BERKSHIRE LIFE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION % BERKSHIRE LIFE INSURANCE

COMMUNITY ACCESS TO THE ARTS (CATA) REQUESTS FUNDING FROM BERKSHIRE LIFE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION TO UNDERWRITE 125 CATA VISUAL ARTS WORKSHOPS BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 2024 AND MAY 2025 WITH A GRANT OF $15,000. THIS IS AN INCREASE OF 25% OVER RECENT YEARS' WORKSHOPS UNDERWRITTEN BY BERKSHIRE LIFE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION. IN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF YOUR SUPPORT, CATA WILL RECOGNIZE BERKSHIRE LIFE AS A LEAD UNDERWRITER OF I AM A PART OF ART, CATA'S ANNUAL ART EXHIBITS AT THE CLARK ART INSTITUTE IN WILLIAMSTOWN AND THE LICHTENSTEIN CENTER FOR THE ARTS IN PITTSFIELD DURING THE SUMMER OF 2025. THESE PUBLIC EXHIBITS SHOWCASE ARTWORK CREATED BY CATA ARTISTS WITH DISABILITIES DURING THE PREVIOUS PROGRAM YEAR. ALL WORK IN THE EXHIBITS IS PROFESSIONALLY MATTED, FRAMED, AND OFFERED FOR SALE, WITH PROCEEDS PROVIDING COMMISSIONS TO INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS.

BLUE RIDER STABLES' ADAPTIVE RIDING PROGRAMS SERVE INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT BERKSHIRE COUNTY AND THE TRI-STATE AREA. PROGRAMS SUCH AS OURS HAVE PROVEN TO BE EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE IN REACHING THOSE WITH DISABILITIES WHO ARE OTHERWISE UNABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS OR MANY OTHER PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES. A GERMAN STUDY (BAROLIN, G.S., & SAMBORSKI R. (1991). THE HORSE AS AN AID IN THERAPY. WIENER MEDIZINISCHE WOCHENSCHRIFT,) STATES "PHYSIOTHERAPY ON THE BACK OF THE MOVED HORSE HAS TWO IMPORTANT DIMENSIONS: 1) THE SOMATOTROPIC EFFECT REGARDS MAINLY SPASTICITY, ATAXIA, THE VERTEBRAL COLUMN, THE BASIS OF THE PELVIS AND THE SKIN. 2) A GENERAL PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC AND PSYCHO HYGIENIC EFFECT IS CREATED BY JOY, CHANGE AND NEW IMPETUS IN REHABILITATION AND BY THE EMOTIONAL CONTACT WITH THE "COMRADE ANIMAL".

WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST SUPPORT FROM THE BERKSHIRE LIFE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $15,000 FOR OUR SWIM WITH US ADAPTIVE SWIM LESSONS AND AQUA THRILLS CLASSES, AQUATICS PROGRAMS SERVING THOSE WHO MIGHT HAVE DIFFICULTIES PARTICIPATING IN TRADITIONAL LESSONS AND AQUATICS EXPERIENCES.

BERKSHIRE COUNTY ARC HAS FOUR DAY-HABILITATION PROGRAMS THAT SERVE MORE THAN 150 PEOPLE. THREE OF THESE PROGRAMS HAVE SENSORY ROOMS THAT INDIVIDUALS CAN ACCESS (ALONE OR IN SMALL GROUPS) TO DECOMPRESS, ESCAPE FROM OVER-STIMULATING SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS, ENJOY A QUIET, SAFE SPACE, AND ENGAGE IN CONTROLLED SENSORY EXPLORATION. AFTER ALL, EVERYONE NEEDS A "RESET" FROM TIME TO TIME. HOWEVER, AT THIS TIME ALL OF THE SENSORY ROOMS ARE INADEQUATE, LACKING WELL-DESIGNED TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT TO SUPPORT THE INDIVIDUAL'S EFFORT TO REGULATE THEIR STRESS LEVELS. THE ROOMS REQUIRE UPDATES TO STRUCTURE AND DESIGN TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT THEY ACCOMMODATE. FOR EXAMPLE, SOME INDIVIDUALS MAY BE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN ACTIONS THAT CAN RESULT IN INJURY WHEN THEY ARE UPSET OR OVER-STIMULATED, SUCH AS HITTING THEIR HEAD AGAINST AN UN-PROTECTED WALL.

UCP OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS WAS FOUNDED IN 1961 BY PARENTS IN BERKSHIRE COUNTY WHO HAD CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY AND WERE FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN SERVICES. IN THE EARLY YEARS, SERVICES WERE FOCUSED ON WHEELCHAIR REPAIR AND INFORMATION AND REFERRAL FOR THESE CHILDREN. TODAY, UCP CELEBRATES OUR 63RD ANNIVERSARY OF SERVICE AND HAS EXPANDED OUR $8 MILLION OPERATION TO INCLUDE SUPPORTED LIVING, ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY REGIONAL CENTER, FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES, AND EARLY INTERVENTION. WHILE SERVICES HAVE EXPANDED, THE FOCUS HAS ALWAYS REMAINED THE SAME: HELPING CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH PHYSICAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES ACHIEVE "LIVES WITHOUT LIMITS." WHILE THE NAME UCP OFTEN GIVES THE SENSE THAT WE SERVE ONLY PERSONS WITH CEREBRAL PALSY, IN FACT, UCP HAS GROWN TO SUPPORT A VARIETY OF DISABILITIES IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS. THESE DISABILITIES INCLUDE PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENTS, VISUAL AND HEARING IMPAIRMENTS, IMPAIRMENTS OF COGNITION.