Blog – Page 30 – Berkshire Bridges – A Working Cities Initiative

23 agency partners, residents, and legislative leaders from Pittsfield convened at the Federal Reserve in Boston on July 18 to celebrate the Working Cities Challenge! We are proud to be part of an initiative that will close the gap between social inclusion and economic self-sufficiency–a Berkshire Bridges community.

Special thanks to Senator Ben Downing, Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier, and Secretary Jay Ash for sharing this day with us! Join us as we make a Pittsfield where all people experience a safe, just, and thriving community.

Our Working Cities Wednesday meetings begin on July 27 from 5:30 to 7:00 pm at the Family Resource Center (details here). Please RSVP at (413) 442-3181 so we can plan for dinner.

WCC Fed_03 — Secretary Jay Ash speaking about economic development in the Commonwealth.

WCC Fed_02 — Team Pittsfield at the podium.

WCC Fed_04 — The Berkshire Bridges representatives with Secretary Jay Ash.

WCC Fed_05 — Diane, Karen, Justine, and Bill enjoying lunch outside the Fed.

WCC Fed_06 — Our amazing drivers, Bryan and Ken. Thanks for safely navigating us to and from so many Boston trips!

WCC Fed_07 — James, Pastor Keith, Xavier, and Mike from Heart 2 Heart Ministry.

Over 100 of you (not counting the dozens of kids) joined us in Durant Park under the beautiful Eastern Cottonwood tree to celebrate the Working Cities Pittsfield initiative! We each believe that all people in Pittsfield can experience a safe, thriving, and just community. This is a WE movement, and only together can we move forward and make this work possible.

Earlier this month we learned that Pittsfield is selected for the Boston Federal Reserve’s Working Cities Challenge, a multi-year collaboration to increase opportunities for low-income residents. Habitat executive director Carolyn Valli explained what’s coming next with Working Cities: we are seeking a hiring committee for the Initiative Director; the budget and work plan are under final review; and we are signing up anyone who is interested in taking the Getting Ahead program to be a paid Community Navigator. We will post our theory of change charts and sign ups on this website soon.

We are so thankful for Vivaldis pizzeria for catering this event and Heart2heart Ministry for bringing salads and Pastor Keith Evans for leading the blessing. Thank you to the staff, volunteers, and coalition partners that made this amazing celebration and showing of community possible!

To learn more on how to join the Working Cities movement, visit this page to contact us. Please enjoy the photos below, and click here or the facebook post below to view more.