On April 7, 2024, Berkshire United Way turned 100!
In honor of this milestone, we hosted a Centennial Celebration on April 10 at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield. More than 250 community partners, supporters, and friends joined us to mark the occasion.
This special evening included mingling and photos, followed by a presentation featuring remarks and celebratory messages from elected officials, United Way Worldwide President and CEO Angela F. Williams, and BUW Board Chair Laurie Gallagher; a performance by Youth Alive; the presentation of the Daniel C. Dillon Helping Hands, Caring Heart Award to Mary Wheat; a reflection of BUW's shared 100-year history with Berkshire County and the nation by Dr. Frances Jones-Sneed; a look ahead at our vision for a thriving community by BUW President and CEO Tom Bernard; and a special closing by former board member Warren Dews Jr.
Left, Mary Wheat, Daniel C. Dillon Helping Hands, Caring Heart Award recipient, and right, Frances Jones-Sneed, presenting speaker.
ABOUT MARY WHEAT
Mary Wheat has been an active volunteer and guiding light with the South Community Food Pantry for more than 20 years. Under her guidance, the pantry grew from originally serving 60 to more than 1,000 households every week in 2024. Wheat was the founder and longtime chair of the Thanksgiving Angels meal program and among her numerous awards and accolades for her volunteerism, she was the Rotary Club of Pittsfield’s 2020 Kagan Award recipient and the 2021 AARP Massachusetts Andrus Award recipient for Community Service.
ABOUT DR. FRANCES JONES-SNEED
Frances Jones-Sneed (Ph.D., University of Missouri) is professor emeritus of history and former director of women’s studies at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, Massachusetts. Jones-Sneed has taught and researched local history for over 25 years. She directed three National Endowment for the Humanities grants, and is co-director of the Upper Housatonic Valley African American Heritage Trail. Jones-Sneed is a former board member of MassHumanities and presently serves as a member of the Samuel Harrison Society.
View a recording of our presentation provided by Pittsfield Community Television.
View our Centennial Celebration gallery of images by Tucker Bair Photography (click image)
We also appreciate the media coverage of our 100th anniversary and celebration by The Berkshire Eagle, iBerkshires, The Berkshire Edge, and Rural Intelligence.
The Berkshire Eagle
- As Berkshire United Way celebrates its centennial, the agency's leadership honors the past and plans for the future
- OUR OPINION: As Berkshire United Way turns 100, here's to another century of vital community service