nbCC June Newsletter: Coalition News

Dear Northern Berkshire,

Please enjoy a sampling of articles from our June 2025 newsletter. To read the entire issue and see lots of photos of what the Coalition was up to last month, download the PDF here.

Want WEEKLY updates on local events, resources & organizations in the northern Berkshires? Join Our Weekly E-zine (PH-Zine)! Stay up tp date on what's happening in the community with the nbCC and beyond.

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Letter from the Director’s Desk

As summer approaches, here at the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, it also marks the start of a brand-new year for us. This is the time when we reflect, reset, and begin planning all of the programs and activities that will shape the year ahead. There’s so much to look forward to, and we can’t wait to share it with you.

One of our favorite annual traditions is right around the corner—our Annual Meeting! We hope you’ll join us for a joyful gathering filled with great food, fun, and meaningful conversation. It’s a special time to connect, celebrate, and envision what’s next for our community.

We’re also gearing up for summer basketball, a highlight of the season that brings energy and excitement for youth and families alike. And for our local teens, there are some great things in the works! Here’s to a vibrant and connected summer ahead.

Warmly,

Amber

Youth Programs Celebrate the End of Another Season

As another school year comes to a close, youth programming at nbCC marks the end of another season of our Youth Empowerment Program(YEP), Youth Leadership Program(YLP), Youth Health Collaborative(YHC) and Teen Writing Workshop(TWW). This year our youth workers served over sixty five teens with eight months of weekly programs.

Two of the programs, the Teen Writing Workshop and Youth Health Collaborative, mark the end of each season with public presentations, a decades old tradition. The annual Youth Led Forum has been happening since the 1990s, even before there was a formal youth focused program at the Coalition! This forum is now the end of the season presentation that the Youth Health Collaborative works on every Thursday evening from October through May. This year their presentation reported on the findings of the 2025 Prevention Needs Assessment(PNA), a biennial survey distributed to 8th, 10th and 12th graders throughout Berkshire County. This assessment is a collaborative effort of the Coalition, Railroad Street Youth Project, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission and Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center. This data has been collected for over twenty years, following our young people through several generations of high schoolers. A selection of data slides from the YHC presentation can be viewed below.

The TWW celebrated the end of their year with a showcase, presenting the creative writings and visual arts they had created throughout the season. The evening was filled with poems, fantasy, drawings and other musing. We can’t wait to do it all again starting in October!

There are two opportunities for teens to try out our youth programming this summer. The Summer Session program will run weekly on Tuesdays, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. from July 1st to August 19th and the summer version of Teen Writing Workshop will happen every other week on Wednesdays, from July 9th to August 20th. Both programs are open to teens. To learn more about registering for either of these summer programs, please contact us. Give our office a call at 413-663-7588 or email us at info@nbccoalition.org.

Meet the Newest Members of Our nbCC Team!

Sara Keagle - Office Coordinator

After spending three decades as a flight attendant and home educator, I developed a deep appreciation for connection, storytelling, and community—three things that led me to the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition. I’ve always believed in the power of local voices and grassroots efforts to make meaningful change, and when I relocated to Adams from Texas, I knew I wanted to be part of that kind of work. The Coalition’s mission to build stronger, more inclusive communities resonated with me immediately.

My background is rooted in both hospitality and service, and I bring those values into my current role as Office Coordinator—where supporting people, managing details, and keeping things running smoothly is what I love to do. I’m also passionate about creativity and communication and am constantly inspired by the stories and ideas shared by those we serve.

My favorite thing about living in the Berkshires is the pace and beauty of life here. There’s something grounding about the seasons, the mountains, the markets, and the people. It’s a place that invites you to slow down, get involved, and truly belong.

Jo-Ann Ault - Health & Wellness Coordinator

My path to community work has been anything but traditional, and I’m grateful for every step that led me here. I was homeschooled and spent much of my adolescence traveling across the U.S. In 2011, I moved to Massachusetts, attended high school, and began volunteering in local hospitals—an experience that first sparked my interest in healthcare.

I initially enrolled at MCLA as a pre-med major, but after four years of working as a CNA, I realized how much I valued direct, hands-on care and connection with patients. That experience inspired me to shift my focus toward community health. I restructured my degree and, in the spring of 2019, graduated with a B.S. in Community Health Education.

While searching for a local role in community health, I continued direct care work at BFAIR. During the pandemic, I worked closely with some of our most vulnerable residents, and witnessing the effects on their wellbeing deepened my desire to be more involved in supporting our community.

Being compassionate means not only caring for others but also equipping members of our community with the tools they need to live safely and healthily. While I may no longer be as hands-on in my work, I continue to share knowledge and health-related resources with the community. Over the past ten years living in Berkshire County, I’ve come to truly understand what my grandmother always said: “It takes a village.”

I’m grateful to be part of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition and our wonderful community.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO BECOME A CONTRIBUTOR TO THE COALITION?

