CHP Family Services and Southern Berkshire WIC

02/24/2025

CHP is celebrating 50 years serving Berkshire families--including 50 years of playgroups!

We're proud of our history of offering a great--and FREE--way for families with young children to connect, make friends, and build skills for school!

Check out our weekly playgroups by visiting chpberkshires.org/playgroups

02/23/2025

Meet. Play. Learn!

Playtime is essential — and fun — for your young child’s development, social growth, and learning curve!

CHP Family Services hosts free weekly play and support groups for children under age 5 and their caregivers around Southern Berkshire County, and we welcome all to join us! Find a Playgroup near you!

Playgroups aren’t just good for kids–they are great for caregivers too! In an engaging setting, adults can socialize, talk about parenting, and form friendships.

Our playgroups are free of charge and open to all, and our playgroups programming is open to children of all different abilities!

Have questions? Call us! 413.528.0457.

Our welcoming team offers bilingual family education, playgroups, breastfeeding support, prenatal education, and referral services, including WIC.

02/21/2025

Each week at CHP practice locations throughout the Berkshires, we offer bags of free food and produce from local Berkshire farmers. This is on a first come, first serve basis, on the schedule below.

A Drop-in Food Pantry is also open on weekdays during business hours at CHP Family Services in Great Barrington.

Here's the Food for All pickup schedule:

👉Adams
1st and 3rd Mondays of the month | 3PM
CHP Adams Family Services
19 Depot Street, Adams

👉Great Barrington
Weekdays | 9AM-4PM
CHP Great Barrington Family Services
444 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington

👉Pittsfield
2nd and 4th Mondays of the month | 2 PM
CHP Neighborhood Health/Neighborhood Dental Center
510 North Street, Pittsfield

👉North Adams
1st and 3rd Mondays of the month | 2 PM
CHP North Adams Family Medical and Dental
71 Hospital Avenue, North Adams

👉Lee
2nd and 4th Mondays of the month | 3 PM
CHP Lee Family Practice
11 Quarry Hill Road, Lee

*There are no distributions when there is a 5th week in a month.

02/20/2025

What happens when third graders design ‘ads’ for CHP Berkshires? Education, engagement, awareness, and—great designs!

Through our partnership with iBerkshires.com, CHP was invited to participate in the “Junior Marketers” education program, and students in Amanda Reis’ third-grade class were given CHP as a “client.”

To create an ad design, the designer needs to know fundamental ‘brand’ information—logos, taglines, colors—but more importantly, the designer needs to understand what the client is all about. In this case, CHP took time to share information about CHP’s many programs—medical and dental care, family services support, and food security—to help jump-start their ideas and creativity.

The result was twelve beautiful designs for CHP, capturing everything from mobile health to dental care and free food programs.

Check out the designs here! https://bit.ly/4i2Px2e

02/17/2025

School Vacation Week Playgroups!

WEST STOCKBRIDGE PLAY @ West Stockbridge Library
Monday, 2/17, 10:30-11:30 AM
Join Cate for imaginative play music, story, and more!

BRAIN BUILDERS@ Mason Library, Great Barrington
Tuesday, 2/18, 10:30-11:30 AM
For ages 2 and up. STEM activities and more! Story time and outdoor play (weather permitting).

CRAFT & PLAY@ CHP Family Services Building, Great Barrington
Weds, 2/19, 10:00-11:00 AM
Join us for crafts with Cate! This month, we’ll make snowflakes, polar bears, snowmen, and other winter-themed projects! We’ll also enjoy stories and indoor play with blocks, dolls, the play kitchen, slide, and more.

TODDLER PLAY@ CHP Family Services Building, Great Barrington
Thurs, 2/20, 10:00-11:00 AM
Join Cate for indoor play, including the play kitchen, blocks, dolls, indoor slide, books, and lots of hands-on fun! We’ll also share songs and stories!

PLAYROOM DROP-IN HOUR @ CHP Family Services Building, Great Barrington
Thurs, 2/20, 3:00-4:00 PM
Stop by for indoor play, including a kitchen area, blocks, dolls, puzzles, cars, an indoor slide and more!

SING & DANCE TOGETHER@ Mason Library, Great Barrington
Friday, 2/21, 10:30-11:30 AM
From birth through 5 years. Join us for singing, dancing, and playtime with drums, bells, balls, and hoops. Enjoy circle time, dancing, and plenty of musical fun!

Our welcoming team offers bilingual family education, playgroups, breastfeeding support, prenatal education, and referral services, including WIC.

02/12/2025

Hey, new moms! Join us for this weekly group health visit made just for you!

Beyond Delivery: For New Moms and Babies
Next meeting: February 18 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am

CHP Barrington OB/GYN 27 Lewis Avenue, Ground Floor, Great Barrington

This weekly group health visit is for postpartum mothers and babies and those who are pregnant and would like to connect with other new moms. Conversations revolve around breastfeeding, new family dynamics, postpartum depression, nutrition, and any other topic related to becoming a new parent. Babies and siblings are welcome!

