Pittsfield Rotary Club Foundation
 
YOUR FOUNDATION
 
      The Pittsfield Rotary Foundation was established in 1986 with a  mission to create an endowment to support capital and special projects which have a long-term community impact, along with scholarships.
 
The Foundation is run by members of the Pittsfield Rotary Club who act as Trustees. 
 
Pittsfield Rotary Club Foundation 
 President - John McLaughlin 2024-2025
 
  The Pittsfield Rotary Club Foundation is a 501c3 non for profit charitable organization so donations are tax deductible as provided by law. 
 
      Our funds are currently invested with October Mountain Financial Advisors and we have a total of just over $500,000, the majority of which is restricted funds.
 
 
      Funds & Scholarships
  • General Fund or our Bricks & Mortar Fund for Capital Projects – Supports long term community projects like our very first capital investment which was the Ken Nash Playground at Berkshire Children & Families on West Street.  We provide grants totaling $20,000 a year via this fund.
  • Literacy Fund – Supports the purchase and distribution of illustrated dictionaries to every 3rd grader in Pittsfield and Richmond each year in December as well as other literacy related programs or projects.  The Club set a goal to create this endowment as part of our Presidents Development Committee and Strategic Plan in 2009.  The goal was to endow $100,000 to fund the literacy projects going forward so the project funds itself where years ago we paid a literacy assessment in our dues.
  • Advance Placement Test Fund - Supports AP testing costs for low income students in Pittsfield.
  • Boundless Playground Fund - Supports replacement costs to the Rotary Park at Springside which was our 100-year Rotary International Project.  We funded upwards of $16,000 in replacement parts and repairs to equipment in recent years through this fund.
  • Dr. David B. Kagan Fund – Supports $200 stipends annually and awards to a non-Rotarian female and male recipient for community service above and beyond in the community. The family makes an annual gift to keep this fund going in honor of Dr. Kagan.
 
We have scholarship funds established for fellow Rotarians who have passed away but were exemplary members of our Club or our Community.
 
  • Gene Case Scholarship – provides a scholarship to a student in need, preferably with a focus in international studies who has goes above and beyond with school and community service.
 
We also have endowments established by the Nash and Lyon Family’s that go to students in need who are not your traditional scholarship recipients but students who have overcome obstacles in their life to be able to pursue higher education.
  • Nash Family Scholarship
  • Lyon Family Scholarship
 
We have the Jeffrey Whitehouse Paul Harris Fellows Scholarship which was awarded each year through the annual generosity of our Club’s Paul Harris recipients. The scholarship then goes to a student similar to those noted above that has overcome much to get where they are going in their future.  On the 20th Anniversary of the scholarship being awarded, the Club decided to rename the scholarship in honor of the person who has championed it all these years, Rotarian Jeffrey Whitehouse.  The Club created an endowed fund through fundraising at the annual auction and wine pairing dinner, along with generous donations from those wishing to honor Jeff as part of establishing this permanent fund as part of our Foundation., 
  • Jeffrey Whitehouse Paul Harris Scholarship – awarded annually to a Pittsfield Student who is deserving of support having overcome adversity in their life and is choosing to pursue higher education.
Past projects
  • Rotary Park which is a Boundless Playground located at Springside Park in Pittsfield.
  • We provided BRASS with a grant toward the purchase of a new floating boat launch on Onota lake making it safer for the students who BRASS works with from throughout the city.
  • We partnered with the Warren Family and the Brigham Center on the construction of an Outdoor Classroom at Brigham Center.
  • We partnered with the Berkshire Museum for the creation of a Spark Lab.
  • We provided a couple of grants to Hancock Shaker Village for capital improvements related to ADA compliance like handicap access ramps and bathroom upgrades.
       Recent grants
  • Under the leadership of Dick Laureyns, we have partnered with Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity in supporting veteran’s in need of home improvements.   We have painted the interior of a home and built a handicap access ramp for a disabled veteran.
  • We partnered with the Pediatric Development Center on two grants, one to help launch a feasibility study and interior upgrades at their facility.  Rotarians also repainted the interior of the building classrooms. The second is going toward the construction of an addition which is going to take place this fall.
  • We helped the Berkshire County Kids Place to replace their doors and upgrade their front porch for better access for children receiving services at their program.
  • When the Marilyn Hamilton Literacy Program was in jeopardy of losing their city funding, we stepped up and our Cash Calendar proceeds went to support this program for children on the west side of the city.
  • Operation Copsicle is our most recent project to support which will enable the Pittsfield Police Department to expand their community policing program to bring treats, movies and popcorn to local children at parks, housing projects and community events in a fully equipped Ice Cream Truck!
Fundraising
  • Wine Pairing Dinner  - March
  • Cash Calendar  - Fall
  • Golf Tournament  - May
  • Special Events – last one was Corvette’s Show at the Colonial Theater in 2014 which raised about $10,000 and we are looking at that again for the coming fiscal year 2019.
 
The most important way is to support Your Foundation is to contribute to the Annual Appeal which happens in May and June of each Rotary year. We ask all Rotarians to contribute to the Pittsfield Rotary Foundation. 
 
You will receive your pledge card in the coming weeks, so we would ask that you think about what is meaningful to you as far as a gift to support the community and projects like those mentioned above. 
 
As reminder, you can contribute anytime and encourage others to do so as well to any fund or scholarship under the Pittsfield Rotary Foundation.
 
 
Thank you!!!!!
 
Click on the stories on the left to see the work done in the community.