Those in attendance formed small working groups to discuss the most important causes to tackle, and then strategies to do just that.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Western Massachusetts Food Bank wants to do more than just provide emergency meals for those in need.
They want to dig deeper.
The group's task force to end hunger has the goal of doing exactly what's its title suggests: to end hunger in the region.
On Saturday, the task force was in Pittsfield meeting with various service groups to identify which root causes together the agencies can start tackling, and how to do it.
"We are feeding people day in and day out because it is necessary," said Andrew Morehouse, executive director.
Every month the group is sending tons of food to food banks throughout the region. Morehouse estimates some 200,000 people are fed through its programs.
By January, the Western Massachusetts Food Bank hopes to have a preliminary action plan with three to five causes of hunger to address. After another six months, that plan will be further refined and the groups hope to start making some inroads into the problem.
"We know this is going to be a long-term project," Morehouse said.
At a two-hour workshop Saturday, the group asked the volunteers, and organizational representation, and others who attended to discuss those causes. The groups suggested socioeconomics as one of the top issues to tackle. With transportation, food waste, mental health, and access to education and nutrition-related programs also identified.
"Breaking the cycle of poverty seems to be a large issue," said Nancy Robinson, when speaking of what her small group had identified as leading causes.
The working session hopes to narrow the focus of the organization, which crafted a large graphic outlining some 50 different causes of food insecurity.
"We've got to find all of these pressure points that will change and break these patterns," said state Sen. Benjamin Downing.
Downing said the state spends some $17.5 million of its $40 billion budget on food programs. But to make real impacts, Downing said it will come down the numerous service agencies working together to make every dollar count even more when tackling the issue.
"While we are in the most remote and rural region of the state, one of the great things that comes out of that is you can get everyone in the room in the Berkshires," Downing said.
"We know we have these big things we have to work on ... No matter how big and daunting this problem may be, I hope none of you say it is too big."
The session was held at Berkshire Community College, where President Ellen Kennedy said even higher educational institutions are struggling with the issues. BCC opened a food pantry that served some 150 students last year.
"Now we think about it every single day. We deal with this," Kennedy said, after saying when she first got into the higher education field she didn't expect hunger to be a large issue.
The lead was taken by Bunker Hill Community College, which opened a pantry after discovering students were going without meals. Now it has grown to be a national issue on college campuses.
Executive Director Andrew Morehouse hopes to have an action plan crafted in January.
"This has become an issue of national import, especially at community colleges," Kennedy said.
"We may not solve the issue today but we will move one step forward in our path."
Gwendolyn Hampton-VanSant, of Multicultural Bridge, an organization that has joined the task force, said her group is seeing food insecurity issues in the younger grades as well.
"You can't learn if you are hungry," she said. "We can't function if we have people hungry and starving in Berkshire County."
Multicultural Bridge has a role in working on cultural competency and has used its skills in working on how to advocate for funding for hunger-related issues on the state and federal level. The group partners with a number of programs and wants to continue to help in this effort to take a stronger approach to the issue.
"It is one bold goal, how are we going to end hunger in Western Massachusetts?" VanSant said.
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ServiceNet Warming Center Hosted 126 People This Winter
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
ServiceNet manages the warming shelter next to the church.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — ServiceNet's warming center has provided more than heat to unhoused individuals over the last four months and will run to the end of April.
It opened on Dec. 1 in the First United Methodist Church's dining area, next to ServiceNet's 40-bed shelter The Pearl. The agency has seen 126 individuals utilize the warming center and provided some case management to regulars.
While this winter was a success, they are already considering next winter.
"I've been on this committee many years now. There's probably only a few months out of the year that I don't talk about winter, so I'm always trying to plan for next winter," Erin Forbush, ServiceNet's director of shelter and housing, told the Homelessness Advisory Committee on Wednesday.
"We are in this winter and I'm already thinking what's going to happen next winter because I want to be really clear, winter shelter is never a given. We don't have this built into the state budget. It's not built into our budget, so there is always trying to figure out where we get money, and then where do we go with winter shelter."
She pointed out that warming centers are "very different" from shelters, which have a bed. The warming center is set up like a dining room, open from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m., and folks are welcome to stay for breakfast.
"We are asking people to come in, get warm, be out of the elements," Forbush explained.
ServiceNet's warming center has provided more than heat to unhoused individuals over the last four months and will run to the end of April.
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