Emergency Food

The Hilltown Food Pantry in partnership with the Northampton Survival Center provides residents of Hampshire County with a wide selection nutritionally-balanced foods once a month, with additional produce and bread available once a week. The Goshen Pantry has resumed services after a temporary closure. Residents of all 10 Hilltowns may obtain a pre-packed bag of groceries delivered to their cars once per week on Wednesdays 1-3PM at the Goshen Town Hall.

In addition, residents of Worthington and Cummington may visit the R.H. Conwell School in Worthington where a temporary pantry is open Thursdays from 1:00-1:30pm at the rear of the School, 147 Huntington Rd, Worthington.  One bag per resident is available every two weeks.  Delivery can be arranged.  You must call or text 413-238-1999 or email relief@worthington-ma.us to reserve a bag before 10am Thursday.

Note: The USDA has increased their income guidelines during this national crisis so more people can qualify for emergency food.  Annual income for 1 person is $31,900; for 2 is now $43,100.  Add $11,200 for each additional household member. Income is self-declared.  You only need proof of residency such as a driver's license or utility bill to participate.

Rabbit Hole Restaurant - Emergency Prepared Meals:  A generous group of donors is supporting the Rabbit Hole Restaurant to provide meals to any Worthington or Cummington resident who may have a need based on finances or access during the pandemic.  Meals are available for pick-up at the Rabbit Hole on Tuesdays & Fridays from 1-1:30pm.  Delivery can be arranged.  To reserve meals please call or text 413-238-1625 and leave a message with the number of meals you need before 11am the day before (Monday or Thursday). 

Northampton Survival Center has resumed emergency food services with new distribution sites as of Monday, April 6th.  Food will be available for all Northampton Survival Center clients and eligible new clients experiencing food insecurity.  Please click this link for full details. www.northamptonsurvival.org

Highland Valley Elder Services - Home deliveries of frozen meals to anyone who is sick and unable to leave home or cook for themselves. Call (413) 586-2000 at least 48 hours in advance.  Full month's menu is available at www.highlandvalley.org/menus

Veterans Services Our local Veterans Service Officer is Steven Connor. He is in the Northampton office Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10am-2pm. All veterans and their dependents are eligible for financial and medical assistance according to income. Beyond the standard assistance we are also providing boxes of non-perishable food to last two weeks for two people from Massachusetts Military Support Foundation, One Call Away (Food4Vets) and from the Salvation Army. The box is delivered to you! For more information please contact our office at 413 587-1299 or email us at vetadmin@northamptonma.gov

Project Bread’s FoodSource Hotline has the most updated information on SNAP (including any expanded benefits that may become available) and offers screening and application assistance over the phone. They have access to Language Line translators and will also connect callers to additional local food resources. The FoodSource Hotline is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm and Saturday from 10:00am to 2:00pm.  Call 1-800-645-8333.

Apply for SNAP (Food Stamps) - Visit DTAConnect.com or call (877) 382-2363 to talk to a case manager between 8:15am-4:45pm, M-F. During off hours you can access case information via the automated system. You may also access information via the DTAConnect app.

School Food - Thanks to nearly $200 million in federal funding from Congress, eligible low income families will receive two lump sums of around $400 per child on a special Electronic Benefit Transfer card that will arrive in the mail for those who don’t already have one. The payments, which work out to $5.70 a day for school closures from mid-March to mid-June, add up to roughly $1,200 for a family with three school-age children.

Local Groceries and Prepared Foods

Many Hilltown restaurants, markets and kitchens are still open for business, accepting online or phone orders and providing curbside pickup or delivery options:

Alice's Kitchen at Honey Hill Homestead (Cummington) - Full weekly menu of prepared foods.  Order online at aliceskitchenathoneyhill.com by Friday 7PM for Tuesday pickup or local delivery.  Chef Alice Cozzolino, (413) 634-5659, alice@aliceskitchenathoneyhill.com

Blossom Center (Middlefield) - Community supported prepared meals available between 12pm-2pm weekdays.  Call (413) 623-2155 ext. 111 or visit their facebook page. Coordinator Tamarin Laurel.

