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Recurring (Non-Fixed Schedule)

Berkshire Food Project

The Berkshire Food Project provides free lunches on weekdays at the First Congregational Church in downtown North Adams. This program creates a great link between Williams College and other parts of the northern Berkshires. Volunteers join the staff of the BFP and help prepare, serve and enjoy lunch with members of the community. Help is appreciated between the hours of 8:30 AM and 2 PM on weekdays. There are also opportunities for groups to volunteer in the evening or on weekends for special projects. Students can either fill out the online application or contact the BFP directly.

First Congregational Church
134 Main Street
North Adams, MA 01247

http://berkshirefoodproject.org/

Contact:
Kim McMann
[email protected]
413-664-7378

Berkshire Immigrant Center

The mission of the Berkshire Immigrant Center is to assist individuals and families in making the economic, psychological and cultural adjustment to a new land, not only by meeting basic needs, but also by helping them to become active participants in our community. The Center also aims to build bridges of understanding and cooperation across cultures, to fight racism and discrimination in all forms, and to advocate for the rights of immigrants from all backgrounds. The Center offers comprehensive services for individuals from more than 80 countries to promote civic engagement, facilitate cultural integration, and assist in navigating the complex U.S. immigration system.

Additional Information & Current Opportunities:

learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/berkshire-immigrant-center/

BFAIR

Berkshire Family and Individual Resources (BFAIR) is a national and state accredited human service agency responsive to the unique needs of people with disabilities and their families through:

  • A Dedication to Excellence
  • Diverse Service Options
  • Safe and Healthy Environments
  • Fiscal Responsibility
  • Community Partnerships
  • Career Opportunities and Advancement
  • Inspiring Abilities, Creating Limitless Possibilities

Additional Information & Current Opportunities:

learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/bfair

Converging Worlds

Student Leaders: Maria Hidalgo Romero ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Paula Consolini

Since its inception in 2013, CW has expanded its initiatives to include creative projects on campus and concrete programming in the community. Through pen pal relationships with currently incarcerated, queer people, a transformative justice mentorship program at Reid Middle School in Pittsfield, MA, the publication of SUMMIT – a magazine dedicated to the sharing of concrete ideas for community programming in Berkshire County, and a social activist speaker series, CW continues to encourage critical thought and concrete actions aimed at establishing viable alternatives to our current carceral state.

CW Facebook Page

Education Outreach

For 20+ years, Williams has partnered with our local educators to create hands-on programming that serve the needs of the children and their families in a host of Berkshire County schools in the areas of science, writing, mentoring, homework help and more. Currently, more than 350 students participate and serve in K-12 schools in paid and volunteer positions in Williamstown, Lanesborough, North Adams and Pittsfield. We welcome your involvement and ideas, and look forward to hearing from you! Please visit the Education Outreach section of our website for more information.

Eph Buddies

Student Leaders: Julianna Veira ([email protected]), Helena Barber ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Colin Ovitsky ([email protected])
Meeting Time/Place: Wednesdays

Eph Buddies was created to facilitate friendships between the students at Williams College and members of our community who have mental and physical disabilities. We strive to support these individuals, provide them with additional resources and activities, and create for them a greater sense of social belongingness in our community. Most of our work is with the United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) center and Berkshire Family & Individual Resources (BFAIR).

 

 

Give It Up!

Students collect clothing, books, & other leftovers from fellow students at year’s end. Donations of appliances, household goods and clothing are sold in the Tag sale at First Congregational Church and the ABC (A Better Community) Clothing Sale in September.  Proceeds from these sales benefit local charitable organizations and initiatives such as the Louison House Homeless Shelter and the Friendship Center Food Pantry. Donated food, personal care products and cleaning supplies are brought to St. Patrick’s food pantry. Proceeds from the sale of donated books benefit Education for Konyango,  a project organized by Williams students to support educational initiatives of the Konyango Mboto community in rural Kenya.

The 2017 ABC Clothing Sale raised over $37,000! The following local community organizations were the beneficiaries of the proceeds:

  • Barrington Stage Company’s Playwright Mentoring Program
  • Elizabeth Freeman Center
  • Friendship Center Food Pantry
  • Kids 4 Harmony
  • Louison House
  • North Adams Summer Youth Works Program
  • Roots Teen Center
  • Williamstown Food Pantry

Additional Information & Opportunities:

learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/give-it-up

Great Ideas Committee

Student Leaders: Luke Baumann ([email protected])
Meeting Time/Place: College Council Suite, time according to members’ schedule

The Great Ideas Committee solicits ideas from the community to improve student life at Williams. These ideas can be conveniences (such as installing water fountains or buying chargers for the library), policy changes, improved communication systems, or anything else, though the scope of the projects is generally smaller than the larger policy questions debated by College Council or faculty committees. We draw from the CC Projects fund.

Website

InterFaith

Student Leaders: Giovanni DiRusso
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Seth Wax
Meeting Time/Place: Once a week 5:30-6:30 PM, Mission Dining Hall

InterFaith serves as a discussion group and mediating body for individuals and groups of various faith backgrounds and life philosophies on campus. We aim to provide a safe and intellectually engaging space for people of different worldviews to come together to discuss themes they may encounter form their different backgrounds. We also offer resources on and access to various forms of faith-based and faith-related community service and activism. Finally, we plan to collaborate with the Chaplain’s Office to facilitate discussion between various other groups of faith on campus.

