 14th and January 21st. Register here: https://www.specialolympicsma.org/play-sports/find-sports-programs-near-you?*=williams If you do not receive a confirmation email after registering, please contact Ops@SpecialOlympicsMA.org

Upcoming programming by the Family Center

Housing Resource & Rental Assistance guides from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development English: https://5il.co/2adqh Spanish: https://5il.co/2adqg Chinese (simplifies): https://5il.co/2adqf

College Meet and Greet with Williams College and Berkshire Community College Saturday, December 9th, 1 – 2:30 pm Berkshire Athenaeum Attendees will learn what each school has to offer and how to start applying. Michael Byrns, Admission Counselor at Williams College, will provide some insight on how to write a successful college essay and how to think about the storytelling components of the college application. No registration required. Prospective students and their families are welcome! Email vanessa@pittsfieldlibrary.org with questions.

Make your voice heard: Family Volunteers Needed! Join our district Family Leadership Team (FLT) 1. Offer input on district initiatives 2. Discuss topics such as home visiting, attendance processes, and communication protocols Interested? Email familysupports@napsk12.org or call 413-412-1106. Looking forward to you joining us!

Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (dcr) is hosting an Adaptive Skating Games event on 1/4, 2/15, and 3/14 from 11:30 am - 1:00 pm at the Vietnam Veterans Skating Rink. Registration is required. See flyer for details.

Pamela Schwartz, Western MA Network to End Homelessness, shared the attached flyers below that summarize the available resources through the Emergency Assistance program for family shelter. English: https://5il.co/29ph2 Spanish: https://5il.co/29ph3 Haitian Creole: https://5il.co/29ph4 Additional Resources Applying for EA Shelter: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-ea-emergency-family-shelter DESE Guidance on Supporting Homeless Students During the State of Emergency (8/24/23) Emergency Shelter Fact Sheet & FAQ (September 2023) MA Emergency Assistance Family Shelter Resources and Data

Free Family Skate Day Hosted by nbCC See flyer for details.

The next Safe Neighborhoods event will be at Greylock Elementary on November 29th from 5-7 pm. 5-5:30 pm Dinner (pizza!) 5:30-6:30 pm Talk Saves Lives presentation by Annie Pecor and Linda Wooten, Berkshire Coaltion for Suicide Prevention For kids: basketball with SRO Mirante from 5:30-7pm Events are open to all! *The last event in the series will be on Dec. 6th at Colegrove Elementary with a presentation by the North Adams Fire Department Fire Safety Education team.

Here is the updated Food and Meal Site listing for Berkshire County (dated 11/13/23): https://5il.co/29ckn Additional Resources: * From the Food Bank of W. MA~ Do you need help buying groceries every month? The federal nutrition program called SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program—or food stamps) is available for you. Everyone can apply for SNAP benefits–college students, seniors over 60, people with disabilities, homeless individuals, and families. Call the Food Bank’s SNAP line at 413.992.6204 and one of our Coordinators can quickly tell you if you’re eligible and help you apply for SNAP benefits over the phone. If you need help in languages other than English and Spanish, they can assist with those, too. Their services are free to all Western Massachusetts residents. *Below are the Income Guidelines for WIC. For more information~ https://www.berkshirehealthsystems.org/programs-and-services/community-wellness/wic-program/ *Below are the guidelines (English & Spanish) for BCAC's Fuel Assistance program. Families can apply through the offices or online at https://www.bcacinc.org/fuel-assistance-2/

The North Adams Public Schools Greenhouse Program announces their 2023 holiday plants and decorations that are available starting 11/27/23. Items, prices and hours are on the flyer.

The next Safe Neighborhoods event will be at Greylock Elementary on November 29th from 5-7 pm. 5-5:30 pm Dinner (pizza!) 5:30-6:30 pm Talk Saves Lives presentation by Annie Pecor and Linda Wooten, Berkshire Coaltion for Suicide Prevention For kids: basketball with SRO Mirante from 5:30-7pm Events are open to all! *Our last event in the series will be on Dec. 6th at Colegrove Elementary with a presentation by the North Adams Fire Department Fire Safety Education team.