ABOUT US

MISSION: The Berkshire Food Project seeks to alleviate hunger, food insecurity, and social isolation by serving healthy, no cost meals and connecting people to other resources, all in a dignified and respectful manner.   

Everyone is Welcome for a Meal

The Berkshire Food Project serves a hot nutritious meal, cooked from scratch from 11:30 – 1, 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year. Our in-house dining combats social isolation by providing a welcoming safe space and connects our guests to resources within the community. Additionally, we offer two meals for our guests to take home with them beginning at 12:30 each day. Our meals are no questions asked, ALL are always welcome.

We love to celebrate holidays with our guests. Please keep an eye on our events calendar for our next celebration. 

“Where people of widely different ages and circumstances can meet one another on a friendly basis and with mutual respect.”

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

The Berkshire Food Project has been materially funded through the kindness and generosity of volunteers since our founding. It takes many hands to be able to prepare 200 meals each day, in the span of 3 hours. Most of our volunteers donate their time on a weekly basis, in 2023 volunteers donated over 6,000 hours to Berkshire Food Project. We wouldn't be able to serve our community 5 days a week without our dedicated volunteers, to learn more visit our VOLUNTEER PAGE.

Partnering with our Community

We partner with the community to reach food insecure individuals by providing meals that can be enjoyed outside of our regular hours of operation. We are currently partnering with the following organizations to provide meals:

• Northern Berkshire Transport

• Louison House

• ROOTs Teen Center

• Have Hope Recovery Center

• UCP of Western MA

Additionally, we benefit from receiving food from a variety of sources that make our meals possible. This list includes, but is not limited to:

• The Foodbank of Western MA

• Retail donations from Walmart, Big Y and Stop & Shop

• Berkshire Bounty

• Caretaker Farm

• Full Well Farm

• Growing Healthy Garden Program

• Goodwill Industries of Berkshires and Southern Vermont 

Our Beginnings

In the autumn of 1986, a group of Williams College students, with the support of several local residents and, above all, the encouragement of Rev. Elizabeth Wheeler (then minister of the First Congregational Church of North Adams) decided to create a program to offer regular free lunches in North Adams.  The Berkshire Food Project began its operations on a twice-weekly basis in January 1987.  Its initial funds came from a "meatless meal" program at Williams College.  The BFP has grown from providing three meals each week in 1987 to now serving five days a week.  Our meals are cooked from scratch and often use local ingredients.  We make every effort to prepare delicious and nutritious meals;  we offer a vegetarian option every day.