Vermont Business Magazine Berkshire Bank, with branches in southwestern Vermont, has launched its sixth “Season of Giving”, the company’s annual initiative to assist children and families in need during the holiday season. The campaign runs through the end of the holiday season and engages more than 300 company employees from across the country in a variety of community service projects, all of which benefit non-profit organizations in the footprint where the bank and its subsidiaries conduct business operations.

Highlights and regions for the more than sixty activities include:

• Pittsfield, MA – Collecting & distributing gifts for the Salvation Army’s Holiday program

• Springfield, MA – Distributing gifts for the Salvation Army’s Toy for Joy program 

• Newton Centre, MA – Collecting food for the Centre Street Food Pantry

• Newington, CT – Distributing food at the Newington Food Pantry

• Bennington, VT – Preparing meals for homebound individuals with the Bennington Eagles  

• Manchester, VT – Assembling holiday gift baskets for the Arlington Food Shelf

• Albany, NY – Participating in the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern NY’s Holiday Hunger Appeal  

• Utica, NY – Collecting toys for the Mohawk Valley Community Action Agency

• Syracuse, NY – Volunteering for the Syracuse Rescue Mission’s Movie with a Mission 

• Trenton, NJ – Collecting & distributing items for families in need in partnership with the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen

• East Brunswick, NJ – Collecting food for the Community Food Bank of New Jersey 

• Philadelphia, PA – Collecting items for a family in need through the Memorial Presbyterian Church of Fox Chase

• Southampton, PA – Collecting toys for the Barkann Family Healing Hearts Foundation’s Holiday Hearts program 

• Dallas, TX – Purchasing gifts for children through the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program 

• Scottsdale, AZ – Collecting toys for Foster Care Initiatives Affordable Christmas  

• San Diego, CA – Purchasing holiday meals for homeless veterans in partnership with the San Diego Marine Corp

In addition to local volunteer efforts, Berkshire Bank invites the general public to participate in the initiative through You Give Goods, a virtual collection web site where individuals may purchase goods online for selected nonprofit organizations through December 15, 2017. This year, the online efforts are focused on collecting food for Feeding America, basic needs items for the American Red Cross, toys for Toys for Tots, and animal care items for the Humane Society of the United States. Purchases are 100% tax deductible and items are shipped directly to the organizations. To participate, visit www.yougivegoods.com/berkshirebank2017.

Berkshire Bank Foundation, the charitable arm of Berkshire Bank, also plans to contribute grants to local nonprofit organizations serving those in need this holiday season.

About Berkshire Bank Foundation

Through Foundation grants to nonprofits, scholarships to students, environmental programs, and employee volunteerism, Berkshire Bank is making a difference. Each year the Foundation donates $2 million to nonprofits throughout the Bank's footprint and 100% of bank employees provide over 40,000 hours of service through their XTEAM® corporate volunteer program. Berkshire Bank was named one of Massachusetts' Most Charitable Companies by the Boston Business Journal in 2017. To learn more about Berkshire Bank Foundation, visit www.berkshirebank.com/community