$250,000 Executive Office of Economic Development Grant Awarded to ServiceNet’s Prospect Meadow Farm in Pittsfield
The Healey-Driscoll Administration has awarded a $250,000 grant to ServiceNet’s Prospect Meadow Farm as part of the Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED) Social Enterprise Capital Grant Program.
Prospect Meadow Farm is a therapeutic vocational training program that provides meaningful employment and daily activities for individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism, many of whom also have mental health challenges. Since it launched in 2011, the farm has grown to three locations spanning 60 acres and serving over 120 participants daily.
This funding will specifically support renovation and expansion work being done at the farm’s newest location in Pittsfield. The site, which is the former home of Jodi’s Seasonal, covers 16 acres and includes several year-round greenhouses.
“We are incredibly thankful to the Executive Office of Economic Development for their generous support,” said Shawn Robinson, Vice President of Vocational Services for ServiceNet. “This grant will allow us to strengthen and expand our offerings at Prospect Meadow Farm in Pittsfield, enhance the work we’re already doing in the community, continue to grow our proven model, and create even more opportunities for the individuals we serve in Berkshire County.”
The Social Enterprise Capital Grant Program is designed to support employment social enterprises while providing supportive services for individuals who face significant barriers to employment.
In 2023, Prospect Meadow Farm’s Hatfield location embarked on a significant renovation project, supported by a $600,000 Social Enterprise Capital Grant Program grant from the EOED plus private fundraising. Renovations included a new commercial kitchen and carpentry workshop, which further expanded the program’s vocational offerings.
Robinson, who helped establish ServiceNet’s Prospect Meadow Farm in 2011, was recognized in 2023 as the Daily Hampshire Gazette’s Person of the Year and received the Black Excellence on the Hill Award from the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus.
For more information, or to inquire about program referrals, please contact Shawn Robinson at [email protected].
