Great Barrington, Mass. – January 31 – The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires, in partnership with The Berkshire Eagle, will present the 3rd Annual Berkshire Nonprofit Awards breakfast on Tuesday, May 19, from 8 to 10 a.m. at Berkshire Hills Country Club in Pittsfield. The award recognizes people who work tirelessly in the nonprofit sector to serve the Berkshire community. State Representative William “Smitty” Pignatelli will serve as emcee.
“The nonprofit sector employs a quarter of our workforce, said Liana Toscanini, founder of the Nonprofit Center. “It’s important to honor their commitment and accomplishments, especially in our community, which has one of the highest number of nonprofits per capita in the Commonwealth.”
Nominations are being solicited from across the Berkshires in eight categories: Executive Leadership, Board Member, Super Staffer, Unsung Hero, Volunteer, Rising Star and Lifetime Achievement. A new category, the Samya Rose Stumo Youth Leadership Award, honors the memory of the Sheffield native who lost her life on Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in March of 2019. The 24-year-old was en route to Kenya for nonprofit work in global health development.
NPC board member and contemporary of Samya, Auric Enchill, was deeply affected by the tragedy and her commitment to nonprofit work and suggested naming the award in her honor.
20 honorees (three in each of 6 categories, one youth leadership and one lifetime achievement) will be selected by a committee of business and nonprofit leaders. The nomination form is available online at npcberkshires.org. The deadline for submissions is March 26.
The NPC is currently seeking sponsors for this celebratory event. To date, major support comes from The Berkshire Eagle with additional support from Berkshire Bank Foundation, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Lee Bank and The Triplex Cinemas.
Founded in 2016, the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires serves as a clearinghouse for information and support, helping nonprofits connect, learn and grow. The NPC currently has 140 members. For more information visit npcberkshires.org.