Food Access
Our Work To Date
We do sustained organizing to ensure equal food access across the county. While food access is no longer our top priority, we work to preserve the change we've created and enable future action. Here's what we've achieved.
Campaigns At A Glance
Getting residents where they need to go to stay healthy
We're bringing a volunteer based on-demand ride service to Berkshire County.
Whether it’s the grocery store or a doctor’s appointment, the program will help residents get where they need to go in order to live a healthy life.
We're on track to launch by the end of the year!
Securing money for transportation stability
In 2015, we won a $400,000 earmark in the state budget to provide an additional year’s worth of funding for Berkshire Rides before the program’s cancellation, allowing North county residents to keep their jobs while finding alternative transportation.
Funding also supported a feasibility study on expanding the program to all of Berkshire County.
Effective Transit Accountability Campaign
Holding public transit providers accountable
In 2016, we held BRTA and Berkshire Transit Management accountable to riders when routes were changed with no notice.
We won a public apology, updates to the website with accurate routes, and a commitment to better communication with the public for future changes.
An Act Relative to Regional Transportation Ballot Initiatives
Pushing for legislative change for local funding
After conversation with BIO, State Senator Downing wrote and filed An Act Relative to Regional Transportation Ballot Initiatives, which would give municipalities the ability to self-levy additional taxes through ballot initiatives to raise funding for local transportation.
Our Organizational Partners
We deeply thank all the organizations that have come together to plan this important new resource!
Here are some of our partners in the work:
Berkshire Health Systems
Berkshire Regional Planning Commission
Community Health Programs
Senator Adam Hinds’ Office
Northern Berkshire Community Coalition
Retired Senior Volunteer Program
