Lehman Community Service Council homepage
Berkshire Community Resources
ATTENTION GROUPHEADS: You can click on the appropriate link to your group and begin editing that page, adding contacts, dates, and other useful information as written in your grouphead manual. An online pdf version of the grouphead manual is available.
UPDATING YOUR GROUP'S MANUAL: DOING IT WIKI STYLE
- Thoughout the manual you may see _____ after prompts to write down any useful information. We do this because you know better than anyone the most pertinent information for your group. As mentioned in the continuity section, this information becomes a valuable resource in the future.
- You can click on the appropriate link to your group below and begin editing that page, adding contacts, dates, and other useful information.
- For help with the editing format, here are directions for editing a page. It really is as easy as clicking "edit this page", typing your information using some simple formatting rules, and then clicking "save page".
- Whenever you click "edit this page", there will also be a tool bar that will allow you to add fancier formatting (such as links or images) if you so choose.
- For inspiration, here is an Example group page.
- At the end of the year, we will compile any of the edits that have been made and update next year's group head manual accordingly. Thank you so much!
Contents
Building Community Coalitions
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The NBCC is a dynamic, collaborative organization that serves as a forum for the various non-profits, social service agencies, businesses, and local neighborhoods. It encourages communications and leadership as important components of neighborhood development, while encouraging organizations to pool monetary and human resources together to fund special events, projects, and celebrations.
In addition, the NBCC is also a great resource for Williams students and can be a pool of potental campus partners and research opportunities. Examples of collaborative projects that have happened in the past and are ongoing are: - Volunteers at community gardens - Volunteers for art-work/ organization for start-up neighborhood baseball teams - Williams dance groups at neighborhood celebrations
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HEALTH AND SUPPORT
(help with formatting would be greatly appreciated!)
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BCAC provides free or discounted pharmaceuticals to emergency room patients who cannot afford to pay for their own medicine | ||||||
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Chrysalis is a new advanced-stage AIDS care center set on 108 acres in Pownal, VT. Here, residents receive loving support, embrace the process of living and dying, and explore the possibility of spontaneous healing. The community is run through the devotion of the founder, Sunshine Wohl. Volunteers visit each Saturday for about 3 hours to help with outdoor work, computers, outreach, arts projects, to spend time with the residents, and perform other tasks as needed. An important project for this year is to convert the old barn into a community center. | ||||||
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Elizabeth Freeman Center is a countywide agency that provides counseling, advocacy, emotional, educational, vocational and economic services for anyone affected by sexual assault. They oppose violence, harassment, and discrimination, and they promote the physical and emotional safety of all people. They strive to provide a haven and a communication network for all people regardless of gender, age, race, color, class, religion, or sexual orientation. Services include a 24-hour sexual assault hotline, a safe shelter, the family law project, personal economic planning courses, and the Athletes Against Abuse outreach project. | ||||||
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The hospital needs volunteers to work within the different hospital units (admissions/emergency, volunteer department, psychiatric center). Students who play an instrument or have other special skills are particularly welcome. Volunteer tasks include helping out with small errands, transporting patients, conducting patient activities, etc. Volunteers may have to wait until spring semester to begin working at the hospital due to the availability of training sessions. After training, volunteers can work any time, day or night, and usually commit about 4 hours per week. | ||||||
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Volunteers work with the REACH Community Health Foundation to provide breast cancer education at local food pantries, homeless shelters, and stores, and to register women for free mammograms. Timing is flexible and the commitment is minimal. | ||||||
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Volunteers bring enthusiasm, companionship, and a friendly face to the elderly who live in this nursing home. Volunteers are needed to chat with residents, challenge someone to a game of checkers, or read magazines or newspapers aloud. Anyone who is willing to give an hour each Sunday to brighten up the day of an elderly person is welcome. | ||||||
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The Network is a student-run organization dedicated to supporting survivors of sexual assault and rape, supporting loved ones of survivors, and educating the Williams College community about rape and sexual assault. The network is made up of about 40 Williams College students (female and male!) who each contribute to planning events and counseling peers. Major activities include running a 24-hour support hotline, promoting awareness on campus through special fora and entry talks, conducting outreach to local high schools, and planning the annual Take Back the Night event during the spring. | ||||||
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Work with the REACH Community Health Foundation to teach elementary school kids about health, fitness, and nutrition, and to conduct research on these issues with kids. |
HOMELESSNESS
Habitat for Humanity
Contact: Claire Zentgraf (09cmz) and Daniel Perez (09dmp) Listserv: Williams-Habitat@wso.williams.edu Habitat volunteers help build and rehabilitate houses to be sold at no profit to low-income families who otherwise would not be able to afford a home. Project: The Williams College and Northern Berkshire chapters of Habitat need student volunteers from 9:00-12:00 every Saturday to construct their new house on Hall Street in Williamstown.
