Not everyone gets to see their parents turn 100 years old, but Berks County Community Foundation does.
This year, Berks County celebrates a remarkable milestone: the 100th anniversary of The Wyomissing Foundation, an institution whose influence reaches far beyond its grantmaking.
Founded in 1926 by Wyomissing Industries visionary leaders, Ferdinand Thun, Henry Janssen and Gustav Oberlaender, the Foundation has spent a century investing not only in organizations, but also in ideas, partnerships, and community assets that continue to enrich the lives of Berks County residents today. While Janssen and Oberlaender ultimately left to start their own foundations (the Gustav Oberlaender Foundation became a fund of the Community Foundation), descendants of Ferdinand Thun continue to serve on the board today.
Perhaps one of the Foundation’s most enduring legacies is its role in creating and nurturing institutions that have become essential parts of Berks County’s civic infrastructure.
The Foundation also helped spark the creation and growth of organizations that have shaped our region’s environmental future. Berks Nature has become a leading advocate for environmental stewardship, conservation, and outdoor education across the county. Likewise, the Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area has transformed how residents and visitors experience one of Pennsylvania’s most important natural resources, preserving history while expanding recreational access and protecting the environment for future generations. They were a founding partner in the effort to establish the Berks Community Health Center, a central part of our effort to approve local health outcomes.
In fact, a list of local organizations who haven’t been strengthened by the Wyomissing Foundation’s efforts would be easier to develop than a list of those who have. There might not be any, and of course, we wouldn’t be on that list.
In 1994, a working group of The Wyomissing Foundation established Berks County Community Foundation. They built the first Board of Directors, provided the seed funding (and credibility) and gave us everything we needed to get started (my first few paychecks even came from the Wyomissing Foundation). It’s an example of an ethos that has marked their work: They put in more than just money; they make investments of intellectual capital and elbow grease.
As we celebrate this extraordinary anniversary, we also celebrate the countless trustees, volunteers, staff members, community partners, and donors who have carried forward the Foundation’s mission across generations. Their collective leadership has helped create a community where philanthropy, civic engagement, and collaboration continue to flourish.
Congratulations to The Wyomissing Foundation on 100 years of service, leadership, and impact. Berks County is stronger because of the vision of your founders and those who helped realize that vision.
Here’s to the next century of catalyzing change.
