April 22, 2020

CLICK HERE to view the April 21, 2020 Update from City Hall including:

NEW! Massachusetts COVID-19 data as of April 21, 2020
NEW! Governor extends school closure through the end of the school year
NEW! Northern Berkshire COVID-19 Update

CONNECT WITH COVID-19 COMMUNITY LIAISONS

IMPORTANT NOTICE: In the interest of keeping these updates to a manageable length without sacrificing access to the ever growing and ever changing list of information and links, we've moved a lot of the content to this separateRESOURCE PAGE.

PHONE: 413-662-3614
EMAIL: nbcovid@gmail.com

The community liaisons working with the Northern Berkshire COVID-19 Operations Center are available to support communities by providing information and connecting people with resources.

NEW! FREE VIRTUAL EVENTS OFFERED BY LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS

Ongoing - #413 Rainbow Hunt - Join this Countywide effort to build your community's growing number of rainbows in the socially distanced rainbow scavenger hunt! More information.

Monday to Wednesdays- Virtual North Adams Farmers Market! The North Adams Farmers Market is going mobile while COVID19 restrictions are in place. Ordering is open from 3PM Mondays - 3PM Wednesdays. All orders are delivered or can be picked-up on Saturdays. More information and ordering.

Mondays at 5:00PM - nbCC Bike Collective Virtual Fix A Flat Workshop. More information.

Wednesdays at 11:30AM - Virtual Story Time at the North Adams Public Library. You must join the private group at their facebook page, found HERE.

Thursday, April 23 at 9:00AM - How We Are Coping In The Berkshire Business Community - Virtual Panel Discussion This event was supposed to be "I Built My Business in the Berkshires." Now it's "How We are Coping." Hear from a panel of top Berkshire business leaders including Brian Fairbank, Tina Packer, Nathan Winstanley and Mitch Nash of Blue Q. Pre registration for Zoom webinar required.

Thursdays at 1:30 PM - Virtual Book Buddies Beginning the North Adams Public Library will host a weekly Virtual Book Buddies program. Grab your favorite book, get to know one of the librarian’s pets, and read to them! Visit the North Adams Public Library's Facebook or Instagram pages @naplibrary to view the program. Call 413-662-3133 or email naplyouth@northadams-ma.gov with any questions or for more information.

MCLA Seniors Virtual Gallery Exhibition “And So It Goes” will be open online (and the website will go live) on Friday, May 1, 2020 at https://www.mclaseniorartmajors.com.

DAILY RESOURCES FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING

NEW! The CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.

CDC also advises the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.

Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.

The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators. Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE USEFUL INFO. AND BOTH SEW AND NO_SEW MASK PATTERN

See who's open for local take-out and delivery in North County! Remember all those gift certificates these folk donated to your favorite local charity or kids school/sports fundraisers.... Don't forget they need your support now more than ever. North County Restaurant Guide

Looking for ways to make the most of staying home and keeping occupied? 1Berkshire has compiled a list of things to do to suit folk of any age. HOMEBOUND FUN

Got kids? We've compiled a big list of links that your fellow parents and educators think you might enjoy exploring!
EDUCATION AND ACTIVITY SITES

FOOD RESOURCE UPDATES FOR THE WEEK OF 4/6

NEW! McCann Technical School is now offering take and go dinners and breakfast for the next day, Monday-Friday, 4:00-5:00pm for youth 18 and under from North Adams, Adams, Cheshire and the towns of the Northern Berkshire School Union. Please pick up meals in front of the school.

NEW! Meal Site Pick-up - ROOTS Teen Center- call ahead to schedule an appointment to pick up a free meal. Contact Paula Buxbaum, Executive Director, at 413-663-0250.

NEW! Northern Berkshire Community Coalition Weekend Meal Delivery Program.
Berkshire County COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund to coordinate a weekend meal delivery service through our local restaurants to those community members who are currently unable to leave their homes and unable to access food on the weekend. This initiative is open to people who reside in any one of the seven north Berkshire towns [Williamstown, North Adams, Clarksburg, Florida, Adams, Cheshire, and Savoy]. Limited supply.
This program is intended to reach individuals and families with no other access to food resources on weekends. nbCC will be asking interested participants what food resources they are already accessing in order to avoid any duplication of efforts and so that we can expand our community's ability to provide for vulnerable populations.
For more information: 413-663-7588. nbCC staff will be taking phone calls Monday through Friday, 9am-3pm.
This program is free of charge, as nbCC will be using the funds we were awarded to compensate both the restaurant and the delivery driver for their service.

FOOD PANTRY DISTRIBUTION:

North Adams Salvation Army, 393 River Street, Tuesday, 12:00-3:00 p.m. (Please use front door)
Al Nelson Friendship Food Pantry now distributing out of St. Elizabeth's Parish Center, 70 Holden Street, Wednesday, 10:00 a.m. -2:00 p.m. / 3:30-5:30 p.m. (Seeking volunteers! northernberkshireinterfaith@gmail.com)
Williamstown Food Pantry at Saints Patrick & Raphael Parish, Wednesday, 9:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Cheshire Food Pantry, Saturday, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

MEAL SITE DISTRIBUTIONS:

Berkshire Food Project, Monday - Wednesday - Friday, 11:30 A.M. -1:00 P.M. Grab and Go Lunch-Pick up outside at Summer St. entrance.
First Baptist Church, North Adams, Saturday, 11:00 A.M. -12:30 P.M. Take and Go meals
Adams Council on Aging (COA), Monday-Friday, Grab and Go Congregate meals. MUST CALL AHEAD.
Cheshire Council on Aging (COA), Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday. Grab and Go Congregate meals. MUST CALL AHEAD

SCHOOL FOOD DISTRIBUTION SITES:

North Adams Public Schools, Locations: Mohawk Forest, Brayton Elementary School, UNO Community Center Parking Lot, Greylock Valley Apartments, and Colegrove Park Elementary School. Days: Monday through Friday. Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00PM (Fridays offer breakfast and Lunch for weekend too)
Adams - Hoosac Valley Elementary School, Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays, 9:00-11:00AM. On Monday and Wednesdays there will be 2 days worth of meals.
Williamstown - WES, 9:30-10:30 AM. Call ahead and leave information at 413-458-9582, Ext. 1195, or email lunches@mgrhs.org.

MEAL DELIVERIES:
Meals on Wheels, Monday-Friday

FOOD TRANSPORTATION:
Call Williamstown or Adams COAs if a ride is needed to pick up groceries.

SUPERMARKETS:

Big Y, Age 60+ hour: 7:00-8:00 a.m
Stop and Shop, Age 60+ hour: 6:00-7:30 a.m
WalMart, Age 60+ hour: 6:00 - 7:00 a.m. on Tuesdays
Wild Oats Market, Age 60+ hour: 9-10am. Our Weekday Curbside Pickup option is available.
Adams Hometown Market, Age 60+, immunocompromised, first responders hour: 7:00 - 8:00 AM

LOCAL FOOD AND FARMS:
Looking for ways to support local farms, click here.
North Adams Virtual Farmers Market - Serving North County More Information
Roots Rising Virtual Farmers Market - Serving Berkshire County More Information

FOOD BENEFITS:
WIC- WIC sites are currently closed until further notice, but we are serving our Participants over the phone. (413) 663-3012

ADDITIONAL LOCAL RESOURCES

nbCC Northern Berkshire Resource Guide: This is a comprehensive guide for contacting our local resources covering Elderly services to Youth services and everything in between.
Important Phone Numbers: