Gifts of Volunteering with the Berkshire United Way and Pittsfield Prevention Partnership
My name is Jetter White. I started volunteering with the Berkshire United Way my sophomore year of high school when I was approached by April Nutting about joining the Taconic chapter for Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD). Through my work at Taconic with Students Against Destructive Decisions, I decided that although making changes in my school community was satisfying, I wanted to do something that impacted not only my fellow students, but the families and and institutions of my broader community. I approached Berkshire United Way searching for more opportunities and ways to contribute to a greater movement and to impact the community at large. Of course, at this point, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and certainly never imagined how profoundly it would change my life.
Volunteering with the Pittsfield Prevention Partnership through Berkshire United Way has taught me valuable leadership skills, and has helped me to grow as a person. Today, I am a proud intern of the Pittsfield Prevention Partnership, and my passion for helping others grows stronger every day.
The connections I have formed and the opportunities I have been blessed with since I began working with the Berkshire United Way are outstanding. From being given the opportunity to work and speak with the Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, to meeting and advocating with United States Senators and Congressmen, the rewards of my involvement in this organization are immeasurable. This work has become a huge part of who I am.
I would like to take a moment to share a quote that I carry with me everyday to remind me of the value and importance of the work we accomplish every day at the Pittsfield Prevention Partnership. I received this quote in a private message a few months ago. It says,
“I am interested in volunteering...I just want to support your efforts. You saved my life.”
This simple, yet powerful statement perfectly summarizes why I continue my work with the Pittsfield Prevention Partnership. Every day I find myself facing a world full of new opportunities and new lives that that can be changed by this critical work. Next year, I am headed off to college, and I am confident that the skills I have gained from my work with Berkshire United Way have prepared me to be successful. In college, I will be pursuing a degree in Social Work that will allow me to continue my work in prevention for the rest of my life.
Organizations like the Berkshire United Way are essential in our community. Every day they are changing the lives of youth and adults alike. I could not be more grateful for everything they have done for me. Before my involvement with this organization, if you had asked me where I wanted to be in the future I would have been speechless. Now however, I can not only answer this question, but I can tell you with strict confidence, not where I want to be but where I WILL be. I will end by saying thank you once again to the Berkshire United Way for the opportunities that have been given to me throughout these past few years.
-Jetter White