Lehman Community Engagement

Student Leaders: Eva Castagna ([email protected]) and Allison Li ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Sharif Rosen

Recognizing that community outreach and interaction is necessary for the actualization of the mission of a liberal arts education, the Lehman Council (for Community Engagement) serves to promote, foster, and maintain a spirit of service on campus. This is done through organizing and supporting many different community-oriented service projects throughout the year. While our biggest projects are our Fall and Spring Great Days of Service that engage the wider campus in many projects, we also host other smaller ongoing and pop-up projects throughout the year including Winter Study Service Week, meal and clothing donation drives, and volunteering at local schools, elderly homes, immigrant center, homeless shelters, hospitals and farms.

Math Riddles

Many students find math dry in high school and junior high school. The purpose of the webpage is to help students and teachers see that math can be fun, interesting and applicable.

In addition to the riddles, there is a student/teacher corner where detailed explanations are given, not just of how to solve the problem, but how to try to attack it. In particular, often promising approaches that don’t pan out are discussed. The purpose is to help students and teachers learn how to approach new problems.

Additional Information & Current Opportunities:

learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/math-riddles

Moo-Mami

Student Leaders: Carson Kurtz ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Caroline Bruno
Meeting Time/Place: Friday evening, Zilkha Center kitchen

The two overarching goals of the organization are to teach members of the community useful cooking techniques and immerse them in the process of raising money for charity. We hope that through our organization participants will learn and become comfortable with a variety of cooking techniques, thereby acquiring a valuable life skill that students ordinarily are not exposed to in the academic classroom. Through the culinary lessons and time allotted to practice, we hope to build and foster a sense of community around food. Another element of the club consists of familiarizing and raising awareness about various social and medical issues around the world.

Facebook Page

Purple Bike Coalition

Student Leaders: Nelly Lin-Schweitzer ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Sarah Gardner

We are a student-run bike shop. As well as organizing semesterly rentals for students, we offer open hours for anyone to come and learn to perform bike repairs. If you bring a broken bike to open hours a PBC mechanic will work with you to fix it up.

PBC Website

QuestBridge

Student Leaders: Onyeka Obi
Faculty/Staff Adviser: April Ruiz
Meeting Time/Place: Hollander 101

The primary purpose of the Williams QuestBridge Scholars Network is to provide a coherent support system for entering and continuing QuestBridge-affiliated Scholars at Williams College. However, while the Williams QSN functions as a place of support for low-income and first-generation students, many of its services benefit students from all backgrounds; all students are welcome to participate in the QSN’s events. Through the Williams QSN, students have an opportunity to meet others with similar life experiences through frequent social events and gatherings. With an emphasis on service, community building, and student mentorship, the QSN strives to continue our greater organization’s goal of seeing disadvantaged students thrive and give back.

Racial Justice Curriculum Development Initiative

This community engagement program, initially run online due to the COVID pandemic during 2020-2021 and in a hybrid format during Summer 2021 and beyond, is designed to serve Williams students’ civic aspirations by providing the opportunity to engage in racial justice work in partnership with local schools and Berkshire County-based advocacy organizations.  

Additional Information & Resources:

https://learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/racial-justice-curriculum-development-initiative/

Rules Change Project

The Rules Change Project is an initiative to support action ideas for capitalism and the common good.  America is not working for all of us. The Rules Change Project is an open coalition to spotlight, amplify and educate the public about existing efforts to foster economic “rules change.” It is an informal, non-partisan collaboration of individuals and independent groups seeking to help launch a national conversation about how we govern, regulate, manage and interact with corporations, about their relationship with government, and with their stakeholders — employees, customers, communities, the environment — in addition to stockholders.

Additional Information & Current Opportunities:

learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/rules-change-project

The Alhambra Consulting Group

Student Leaders: Ethan O’Connell ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Paula Consolini

 

Alhambra Consulting Group (ACG) is Williams College’s student-run consulting group. Alhambra aims to foster regional economic development in Berkshire County by providing pro-bono strategy and management advisory to local businesses, non-profits, and political (public sector) groups. Alhambra’s primary services include conducting academic & business research, collecting and analyzing data, advising and designing marketing & advertising campaigns, and developing and implementing technology. Alhambra’s primary focus is to leverage the skills of Williams College students to engage with the regional issues of Berkshire County and foster long-term growth and change for our clients and our community.

United Cerebral Palsy

United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) Association of Berkshire County has dedicated itself to offering supports and advocacy for any individual, regardless of disability, to pursue a fulfilling, self-determined, high-quality community life – a life without limits.  The UCP mission is to advance the independence, productivity and citizenship of people with disabilities. UCP of Berkshire County is an affiliate of United Cerebral Palsy Association.

Additional Information & Current Opportunities:

learning-in-action.williams.edu/opportunities/united-cerebral-palsy

Williams Outing Club

Student Leaders: Jackson Ennis ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Scott Lewis

The Williams Outing Club (WOC) stimulates participation in and appreciation for outdoor activities. WOC provides Williams students and community members opportunities for engagement in the outdoors through programming, community events, and gear sharing.

Willy Good Wood

Student Leaders: Geff Fisher ([email protected]), Jensen Pak ([email protected]u), Robert Hefferon ([email protected]), Evelyn Mahon ([email protected])
Faculty/Staff Adviser: Ben Lamb ([email protected])
Meeting Time/Place: Monthly, First Congregational Church

Our organization aims to provide an opportunity for Williams College students to learn and practice woodworking and related handicrafts in a safe and educational environment. We also aim to engage with the community through woodworking-related service projects with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. The club offers a place for students to create and work with their hands in a way that may not be included in their normal academic schedule, and a chance to engage in community service projects using the skills they have acquired through club activities.