Hats for the Homeless
Contact: Emily Brown (08ejb)
Louison House
Contact: Sadie Miller (smiller) Louison House is a homeless shelter in Adams. Volunteer responsibilities range from helping a person write a resume to playing with kids and organizing food drives. A volunteer is also needed to help with case work and basic office assistance in North Adams.
HUNGER
Berkshire Food Project
Contact: Lauren Guilmette (08leg) The Berkshire Food Project, started by Williams students in the 80s, continues to serve food to low income local residents. Volunteers serve lunch, eat and talk with the clients, and clean up afterwards. Group go to North Adams from the Chaplain's Office every Monday, Thjursday, and Friday at 11:30 and return by 1:00. Volunteers are welcome on any and all of these days, but should contact in advance.
Williamstown Food Pantry
Contact: Allison Farley (06aef) Located just at the edge of campus at St.Patrick's Church, the food pantry is crucial to the Williamstown area, regularly distributing meals to 14-20 families regardless of their religious affiliation. Students are needed on Wednesdays from 1:00-3:00 to help stock shelves at at major distribution times (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter) to distribute food.
W.R.A.P.S. (Williams Recovery of All Perishable Surplus)
Contact: Dave Moore (10dam), Matt Gustafson (08msg) Listserv: wraps@wso.williams.edu WRAPS is the not-so-obvious acronym for "Williams Recovery of All Perishable Surplus." Four nights a week, a team of two volunteers picks up all the unserved food from the dining halls and transports it to two (at the moment) community organizations in Adams and North Adams who have need of it: the Louison House (a temporary home for homeless individuals) and the North Adams Salvation Army. Each run takes about an hour and a half, and each volunteer goes once every two weeks. College van licenses are helpful but not required.
INTERNATIONAL
Rotaract
Contact: Jane Lole (08jyl) The Williams chapter of Rotaract International, a worldwide network of service clubs for college students, works with the Williamstown Rotary to carry out international service and awareness programs in the greater Williamstown community. Volunteers run advocacy campaigns, fundraising programs, establish international pen pals programs with local youth, and may launch a new international service trip.
World Partnership Walk
Contact: Faaiza Lalji (08fl), Aleha Aziz (07aaa)
OUTDOOR/ENVIRONMENTAL
Local Farms
Contact: Julia Sendor (08jbs), Liz Gleason (08ejg_2), Kendell Newman (08kln) Come visit and work on local farms this fall! We work regularly at Peace Valley Farm, a small farm in South Williamstown that provides the college with lots of our delicious veggies. We also visit Caretaker Farm, the local CSA in Williamstown, where we help the farmer and his interns to weed and harvest. Occasional visits to a local cheese farm adn community gardens, just to spice it up :) Come get P.E. credit and some free veggies!
Forest Garden
Contact: Stuart Jones (Stuart.M.Jones) Come help us plant, weed, harvest and consume our campus community garden! Meeting Saturday mornings.
Thursday Night Grassroots
Contact: Zoe Fonseca (08zaf), Morgan Goodwin (08mjg), Julia Sendor (08jbs), Whitney Leonard (08wal)
Hoosic River Watershed Association
Contact: Eileen Fielding HooRWA is dedicated to restoration, conservation, and enjoyment of the Hoosic River and its watershed, through education, research, and advocacy. They run a wide range of even ts throughout the year and perform a lot of trail and river maintenance.
Berkshire Humane Society
Contact: Justin Lavner (06jal), Elizabeth Hewett (06ekh) Listserv: berkshirehumanesociety@wso.williams.edu The Humane Society provides a safe place for abandoned animals and various services for pet owners. Volunteers can help weekly with pet training, walking, kennel monitoring, cleaning, and other tasks, as well as with the fundraising Humane Race.