Chesterfield General Store (Chesterfield) -Open Thursday-Saturday 12pm-6pm, Sunday 11am-3pm.  Fresh bread, hot meals, grocery.  Order at the takeout window or call ahead (413) 296-4354. Owner/Chef Gregg Monette.

Comfort Kitchen (Huntington) - Order dinner from our takeout menu Wednesday through Sunday from 4-7 pm by phone (413) 207-3110 or online! Owner/Chef Mike Desmarais.

Corners' Grocery (Worthington) – Open daily 10am-6pm, Sundays 10am-5pm.

The Old Creamery (Cummington) - Open daily 10am-6pm, with a special hour for shoppers over 60 from 9am to 10am.  Order by phone between 11am-3pm for curbside pickup the following day: 413-634-5560. Home delivery may also be available, please call to inquire. oldcreamery.coop

Moltenbrey's Market (Huntington) - Open daily 8am-6pm, Sundays 8am-4pm.  Order by phone for curbside pickup: (413) 667-3426 or (413) 667-3043.  Or message on facebook.

Rabbit Hole Restaurant (Worthington) - Order takeout on Friday and Saturday nights 4-7PM by phone (413) 238-0144. View menu online thefiddleheadinn.com/restaurant-menu. Owner/Chef Hunt Chase.

Williamsburg Market (Williamsburg) - Open daily 9-5, Sundays 9-2, with a special hour for shoppers over 60 each morning from 9am-10am.  Hot lunch menu prepared every day.  Phone orders for curbside pickup also welcome. (413) 268-3006 or williamsburgmarket.com

Local Hilltown Farms

We are lucky to have a number of local farms stocked with produce, meat, eggs, and staple foods.  Many have quickly implemented phone and online ordering systems for their farmstands:

Crabapple Farm (Chesterfield) - Produce, meat and eggs.  Farmstore is open on Saturdays from 10am to 2pm.  See produce availability on their website and place your order by emailing crabapple@verizon.net. Order the day before for pickup on Wednesday or Saturday.  Cash, credit, debit, SNAP/HIP and deferred payment accepted.  Tevis and Rachel Robertson-Goldberg.

Sawyer Farm (Worthington) - Produce, meat, eggs, herbal medicine, sweets and discounted staples.  Farmstore is closed to walk-ins; all orders are pre-packed for next day pickup between 11am-1pm.  Visit sawyer.farm for online ordering system or call (413) 320-8535.  Cash, credit, debit, SNAP/HIP and deferred payment accepted.  Lincoln Fishman and Hilary Costa.

Hart Farm (Conway) - Sign up now for Hart Farm's Local Farm Boxes delivered to your home at conwayhartfarm.com beginning in June.  Three sizes are available for different sized households and may be paid for via Paypal or with SNAP/HIP benefits.  Anna Meyer.

Fox Trot Herb Farm (Ashfield) - Sign up now for Fox Trot Herb Farm’s eight-week or full season CSA Shares at foxtrotherbfarm.com beginning in May. Two sizes are available on a sliding scale for different sized households. Home delivery may be available. Abby Ferla.

Bare Roots Farm (Chesterfield) - Order your garden vegetable and herb seedlings online for pickup in May at the Ireland Street farmstore.   Please only place online orders of 18 Plants or more; use code: FLAT for our discount pricing.  Visit www.barerootsfarm.com or email barerootsfarm@gmail.com for more information.  Chris Reid & Anna Maunz.

Sunderland Farm Collaborative (Sunderland)  - A new online marketplace of Pioneer Valley farmers offering home delivery of produce, fruit, dairy, and more on Wednesdays and Saturdays beginning April 7th.  Hilltowns not yet in delivery radius but more towns may be added if requested.  Current pickup sites include Millstone Farm Market in Sunderland, Leverett Village Co-op in Leverett, Abandoned Building Brewery in Easthampton, and Progression Brewing Company in Northampton.  sunderlandfarmcollaborative.localfoodmarketplace.com

Mass Food Delivery - An online marketplace of Western Massachusetts farms offering door-to-door delivery of produce, fruit, dairy, and more. $30 Min Purchase, $10 Delivery Fee - SNAP customers can get free delivery.  Order by Sunday at midnight for delivery between Tuesday and Friday. massfooddelivery.com

CISA - Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture - has also posted a comprehensive list of COVID-19 resources for local farms and updated their online farm guide to reflect market changes for sourcing local food.

