Berkshire Bank and its two charitable foundations contributed $196,599 to local United Way organizations as part of its 2014 workplace campaign. The money raised includes corporate donations from the two foundations of $77,500, employee contributions of $85,390 and matching donations of $33,709.

Fifteen separate United Way organizations were supported through Berkshire Bank’s 2014 campaign including United Way of the Greater Capital Region. Other organizations include the Berkshire United Way, Northern Berkshire United Way, United Way of Franklin County, United Way of the Pioneer Valley, United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, United Way of Tri-County (Mass.), United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, Tri-County United Way, United Way of Rome and Western Oneida County, United Way of the Valley and Greater Utica Area, United Way of Central New York, Grant United Way, United Way of Rutland County, and United Ways of Vermont. Outside of Berkshire County, where Berkshire Bank is headquartered, the foundation matched employee United Way contributions dollar for dollar up to $10,000 per region.  Additionally, the foundation provided a corporate contribution to the Berkshire United Way.

Berkshire Bank calls itself America’s most exciting bank, committed to the right core values: respect, integrity, guts, teamwork and having fun.

Lori Gazzillo, vice president and director of Berkshire Bank Foundation, said, “We are so pleased to be able to support our local United Ways in such a significant way. We are excited by the response of our team members throughout New York, Massachusetts, Vermont and Connecticut, who really came together to support this effort. The dollars raised for United Way go directly to many meaningful programs throughout our markets, meeting important community needs.”

Each year, Berkshire Bank provides nearly $2 million in financial support to nonprofit and community organizations through corporate community sponsorships and charitable grants from its foundation. In addition to monetary giving, the bank has a large Employee Volunteer Program that carries out group community-service projects benefiting schools, nonprofit organizations and communities within its service area.  In 2013, Berkshire Bank employees completed 179 community service activities and donated in excess of 40,000 hours of volunteer service.  Berkshire Bank has received numerous awards for its philanthropic efforts — most recently being named by the Boston Business Journal as one of Massachusetts’s Most Charitable Companies. 

Berkshire Hills Bancorp (NYSE: BHLB) is the parent of Berkshire Bank. With more than 165 years of banking experience, the company has approximately $6 billion in assets.  Berkshire Bank continues to expand its footprint with 92 full-service branch locations in New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Vermont, offering a network of financial services including personal and business banking, insurance and wealth management. In 2013, Berkshire Bank was named among the Boston Globe’s Top 100 performing publicly traded companies in Massachusetts.  To learn more, visit www.berkshirebank.com. Berkshire Bank is the official bank of the Boston Bruins coverage on NESN.

Through foundation grants to nonprofits, scholarships to students and employee volunteerism, Berkshire Bank is making a difference. Each year, the foundation donates nearly $1.5 million to nonprofits in the bank’s footprint, and employees provide more than 40,000 hours of service — all on the company’s dime. In 2013, Berkshire Bank was named one of Massachusetts’s Most Charitable Companies by the Boston Business Journal. This year, Berkshire Bank and NESN have teamed up to raise $50,000 for Habitat for Humanity by donating funds to the Hockey 4 Housing campaign each time the Boston Bruins achieve a penalty kill. To learn more about Berkshire Bank Foundation, visit www.berkshirebank.com/community. 

--Jennie