Meetings are drop-in and take place every Tuesday from 10-11 a.m. at Barrington OB/GYN. Led by Laura Gariepy, FNP, Family Nurse Practitioner at CHP, and Ilana Siegal of Lifeworks Studio.

Group health visits are covered by most insurance plans. Co-pays and deductibles may apply. Information: 413.528.1470

02/10/2025

Join one of CHP's playgroups and escape the cold!

Our playgroups programming is open to children of all different abilities!
Playgroups aren’t just good for kids–they are great for caregivers too! In an engaging setting, adults can socialize, talk about parenting, and form friendships.

Our playgroups are free of charge and open to all. Check out the full schedule at https://chpberkshires.org/playgroups

Have questions? Call us! 413.528.0457.

02/09/2025

Stop by the WIC office in GB this Valentine's Day for a FREE, lightweight, reusable "strawberry" WIC shopping tote and see if you qualify for WIC benefits with a member of our team!

💘We look forward to seeing you, Valentines! 💘

WIC is a free, nationwide nutrition and health education program for income-eligible parents, caregivers, and pregnant mothers.

ELIGIBLE CAREGIVERS RECEIVE:
👍a WIC grocery card to use in stores and farmers’ markets
👍free healthy food from local farms
👍nutrition support and health education
👍breastfeeding support
👍referral to other area services

Come see us at the WIC Office, located at CHP Family Services, 442 Stockbridge Rd in Great Barrington.

We're open from 9am to 3pm!

02/05/2025

Why should you join us for this monthly playgroup on Valentine's Day?

🥳It's fun
👍It's free
🎨 Adults and children have their own art class
👶There's FREE childcare for ages 4 and up (yes!)
🍕AND FREE PIZZA (bonus!)

This month's Parents Night Out is on February 14, from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm at the
Berkshire Art Center--13 Willard Hill Road, Stockbridge.

CHP Family Services and Berkshire Art Center present a fun, free evening for couples, friends, and individuals with workshops where both adults and kids explore creative techniques for art-making. Both adults and children have their own art class! We also offer free childcare (for ages 4 and up) and a free pizza dinner.

Space is limited. Register via email, chpplaygroups@chpberkshires.org

02/04/2025

CHP has been helping Berkshire families fight hunger for 50 years!

CHP Family Services offers a wide range of food and nutrition programs for you and your family throughout the Berkshires. Some programs have income guidelines; others do not. We are proud to partner with local farmers to bring you fresh, Berkshire-grown produce and with the Western Mass Food Bank to help nourish our neighbors.

Give us a call at 413.528.0457 and we can help determine which food programs will work for you.

01/30/2025

Think you have the flu? It might be something else.

Norovirus, a contagious stomach bug that can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, is making the rounds in our community and elsewhere. It’s not the flu – it’s an entirely separate virus, and there is no vaccine for this ailment.

At CHP, we are seeing patients with classic symptoms, which can include stomach cramps, fatigue, body aches, and sometimes fever. Symptoms typically last for a few days. And since it’s a virus, it won’t respond to antibiotics.

The virus is highly contagious, especially in the first few days of symptoms, and you can be contagious for several days or even weeks after you feel better. If you are exposed, it will take a day or two for your symptoms to appear.

If your CHP provider confirms norovirus, there are some steps you can take to help reduce the symptoms and help your recovery.

Hydrate: if you are vomiting or have diarrhea, you can become dehydrated. Drink plenty of fluids to replenish yourself. You talk to your provider about electrolyte repletion with sports drinks or other oral rehydration options.

OTC: Symptoms can be alleviated somewhat with certain over-the-counter medicines, but check first with your provider.

Rest Up: Get as much rest as you can.

Recovery Food: Once able to eat, start with bland foods and gradually reintroduce a normal diet.

Reduce the Spread: Isolate if you can, wash your hands often, and keep common surfaces clean with disinfectant.

Severe dehydration may require hospitalization for intravenous fluids. If symptoms persist or worsen, it’s essential to contact your healthcare provider.

Read all about it here: https://chpberkshires.org/50052-2/

Your CHP provider is here for you!

01/28/2025

CHP Family Services wants everyone to have healthy, local food! Put Tues Feb 4 11am-12pm in your calendar and stop by our GB campus for free food.

The WESTERN MA MOBILE FOOD BANK program offers free food on the first Tuesday of each month from 11am-noon at CHP's Main Campus - 444 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington. This program does not have any income guidelines. Please bring your own bag; sign-in starts 30 minutes before distribution.

We are proud to partner the Western Mass Food Bank to help nourish our neighbors.

Give us a call at 413.528.0457 if you have any questions or would like us to help determine which food programs will work for you.

Our welcoming team offers bilingual family education, playgroups, breastfeeding support, prenatal education, and referral services, including WIC.