Community Fund will be funded through arrangement with GoodWorks Insurance

The 3,000 owners of the Berkshire Co-op Market in Great Barrington will be able to support local charities at the same time as saving on auto and home insurance under a new agreement

Whenever a Co-op owner buys a home or auto insurance policy through GoodWorks Insurance, the insurance agency will deposit 20% of its commissions to the Berkshire Market Co-op Community Fund. Also, every time an owner refers a business to GoodWorks, all insurance policies written for the business will yield a deposit to the Fund.

The Fund will support local charities in healthcare, education and public safety. Recipients will be selected by Berkshire Co-op and GoodWorks Insurance, according to Matt Novik, Berkshire Co-op Market communications manager.

An independent insurance agency with a Great Barrington office, GoodWorks offers a 6 percent discount on auto insurance to Co-op owners. Owners can save 20% or more with an account discount by also buying their homeowners insurance from GoodWorks. The carrier is Main Street America Group.

“GoodWorks Insurance helps our owners save money while, uniquely, ensuring that part of their premiums comes back to benefit the community,” Novik said. “They can support deserving local nonprofits without spending an extra cent. We expect the fund to grow every year as more of our owners see the advantages of saving money and doing good at the same time.”

GoodWorks Insurance has given grants to Berkshire County nonprofits such as Community Health Programs, Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School, and the Great Barrington Firefighters Association.

Berkshire Co-op Market owners can get more information by contacting Deborah Wright at GoodWorks Insurance, 343 Main Street, at (413) 528-5509 ext. 302 or dwright@goodworksinsurance.com. Co-op ownership is open to all.

GoodWorks Insurance (www.goodworksinsurance.com), with Massachusetts offices in Great Barrington and Worcester, and Connecticut offices in Avon, Columbia, Glastonbury and New Milford, insures businesses and families across the region. Uniquely, it donates half of its operating profits to local nonprofits that support education, healthcare, and public safety.

Berkshire Co-op Market (www.berkshire.coop), located at 42 Bridge Street, has been a retail store since 1981.