Services & Support Networks

Cummington Area CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) is partnering with community volunteers to create a local help network. For people who are unable to shop on their own, we can provide local grocery pick-up and delivery, and prescription pick-up and delivery. We are also matching volunteers with residents requesting regular check-in and companionship phone calls. To request assistance or to volunteer please fill out the Needs Assessment Form and/or the Volunteer Match Form, or email cummingtoncertcvhelp@gmail.com. You can also call Sarah and Lee Fournier at 413-634-5452. Visit Cummington Community Help Network website.

The Plainfield Mutual Support Network (PMSN) has been organized as a response to the COVID-19 crisis, and is a collaboration of various groups, including the COA and Plainfield Cares.  The goal is to coordinate between those who need assistance as a result of social distancing or other aspects of the crisis, and those who wish to lend a hand, as well as to identify and plan to meet community needs as we move though these months. This may include shopping, prescription pick-up, companionship phone calls or visits at a distance, online tutoring for children, and other needs as they arise, as well as providing information where suitable. If you have or anticipate a need, please fill out the REQUESTS form on the Town Website, which is also a survey of community needs. If you would like to volunteer to help your neighbors, please fill out the OFFERS form. Or call (413) 634-1030, email plainfieldnetwork@gmail.com, or visit facebook @plainfieldmutualaidandsupport

The Worthington COA is looking for volunteers to call all the seniors in town to identify needs in terms of RX and food delivery, food assistance, and other needs. Please email Shelley Rice at coa@worthington-ma.us to sign up. 

Use Common Good’s online Offers & Needs bulletin board to offer help and ask for help from your friends and neighbors in the Hilltowns and beyond. No sign-up needed. Go to CommonGood.earth and click on the red Offers & Needs button!

Western Massachusetts Community Mutual Aid Network  In these scary and uncertain times, it’s important that we show up for each other and remember that we are not alone. Use this network to REQUEST HELP - Find help getting somewhere, getting supplies, financial aid, healthcare, housing, translation, childcare, pet care, or emotional/spiritual support.  VOLUNTEER - Connect with us to list yourself as a volunteer for ride sharing, errands, donate, and offer care. CONTRIBUTE - Give a monetary donation using our community mutual aid contribution form.  Get in touch: WMAMutualAid@gmail.com

Transportation

Hilltown Easy Ride - FRTA van service for seniors over 60 and veterans in the towns of Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Plainfield and Worthington.  Regularly scheduled trips to Big Y, Walmart and medical appointments.  Riders must be pre-approved for eligibility.  Call 413-296-4232 at least 48 hours in advance to schedule a pickup.

Hilltown Driver Pool - Individual drivers are also available to help with transportation needs for eligible riders.  Call 413-296-4232 at least 48 hours in advance to schedule a trip.

Medical

CVS Pharmacy will ship your prescription medications for free. You can refill your prescriptions online or through the CVS app, or simply call your local store and they will assist you.

NORTHAMPTON: 366 King Street, 413-586-8315 (Store #447)

LANESBORO: 655 Cheshire Rd (Inside Target), 413-236-4223 (Store #17210)

PITTSFIELD: 107 West Street, 413-499-4624 (Store #257)

GREENFIELD: 137 Federal Street, 413-774-7201 (Store #1094)

LENOX: 481 Pittsfield Rd, 413-499-3430 (Store #433)

Hilltown Community Health Centers (Huntington, Worthington & Amherst)

If you are an HCHC patient, please call before you come in for any appointment in any department if you have reason to think that you are at risk of infection – fever, cough, international travel, or exposure to someone who has these symptoms or had been diagnosed with COVID-19. You can find the phone numbers for all of our sites here.

Si necesita leer este correo electrónico en español, utilice este enlace: https://www.hchcweb.org/covid-19-recursos-y-respuesta-de-hchc/

In keeping with state guidelines, HCHC is limiting certain services to reduce the risk of infection of our patients and staff.  Most medical and behavioral health visits will be by telephone, and some services will be postponed.  Most routine dental and optometry visits will be postponed.  We will continue to see patients in all of our locations to meet their urgent needs.  All patients must be seen by appointment and should call first.

