Get to Know us
Our Mission
Your Community Nonprofit: Berkshire South.
Our mission is to build a sense of community and common purpose throughout the region, and to enhance the recreational, educational, cultural, health and social well-being of the residents of the Southern Berkshires. Berkshire South is a non-sectarian, nonprofit organization open to all, regardless of ability to pay.
Come be a part of our community. You belong here!
The Community Center, a nonprofit entity, offers a significant array of programs for people of all ages. We continue to meet the needs of all and strive to be a location where people are linked with opportunity and local resources. From the senior citizen who builds a friendship in a water therapy class, to the family sharing a meal with others at a Community Supper, we are the Center that connects them.
Community & Inclusivity
Berkshire South is more than a building, it is a community built on the strength of our diversity, the passion of our individuals, and our relationships to each other. At Berkshire South, all positions and programs are open to people of all histories, backgrounds, races, ethnicities, religions, national origins, gender identities, age, sexual orientation, education and abilities. We celebrate the intersectionality of the Southern Berkshire community and commit ourselves to deepening and maintaining a diverse, inclusive and equitable organization. A place where all employees, volunteers and guests feel valued and respected.
Berkshire South recognizes that diversity is multifaceted, and it is our responsibility to understand, embrace and celebrate the uniqueness of everyone. We believe strongly that a mix of diverse ideas, viewpoints, experiences and values is needed for our community to grow and thrive. We continue to meet the needs of all and strive to be a location where people are linked with opportunity and local resources. From the senior citizen who builds a friendship in a water therapy class, to the family sharing a meal with others at a Community Supper, we are the Center that connects them.
How we started
In 1996, Ed Jaffe gathered a group of community leaders to discuss the issue of economic diversity and lack of access by many to the few recreational, cultural, educational, and social activities that existed in south Berkshire County. Their answer to the problem was to propose a community center that offered quality and affordable programs to all ages and abilities, regardless of financial needs. They would call this gathering place Berkshire South Regional Community Center.
In 1997, the Berkshire United Way and the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation presented their Lodestar I Report. The report identified the six most pressing issues that they could address: access to child care, family violence, gaps in health care, lack of recreational facilities and programs, substance abuse, and teenage pregnancies. In South County, the top issue was the lack of recreational facilities and programs. At the same time, a group of volunteers interviewed over 108 key regional leaders representing non-profit agencies, businesses, government agencies, and schools. It became apparent that there was a glaring gap in services for youth, the elderly, and families. Berkshire South set out to fill that gap.
The Community Center facility was completed and opened its doors in July 2002. Since then, the Community Center has served thousands of children, adults, senior citizens, and families from the 17 towns in South County and some from the surrounding New York and Connecticut towns that border the Berkshires. To date, the Community Center has granted hundreds of thousands of dollars in Financial Aid for Membership and Program assistance to ensure that the Center remains an inclusive facility.Â