READING (April 18, 2008) – Berks County Community Foundation announced today that it has awarded a $100,000 grant to the Western Berks Free Medical Clinic in Robesonia. The grant, payable over ten years, is from the Community General Hospital Healthcare Fund, which was established at the foundation in 2003 to meet healthcare needs in Berks County.
"The Western Berks clinic is meeting an important need by providing treatment for uninsured residents in the western part of the county," said Richard C. Mappin, vice president for grantmaking at the foundation. "By providing this operating support for the next ten years, the foundation hopes the clinic will continue to serve local residents for at least the next decade."
The clinic was started six years ago after the Reverend Wayne A. Heintzelman suggested it to a committee at St. Daniel’s Lutheran Church who embraced the idea. Today, more than 40 volunteers work at the clinic each Wednesday night from 6 – 8:30 p.m. The clinic also recently opened a Women’s Health Clinic. That clinic will run on the third Thursday of the month. Both clinics are held at St. Daniel’s.
The Community General Hospital Healthcare Fund, which is valued at more than $3.7 million, makes grants to address community health issues in Berks County. It has funded many important projects in the past few years, including Berks County’s first-ever health needs assessment, several programs to combat childhood obesity, and a dental clinic for Reading residents at St. Joseph Medical Center. A sister fund, the June A. Roedel Community General Hospital Healthcare Scholarship Fund, provides more than $60,000 in scholarships annually for Berks County students who are pursuing medical careers.
In addition to the Community Foundation, the Western Berks clinic has received funding from GlaxoSmithKline, donations from Berks County churches, Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Additional funds are raised by church members through sales and festivals that benefit the clinic.
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Berks County Community Foundation is a nonprofit corporation that serves as a civic leader for our region by developing, managing and distributing funds to meet existing and emerging community needs. The foundation currently manages $47 million in charitable assets, which provide more than $2.3 million in grants and scholarships annually for the region. For more information, log on to www.bccf.org or call 610.685.2223.