Patients with respiratory issues and/or fever should call for assistance.  If your provider determines that you need to be evaluated in the health center, you will be given specific instructions to be seen at our Huntington Health Center, where we have the ability to safely evaluate you.  We are currently NOT able to see patients with acute respiratory issues or fevers in our Worthington or Amherst centers.  We do NOT currently have the ability to test patients for COVID-19 infection.

Currently, we are offering the following services:

• Emergency dental and optometry services only.  Due to the risk to our staff and patients, we are not providing cleanings, eye exams, and other routine care in these departments.  We will still offer emergency services, so please call if you require immediate care.  Our receptionists are calling patients with routine dental and optometry appointments in the next two weeks to reschedule these visits for a later time.

• Emergency or urgent medical services only.   Medical care is being conducted by telephone when possible, and some visits will be rescheduled.  Patients who require in-person evaluation should call to discuss this with a medical provider first, before arriving at the health center, so that we can arrange treatment in the safest manner possible.

• Behavioral Health services by telephone only.  Behavioral Health providers are contacting all patients with appointments to convert them to phone calls.

• Community Programs staff are still available to support our patients with their non-clinical needs.

  • Our Community Health Workers are actively working with members of the community, patients and non-patients, to ensure that we are supporting their access to food, medication, and other supports to keep them healthy and at home.

  • Our Domestic Violence Victim Advocates are still meeting with people who need them in the safest and most appropriate way, and are working closely with the State Police to be responsive to individual’s safety needs.

  • Our Health Access Insurance Navigators are meeting on the phone with community members who need help navigating changes in job status/income.  They can assist with signing up for Medicaid or other insurances, to ensure that everyone has the access to health care that they need.

  • Our Family Center is closed, but its staff are providing daily emails and sometimes phone calls to parents to provide support and guidance for those home with children.

Keep reading —>

Housing

Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) Program is a new State program to assist households facing instability as a result of a COVID-19 related housing crisis due to a loss of wages or increase in expenses. RAFT assists households of all sizes and configurations with financial assistance up to $4,000 per household to help preserve current housing or move to new housing. The Regional Administering Agency for the Hilltowns is Wayfinders, Inc.  Visit their website or call 413-233-1600 for more information or to make an appointment.

Employment & Small Business

The MA Department of Unemployment Assistance is moving swiftly to implement three new public benefit programs that will expand unemployment eligibility; temporarily increase weekly benefits for all claimants; and allow additional categories of people to claim unemployment benefits. The move, the largest expansion of assistance for the Commonwealth’s workforce since the Great Depression, follows new guidance from the federal government regarding the CARES Act.

Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)

Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)

For more information on applying for full or partial unemployment visit the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance Resource Webpage.

The Franklin County Community Development Corporation and partners are compiling a business resource list that gets updated regularly: https://bit.ly/WMassBusinessResources

Small business webinars and other relevant information are available at this link. Please keep it and check regularly to see if there is something that you can benefit from. In addition, the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center is offering weekly webinars on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1-2PM on important topics. View the calendar of events on their website.

See a full listing of emergency economic recovery loans from the Massachusetts Small Business Administration (SBA).  Newly funded programs include Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program, SBA Express Bridge Loan Program, SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan Advance, SBA Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and the SBA Debt Relief Fund.

Financial Aid

The Neighbor-To-Neighbor (N2N) Fund, administered by the Berkshire Taconic Fund, can provide one-time grants for people to pay a bill or invoice up to $1,000. Available to residents of the Central Berkshire Regional School district towns (Cummington, Windsor, Dalton, Hinsdale, Beckett, Washington, Peru.)  Cummington and Windsor residents can apply through Stephen Philbrick, stephenphilbrick@verizon.net

Education & Family

Hilltown Families - A plethora of online and outdoor learning opportunities in the Hilltowns and beyond.  Subscribe to their weekly newsletter and podcast at hilltownfamilies.org

For a list of educational resources for parents, caregivers and families visit: https://www.mass.gov/lists/early-childhood-education-resources-for-families

Additional Resources

Look 4 Help - Online searchable database of local agencies assisting with food, housing, health care, transportation, employment, and more.  COVID-19 specific resources are listed here.

Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations (MACDC) - List of COVID-19 specific resources for Massachusetts families, communities, and businesses.