North Adams Share the Love Campaign Surpasses Fundraising Goal

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — First Congregational Church of North Adams' fourth annual "Share the Love" campaign concluded with over $9,000 raised to support local organizations serving individuals in need.

"Share the Love is catching on; people are familiar with it and wish to support the organizations that we have identified," Lois Daunis of the the church's Missions Team said. 

The initiative raised more than $6,000, primarily from North County residents, with additional contributions from church members as far away as Indiana.

The campaign's initial goal was set at $5,000, with a planned 50 percent matching contribution from the church's Missions budget. Because the community exceeded the fundraising goal, the church was able to distribute a total of $9,075.

Each of the designated beneficiary organizations — Berkshire Food Project, Louison House, and Greenagers at Many Forks Farm — received unrestricted gifts of $3,025.

Representatives from the beneficiary organizations received their donations at a presentation held at the church on Friday afternoon.

Daunis said a key factor in this year's success was the implementation of new fundraising strategies and increased participation.

"We tried additional strategies. We did some on-site fundraising. Plus, I think we have more people on missions, so there are just more people to get the word out," she said.

The fundraising efforts included direct solicitation events organized by Heidi Peterson, with events held at Stop & Shop and at Aubuchon in Williamstown. Additionally, a raffle was conducted, featuring contributions from 18 local businesses and 60 individuals contributed to the campaign.

Participating businesses included: Aubuchon, Big Y, Clark Art Institute, Berkshire Emporium, Freight Yard Pub, Images, Limited Editions, M&J's Taste of Home, Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, Meraki Salon, Nature's Closet, Plant Connector, Provisions, Public, Roam, Stop & Shop, Unlimited Nutrition, Where'd You Get That, Wild Oats, and the Williams Shop.

Daunis emphasized the increasing need for support within the community.

"There's more food and housing insecurity right now than there was in the last three years, and certainly, you know, with the SNAP and WIC cuts coming, I imagine Berkshire Food Project, Louison House, and the pantry are going to get hit harder with folks in need," she said. "Certainly, Louison House and Berkshire Food Project have seen an increase in their numbers."

Daunis added that Greenagers and Many Forks Farm are new beneficiaries of the program.  

"We just wanted to identify a youth-serving organization in Northern Berkshires that's doing good things. And Many Forks Farm, they provide [food] shares," she said.

Smile Programs Visits North Adams Public Schools

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
05:33AM / Thursday, March 27, 2025

Ryder Rowett gets X-rays of his teeth done. The Smile Programs also offers cleanings and some restorative care like fillings. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A mobile dental program visited North Adams Public Schools last week to ensure that students had healthy smiles. 

Founded by two moms who were also dentists, the Smile Programs has been offering dental checkups at schools more more than 20 years. 

"Bringing the care to the patient's hard for families to find care providers that provide care for MassHealth and so we're kind of just bringing the care to the patients," said Dr. Dana Burkett.

Smile Programs is in 17 states and says it has have helped more than 450,000 children.

The program does a complete dental exam, cleanings, X-rays, and other preventative care. And it offers some restorative care like fillings.

School nurse leader Natalie Emery was working with the schools to help find someone who could talk with the kids about dental hygiene and found the Smile Programs. 

"In this particular area we don't have a lot of providers that accept MassHealth. Many families have to travel far, which is a barrier to receiving care, as well as kids not understanding how important it is to brush your teeth," she said.

"In the nurse's office, we see a lot of kids with poor dental care and it causes pain, it causes missed days from school and just creates further problems. So, it's a great opportunity to have them come to the school and try to prevent some of that further tooth decay and trouble down the road."

The Michigan-based program estimates more than 51 million school hours are lost a year and that 1 in 7 children are suffering from tooth pain. 

The Smile program emphasizes that by coming to the schools, children will miss less school time and parents will not have to worry about transportation or having to take time off work.

Emery says about 90 students in the district have signed up for the program and about 15 to 20 kids are seen when the mobile dentist is there. The mobile dentist went to all three schools: Drury High, Colegrove Elementary, and Brayton Elementary.

The dentists see about 20 students each time they are there and explains to them how important dental hygiene is and leaves them with a free toothbrush to go back to class and continue their day.

Emery said the schools hope to be able to bring back the Smile Programs for students.