ADAMS, Mass. — Gratitude was the theme of Northern Berkshire Community Coalition's 38th annual meeting on Friday morning but there was a heavy dose of collaboration as well. 

 

Gratitude for the people and organizations that have aided the coalition in its mission to empower communities and families. Gratitude for the staff who show up everyday to take on the sometimes insurmountable challenges. The board members and volunteers who spend their time and energy to improve the lives of others.

 

And gratitude for those who have passed on, leaving a new generation to pick up their work and carry on. 

 

"Gratitude is a wonderful thing. It is a feeling that you can fight back against the hard and difficult, propelling us into a forward momentum, seeing good things that lie ahead and appreciate those who journey with us," said Executive Director Amber Besaw.

 

The coalition is a hub of collaboration, connecting people with programs and support services, providing creative opportunities for teens, sponsoring parenting programs, training neighborhood leaders, listening to residents and  advocating for their needs, hosting community events and bringing together residents and other stakeholders to solve local problems. 

 

In the last year alone, NBCC has served more than 1,000 new clients, trained more than 100 community leaders, engaged nearly 600 families in parental support plans, and hosted hundreds of meetings and events at the UNO Community Center and beyond. 

 

"One of the things that I see often is municipalities are not equipped to handle some of the social service needs or some of the communities that we have. We don't have staff. We don't have the resources and particularly we don't have the skill set," said Town Administrator Jay Green in welcoming the annual meeting to Adams. While the town has a Council on Aging, "there are other issues that exist out in space and go right to the heart of making our communities liveable, safe and welcome."