[Capdist-announce] PRESS RELEASE: Three Berkshire Organizations Honored in Boston on Nonprofit Awareness Day

Tue Jul 12 10:15:36 EDT 2016

*PRESS RELEASE*

*Contact:*

Nicole Eigbrett

Community Outreach Director

Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity

neigbrett at berkshirehabitat.org

Office: (413) 442-3181

Photo attached

*Three Berkshire Organizations Honored on Nonprofit Awareness Day and
Excellence Awards Ceremony in Boston*

MASSACHUSETTS STATE HOUSE, BOSTON (6/28/16) – On Monday, June 27, three
nonprofit organizations from the Berkshires were among the 30 nonprofits
honored at the State House for Nonprofit Awareness Day, presented by the
Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN) and Citizens Bank. The highlight of
the annual celebration, the Nonprofit Excellence Awards, were presented to
seven nonprofit organizations and employees that exemplify the most
innovative, creative and effective work being done throughout the
Commonwealth. Nicole Eigbrett, Community Outreach Director at Central
Berkshire Habitat for Humanity, was one of five finalists in the Excellence
by a Young Nonprofit Professional award. Multicultural Bridge and WAM
Theatre were two of the four finalists in the Excellence by a Small
Nonprofit award. 200 nominations were received in the seven award
categories, a new record, according to MNN.

The three finalists were proud to represent the Berkshires at the award
ceremony in Boston and hope that a greater number of our 984 Berkshire
nonprofits will be finalists for next year’s awards.

“I’m honored and humbled to represent the Berkshires in this outstanding
group of young professionals,” says Eigbrett. “It’s a testament to how
working hard and diving into this community, even if you’re a newcomer, can
make a true impact. Central Berkshire Habitat has granted me an amazing
array of connections, from neighborhood residents to legislators."

“This is a five year prediction come true! In 2011, at a WAM Board Retreat,
we were asked to answer to the following question “in 5 years, you are
being given an award- what is it for and where is it being given to you?
After some thought I said ‘It’s being given to us at the Massachusetts
State House and its for WAM’s unique mission of using theatre to benefit
women and girls” shared Kristen van Ginhoven, Artistic Director of WAM
Theatre.  “WAM is so honored to be celebrated by these awards and to be
listed alongside these other incredible non-profits doing social service
and social justice work, including our close colleagues in the Berkshires!”

This year, House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Stan Rosenberg,
along with hundreds of nonprofit and business leaders, plus elected
officials, celebrated the work of the nonprofit sector and raise awareness
of causes throughout the state. Massachusetts was the first state in the
country to have an annual Nonprofit Awareness Day, which was recognized and
signed into law by Governor Deval Patrick in 2008.

To learn more, visit massnonprofitnet.org.

*About Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity*

Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity is part of a global, nonprofit
housing organization that builds strength, stability and self-reliance
through shelter.

Founded in 1992, Central Berkshire Habitat is dedicated to eliminating
substandard housing locally and worldwide through constructing,
rehabilitating and preserving homes; by advocating for fair and just
housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help
families improve their shelter conditions. For more information, visit
www.BerkshireHabitat.org <http://www.berkshirehabitat.org/>.

*About Multicultural BRIDGE*

Multicultural BRIDGE is honored to be recognized for our mission of
striving for social and racial justice in a holistic, positive systems
approach working with children in schools along with their faculty and
parents and training corporate, non-profit and municipal employees. In
bridging the voices of unheard and underrepresented communities and their
issues to the organizations, policymakers and fellow residents of our
greater communities in order to build a unified thriving community, BRIDGE
has excelled at catalyzing change and healing communities one person at a
time and fortifying organizations one cultural competence skill at a time.
Gwendolyn VanSant, CEO and Founding Director, Board Chair DR. Eden-Renee
Hayes and JV Hampton VanSant, Youth Engagement and Social Networking
Coordinator all gathered at the State House to represent this
community-based organization. Gwendolyn states, “This recognition as a
finalist represents the Berkshires and our efforts to be the best rural
county we can be excelling in our connection and collaboration.” Often
BRIDGE is utilized across the Commonwealth and outside within our
neighboring states and is recognized in the criminal justice text
book,*Understanding
Hate Crimes* by Dr. Petrosino, and by other researchers in social issues,
positive psychology and racial justice.

Multicultural BRIDGE will be presenting two of its cultural competence
workshops*, “A Cultural Literacy Toolbox: Developing Culturally Proficient
Practices” AND “Cultural Competence for a Multigenerational Workforce”
have been selected for the 2016 Massachusetts Nonprofit Network Annual
Conference*. BRIDGE was selected to run 2 out of 25 of the MNN workshops
out of over 70 proposals.  Informed as a certified SDP as a minority and
women run non-profit, this work is crucial to the success of our
non-profits in serving our communities during these politically charged
times of activism and change.  For more SDP information, email
gwendolyn at multiculturalbridge.org. Or call 413-717-8164.
www.multiculturalbridge.org

*About WAM Theatre*

Based in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, WAM Theatre was co-founded in
2010 by Canadian director, actor, educator, and producer Kristen van
Ginhoven to create professional theatrical events for everyone, with a
focus on women theatre artists and/or stories of women and girls.

WAM Theatre also has a philanthropic mission, inspired by the book Half the
Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas
Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, and donates a portion of the proceeds from its
theatrical events to organizations that benefit women and girls.

Over the past five years, WAM Theatre has donated more than $15,000 to
seven nonprofit organizations and provided paid work to more than 100
theatre artists. In addition to the main stage productions and special
events, WAM Theatre’s activities include a comprehensive educational
outreach program and the Fresh Takes Play Reading Series. For more
information, visitwww.WAMTheatre.com <http://www.wamtheatre.com/>.

###

PHOTO CAPTION: Kristen van Ginhoven, Artistic Director of WAM Theatre,
Gwendolyn VanSant, CEO and Founding Director of Multicultural BRIDGE,
and Nicole
Eigbrett, Community Outreach Director at Central Berkshire Habitat for
Humanity were among the nominees feted at the State House in Boston at
the Nonprofit
Excellence Awards on June 27.

-- 
Gail M. Burns

*Marketing + Publicity Associate*
www.WAMTheatre.com <http://www.wamtheatre.com/>
413-274-8122

*Our 7th Season:*Special  <http://www.wamtheatre.com/special/>| 24hr Project
<http://www.wamtheatre.com/2016-24-hour-theatre-project/> | Fresh Takes
<http://www.wamtheatre.com/fresh-takes-2016/> | Stars in the Orchard
<http://www.wamtheatre.com/stars-in-the-orchard-2016/> | Bakelite
Masterpiece <http://www.wamtheatre.com/the-bakelite-masterpiece/>

Make a donation now
<https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/WAMTheatreInc/donate.html> to WAM
Theatre!
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