​Dear BRIDGE family:
​As many of you have heard, I was unanimously chosen as the 2019 Woman of Achievement by Berkshire Business and Professional Women. Our Berkshire chapter has held this tradition for decades and I am honored to be selected for my professional achievements here in the Berkshires and beyond. I can only imagine that the BBPW choice to choose me as this year’s BBPW WOA honoree is not only about me and my work but also representative of their effort to echo the BBPW support of the mission and work of 

The Town of Great Barrington’s W.E.B. Du Bois Legacy committee held a dinner reception for Jeff Peck after 38th annual Schumacher Lecture, co-sponsored and co-hosted by Multicultural BRIDGE with host/sponsor Schumacher Center for New Economics, with Schumacher guest lecturers, Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm and Ed Whitfield of Fund for Democratic Communities.

Gwendolyn, Stephanie and Lisa work alongside BOAPC (Berkshire Opioid Addiction Prevention Coalition). Stay tuned for our upcoming joint article in the Berkshire Eagle on BRIDGE public health role within opioid prevention and the capacity building with the Recovery Coach Academy trainings for our staff & volunteers. Thank you to our fearless BOAPC leader Jennifer Kimball for the invitations and her coalition leadership in public health and community health work!

Giving Tuesday—a global day of giving that harnesses our collective power to help give back and invest in our communities—is right around the corner, on November 27th.

Can you donate to BRIDGE and help us build the strength and safety of our local communities, while advancing equity and justice for all? Any amount—$5 or $500—makes a big difference! Click here to donate, or donate directly on Facebook.

Thank you again for your ongoing support—we couldn’t do it without YOU. Here’s just a quick snapshot of some of BRIDGE’s work, which you’ve helped to make possible:

Training provided by BRIDGE trainers, Gwendolyn VanSant and Stephanie Wright

July 26, 2018

Join us for an 8 hr experience with a focus on mental health providers, first responders, partner leadership, safety officials and more.
We explore bias, aspects of diversity and culture, we unpack barriers and develop empathy for members of our community.
Come to explore solutions, strategies and frameworks for judgement free interactions filling in gaps of knowledge and experience.
 
For registration, email adminsupport@multiculturalbridge.org
 
For questions, call Jennifer Kimball, BOAPC- Berkshire Opiate Addiction Prevention Collaborative 413-442-1521 ext 37
or Gwendolyn VanSant 413-394-4305

​Gwendolyn writes "Congratulations to Kris Hazzard!
It is a great honor to be nominated and selected as a finalist in executive leadership among 1000 non-profit leaders in Berkshire County for strategic vision and impact. Our collective work has been steady and rooted in community. It is an honor to serve and a milestone to be recognized at our tenth anniversary!"

For more information, click on any of the following events.

• May 30th Courageous Conversations
  • Thank you to everyone who came out to this event! If you missed it, look for it on facebook live or on PCTV!
    
    
• June 2nd Berkshire 2nd annual Pride Parade,
  • BRIDGE is proud to be co-sponsoring the 2nd annual Berkshire Pride Festival. Our very own JV will be speaking. The celebration will include:  Speakers, Community Resource Fair, Entertainment, Vendors, Food, Pride March and more!
    
  • First Street Common, Pittsfield, MA , June 2nd, 2 PM to 5:30 PM.
    
• June 2nd: Gideon’s Garden 10th anniversary annual ceremony 10 AM-2PM for BRIDGE families. Calling all BRIDGE summer program and after school program youth and families!
• June 3rd: Good Work Is Membership: A Talk with Mary Berry
  
  • BRIDGE will be cosponsoring this important conversation.
    
  • June 3rd, 7:30 PM at St James Place in Great Barrington, MA
    
• June 10- Mass Race Amity Day (BRIDGE) Lee Office 9 AM
  
  • Come join BRIDGE in solidarity with partners for racial justice and healing, locally in workshops, film screening, discussion and breaking bread together. Collaborators are: Gwendolyn VanSant, Christie Daignault and Stephanie Wright, Anna White, Setsuko Winchester, Anaelisa Vanegas (Manos Unidas), Otha Day, Alina Hsu, and more! Powerful Day! Second Annual Event.
    
• June 20- Massachusetts State House Unsung Heroine Award to Gwendolyn by Mass Commission on Status of Women
  
  • Gwendolyn will be honored at the State House by The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women as an “Unsung Heroine” by nomination of Senator Adam Hinds
    
• July 4th- July 4th Parade BRIDGE Marching with NAACP, wear/bring your BRIDGE and ALL Hands In Swag and join in with NAACP (Pittsfield)
  
• July 6 - Resilient Connections BRIDGE 10th Anniversary Gala Naumkeag 
  
  • Join in with national and local leaders and all community members in honor of our community-based organization BRIDGE and all of our intentional work to bring us together in Unity and Celebration, 5:30-8:30pm Naumkeag.  Auction and Event Highlights: Delicious heavy appetizers, live music,10 min play and silent auction. Dancing, celebrating and having fun!
    
• August 6th- 17th - Happiness Toolbox/Real Talk Retreat -- Summer Program
  
  • Ages 5-14 (13 and 14 year olds become youth ambassadors and assist while they learn), fun, exploratory arts and learning; join us and our positive education framework embracing diverse cultures, learning foreign languages, community and personal values, connecting to self and environment. August 6th– 17, 3:30 Hevreh of Southern Berkshire
    

​For more information, click on any of the following events.

• June 4- Race Task Force 12:30 PM
• June 7- TRJ-south   UUMSB 6:30 PM
• June 7- Trust Policy Partnership Lee 8:30 AM
• June 13 - All Hands In Steering Committee Lee oFfice 6:00  PM
• June 14 Women To Women Health & Wellness for families 6:30
• June 16- Lee Trust Policy Partnership 10 AM Lee office
• June 21- TRJ/BSURJ White Caucus 7:00 PM UUMSB
• June 23- TRJ People of Color Caucus Harmony Homestead
• June 28 Women To Women  6:30