Pickleball Charity Event Berkshire: The second annual Fun(d) Raising Pickleball Tournament will take place on Sunday, September 21, at the Kilpatrick Athletic Center in Great Barrington. A rain date is set for Sunday, September 28. All proceeds will benefit Berkshire Bounty, a nonprofit focused on reducing food insecurity in Berkshire County.
Berkshire Bounty’s Mission
Berkshire Bounty, founded in 2016 by Jay Weintraub and Mark Lefenfeld, collects donated food and purchases additional items for food pantries and senior centers. Both Weintraub and Lefenfeld now serve as co-presidents. The group partners with food pantries across the county to support residents facing food insecurity.
Rising Food Insecurity
“The organization has been growing significantly because we have been reaching more and more people, but part of it is because food insecurity is getting much worse,” Jay Weintraub said.
Mark Lefenfeld explained that about 15 to 20 percent of Berkshire County’s population, or roughly 25,000 people, have faced food insecurity. He said rising food prices have forced many who previously managed to now rely on food support.
Challenges Facing Families
Lefenfeld also noted that fear of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents has discouraged some undocumented residents from visiting food pantries. “A lot of shoppers at food pantries are non-documented [residents],” he said. “No one ever tries to check [legal residency] if they want food and they are in line. As long as they wait in line to get food, they get it.”
Long-Term Concerns
Lefenfeld warned of possible future cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Healthy Incentives Program. “Approximately half of the shoppers at all the pantries rely on SNAP,” he said. “There have not been any cuts that have been implemented yet. But in a couple of years, there will be cuts implemented, and when that happens, there will be a big increase in food insecurity.”
Ongoing Efforts
Weintraub said Berkshire Bounty delivered about 650,000 pounds of food last year, helping about 16,000 residents. “We are providing food to approximately 16,000 residents. But frankly, we wish we were out of business and that there was no need for the organization. But it doesn’t look like this will ever happen,” he said.
Lefenfeld added, “We operate 52 weeks a year, and at least six, sometimes seven days a week. If we can get healthy food into the hands of the population in need regularly, hopefully we have a shot at changing their eating habits to make them healthier.”
Registration Information
Registration for the September 21 tournament is open until Saturday, September 13. Details about the event and Berkshire Bounty can be found on their official website.
News in Brief: Pickleball Charity Event Berkshire
The second annual Fun(d) Raising Pickleball Tournament will be held on September 21 at the Kilpatrick Athletic Center, with a rain date of September 28. Proceeds benefit Berkshire Bounty, which provides food to pantries and residents across Berkshire County. Registration closes September 13.
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