Outdoor Outreach
Contact: Scott Lewis (Scott.A.Lewis) Listserv: outdoor-outreach-l@williams.edu Outdoor Outreach is run by the Williams Outing Club and the Williamstown youth Center to provide trust-building, fun, educational outdoor activities to children in the surrounding areas. These outdoor education and adventure classes will include hiking, canoeing, an overnight trip, rock climbing, and WOC's challenge low ropes course~! Classes run during the first and fourth quarters. Time commitment is 4 hours on each of four Saturday afternoons plus one overnight.
Williams Outing Club Trail Crew
Contact: Will Wetzel (06wcw) and Reed Harrison (06rmh) Web site WOC runs occasional trail crew parties to help maintain important local recreational areas. They are a great contribution to the local area and are a lot of fun. Trail crews typically work on Saturdays, though special arrangements can be made for interested groups.
==Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation== WRLF is a community land trust and enviornmental education organization. They have a beautiful new center at Sheep Hill (located on Route 7 south of Williamstown). They also help maintain several local trails, advise residents on conservation practices and land restrictions, purchase land for preservation, and are working on increasing affordable housing in the area. Contact: Juliana (413) 458-2494
PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Adult Literacy and Adult Learning Program
Contact: Ikem Joseph (06itj) After a brief training period, students are paired with an adult to help with literacy, ESL, or GED preparation. Tutors meet one-on-one with those they tutor for one hour per week at a mutually convenient time and location.
Best Buddies
Contact: Ezra Burch (07eab) Listserv: bestbuddies@wso.williams.edu This program builds friendships between college students and people with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities. Volunteers build close and lasting relationships with their buddies by going to the movies, sports events, concerts, museums and their social activities. Buddies talk on the phone once a week and meet twice a month for about 2 hours each time. No car is needed.
Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic
Contact: Nathan Friend (07ndf) Jeff Owens (458-3641) This is a national organization that produces tape recordings of written texts for the blind community and those with dyslexia. The Williamstown branch is always in need of volunteer to read texts aloud and to monitor machinery. The weekly commitment is typically two hours and the schedule is very acommodating.
YOUTH SERVICES
ABC House Tutoring
Contact: Natalie Vokes (07niv), Brendan Mulrain (07btm) The national A Better Chance (ABC) program, provides increased educational opportunites for high school students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The program has established a residence on Hoxsey Street in Williamstown so eight of these students can attend Mt. Greylock High School. Volunteers tutor the ABC House students in a wide range of subjects and as often as needed. The time commitment is about two hours, one night a week, and the house is a short walking distance from campus.
America Reads/America Counts
Contact: Sara Kazanjian (06sjk), Jenny Gimian (08jmg_2) These national programs are both federal work study and volunteer opportunities. Volunteers can work either in the classroom as teacher's assistants or after school in one-on-one tutoring and mentoring programs. Williams volunteers work at Williamstown Elementary, Hancock Elementary (just south of Williamstown), Pownal Elementary (just north), and North Adams public schools. The time commitment ranges from one to several hours per week.
Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter School
Sadie Miller (smiller)
Berkshire Farm Center and Services for Youth
Contact: Estalyn Marquis (06esm) Berkshire Farm is a group home and school for about 250 boys aged 12-17 all from New York State. They are placed in the home for a variety of reasons including family difficulties, school troubles, drugs, and gang involvement. Williams students tutor the boys in reading, writing, math, Spanish, and for SAT prep courses.
Big Brothers/Big Sisters
Contact: Jose Pacas (08jdp) and Corey Levin (08cml) Williams students are paired wiht a student from a local elementary school. Volunteers become close and highly respected friends to these children who need a reliable and caring role model. A Big can help a child discover a world of possibilities and opportunites simply by being a genuine friend. Volunteers do not need a car to participate, but must commit to one meeting a week with their little sibling.
Boy Scouts
Contact: Sean Carollo (07sac) The local troop welcomes student volunteers as troop leaders, outdoor trip guides, and skills teachers. The scouts are always eager to meet Williams students with scouting experience, and time commitment can vary from a few weeks to a few years. The troop meets on Thursdays at 7:00pm at St. Patrick's Church.
Conte Middle School Tutoring
Contact: Elizabeth Doran (06ead_3) Volunteers at this North Adams middle school work one-on-one with students having academic difficulties in a variety of subjects. Tutoring sessions are held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 2:30-3:30, and volunteers are welcome for any or all of these days.