Contributions can be made online or mailed to:

Northern Berkshire Community Coalition

61 Main Street, Suite 218

North Adams, MA 01247

nbCC Events and Programming this Month

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren RESOURCE FAIR

Friday June 6, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM. UNO Center, 157 River Street, North Adams

This special event for GRG will offer networking with local resources like Northern Berkshire Pediatrics, Department of Children & Families, Ecu Health Care and more. Coffee and snacks provided.

First Fridays North Adams: Celebrate Pride

Friday, June 6, 5:00-9:00 PM, Downtown, North Adams

Join in the First Friday Fun! Visit downtown businesses for specials, sales and check out the new gallery exhibitions of 2025.

Reconnect Downtown North Adams Info Session Series

Tuesdays, 5:30-6:30 PM, North Adams

LOCATIONS:

June 10 - UNO Center

June 17 - Elks Club

June 24 - NAPL

nbCC 39th Annual Meeting

Friday, June 13, 11:30 AM-1:30 PM, Greylock Works, 508 State Road, North Adams

Join us! The nbCC Annual Meeting is coming up quickly and we hope you’ll be there to celebrate 39 years of community with us. Tickets are $30/person, but scholarships are available. Buffet lunch will be provided. For questions or to register by phone: 413-663-7588

Learn Through Play: Farmers Market

Saturday, June 14, 10:00 - 11:00 AM, UNO Center, 157 River Street, North Adams

In collaboration with Child Care of the Berkshires. Activities and circle time with sensory activities. Best for ages 0-5 years. No registration required. Contact us at 413-663-7588 or nkennedy@nbccoalition.org

Building Belonging Conversation #3

Thursday, June 19, 4-6 PM, Hotel Downstreet, 40 Main Street, North Adams

FREE & open to the public. All are welcome!

Join us this month for a continuation on this series of conversations about building a sense of belonging in our community and region. This forum is presented in partnership with Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.

The forum will include introductions and opportunities for announcements throughout the discussion.

Light refreshments served. Forum will be held in the community space at Hotel DownStreet.

More Information: 413-663-7588 or info@nbccoalition.org

C.O.V. Graduation!

Monday June 23, 5:30 - 7:00 PM, UNO Community Center, 157 River Street, North Adams

All are welcome to join us in celebrating this year’s Community Outreach Volunteer program graduates. This group dedicated their Monday evenings for 6 months to learning more about their community and the resources available so they can better serve their friends and neighbors. Light refreshments will be served. For more information contact us at 413-663-7588 or gglasier@nbccoalition.org

UNO Annual Block Party!

Friday June 26, 4:00 - 6:00 PM, UNO Community Center & Houghton St. Park, 157 River Street, North Adams

The UNO Steering Committee invites you to celebrate the beginning of summer with a block party. Join us at the park adjacent to the UNO Center for an afternoon of food, fun, face painting and more! For more information contact us at 413-663-7588 or gglasier@nbccoalition.org

WEEKLY EVENTS/PROGRAMS

nbCC Bike Collective Hours

*Tuesdays, 3:30-5:30 PM, The Armory, 206 Ashland St., North Adams

1st Tuesdays - OPEN HOURS

2nd & 3rd Tuesdays BY APPT.

Bring your own bike or work on a bike at the bike collective. You’ll have the opportunity to learn from other community members on basic bike fixes, or team up with more experienced bike mechanics to rebuild a bike. Tools and stands are provided. All NB residents are welcome! For more info, call us at 413-663-7588.

Drop-In Art Club Returns!

Wednesdays, 3:30 - 4:30 PM, UNO Center, 157 River Street, North Adams

Join us at the UNO Center (157 River Street, North Adams) for this FREE weekly drop-in program facilitated by MASS MoCA and The Clark.

3:30-4:30PM on Wednesdays (thru Aug. 27)

Snacks and supplies provided!

Children under 8yrs MUST be accompanied by an adult.

Program facilitators are not responsible for child care. MORE INFO: 413-663-7588 or info@nbccoalition.org

Family Resource Center: Parenting Together Group

2nd & 4th Wednesdays, 5:30 - 7:30 PM, nbCC 61 Main Street, Ste. 218, North Adams

A peer-driven/peer-supported group in a judgement-free, confidential space. Snacks provided. Children welcome. 413-663-7588 or nkennedy@nbccoalition.org

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Coffee Time Group

1st & 3rd Fridays, 10 AM - 12 PM. UNO Center, 157 River Street, North Adams

This is a group for grandparents who are actively parenting their grandchildren giving them a safe and confidential space to share similar experiences with other grandparents. Coffee and light snacks provided. Please register: 413-663-7588 or email dsenecal@nbccoalition.org.

Here are a few other upcoming and recurring events happening at the UNO Center at no, or low cost to participants:

Every Wed: 6:30-10:30 PM | Berkshire Gamers - Board Game Night (No Admission fee. Open to the Public)

Every Sun: 2:00-6:00 pm | RPG Game Night - $2 Admission Fee. A collaborative storytelling game where one person plays the narrator and supporting cast to the ensemble played by the other players. Open to the public to drop in, learn how to play and connect with the community of gamers.

Click here to see what's going on at nbCC in JUNE