Days at College
Contact: Pam Vachatimanont (07vv) Work with children in grades 6-10 from NYC and Vermont to raise thier awareness of the possibility of college, the wide range of college options, and the necessary skills for succeeding in high school and college. School groups visit Williams for a simulated day at college.
Girl Scouts
Contact: Susan.Montiel@williams.edu Volunteers are needed to lead, co-lead, or assistant lead troops of 5-12 girls ranging in age from 5-18 years. The time commitment is 2-3 hours per week. No previous scouting experience is necessary, just excitement and the desire to have fun with and be a role model for these girls.
Hughes Science Foundation Tutoring
Contact: Jennifer Swoap (jswoap@williams.edu) Run through the Biology department but open to students of any discipline, this program allows Williams students to work with local elementary school teachers to create lesson plans and teach classes in the sciences and computer technologies. Time commitment for these paid positions begins at two hours per week. Teaching session occur during the school day and transportation is provided.
Mt. Greylock High School
Contact: Laura Wagner (07ldw) Students can volunteer each week during the school day at their convenience to work one-on-one with high school students with various learning disabilities. A van leaves from Chapin at 2:30 and returns by 4:00 on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
P.A.W. Pals at Pownal Elementary School
Contact: Tyler Gray (07tcg) PAW Pals is a big brother/big sister program in Pownal, VT. Williams students spend one hour a week (or more) one-on-one with elementary school students, either at lunch or after school. Volunteers provide a dependable support and mentor for the children, and together they do fun stuff like playing basketball and board games or doing art projects.
KidsSpace at MassMoCA
Contact: Priyanka Bangard (07pb) Kidspace is an art gallery and studio space designed especially for kids and families. Kidspace staff work closely wiht North Adams teachers to integrate the study of contemporary art and art making into the curriculum, and they host class field trips for all North Adams schoolchildren. Kidspace is also open to the public.
Pownal Elementary After-School Program
Contact: Sadie Miller This program is a great opportunity to begin teaching elementary school students. Volunteers design and teach their own class to a group of K-3 or 4-6 grade students. The program begins in January, when volunteers can teach one or two days a week. Past courses have included cooking, Native American culture, Around the World, the Homework Club, and Structure.
Pen Pals
Contact: Carol Rosenberg (06cer_3), Alexis Saba (06aes) Write monthly letters to students from Brayton Elementary in North Adams and be a lasting impact in their lives.
Stamford School
Contact: Matt Piven (07mbp) With 90 students in grades K-8, this Vermont school (20 minutes away) invites Williams students to work with kids in whatever program they wish. Volunteers can teach or tutor the kids who are excited to meet and learn from young role models. Hours are flexible.
Williamstown Youth Center
Contact: William Bruce (08wbb) Founded by Williams students almost 100 years ago, the WYC now relies largely on Williams volunteers as sports coaches, tutors, summer camp leaders, and art, dance, yoga and acting teachers for boys and girls aged 4-16
WORD
Contact: Natalie Vokes (07niv) & Priyanka Bangard (07pb)
OTHER
Hurricane Relief Coalition
Contact: Alissa Caron (06arc) Web site
Community Corps
Contact: Megan Brankley (08meb) & Prassanna Raman (08pr)
Images Cinema
Contact: Ruth Giordano (458-1039) The only year-round, non-profit, independent film house in the Berkshires. Last year we organized the Canned Film Festival and other collection drives with Images, and SSJ has begun work with Images for their Social Justice Film Series. Working with the theatre can take many forms, from cleaning and maintenance to taking and organizing canned food drives.
Earthquake Relief Fellowship
Contact Prassanna Raman (08pr) and Uzaib Saya (08uys)
Angel Project
Contact: Captain Mary Eager, North Adams Salvation Army, (413) 663-7987 Collecting toys for area children for the holidays - get houses, teams, departments, offices, etc. to 'sponsor' a child. Contact Mary in October or so and get in touch with Barb Agostini in the Campus Life Office [(413) 597-2546] - she will be very helpful with the collection of the gifts. Generally around $40-$60 should be spent per child, so groups can use this to decide how many children they want to take. Try to put out an initial ad blitz to the Williams community (including faculty and staff) before Thanksgiving to get it on everyone's radar. Most people will sign up the week after Thanksgiving, giving them about two or so weeks, as gifts are usually due on the Friday of finals (it's best to set a soft deadline of Thursday, since almost everyone will get the presents in late).