On November 8, Berks County Community Foundation held its Annual Meeting at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Reading. More than 100 civic leaders attended the event, which included brief presentations by the Community Foundation’s program officers and an overview of the year by Kevin K. Murphy, foundation president.
“This year marked the culmination of our plan to increase our impact in Berks County by expanding the number of program officers working on specific causes,” Murphy said. “Our annual event gave us the opportunity to introduce these new faces to the community.”
The program officers oversee distributions from more than 346 charitable funds that were created by Berks County residents to support causes in the community that were important to them. In fiscal year 2023, those grants and scholarships totaled more than $6.2 million. That brings the total amount of grants and scholarships distributed since the Community Foundation’s founding in 1994 to over $101 million.
In addition to Murphy, who provided a recap of the West Reading Disaster Relief Fund, attendees heard from:
Vice President for Programs and Initiatives Monica Reyes about an effort underway with the Berks County Medical Society to share the results of a study about public health released by the Berks County Commissioners this year;
Health and Human Services Program Officer Cindy Milian about the work she oversees to support animal welfare and to assist families who have children with special needs;
Environment and Energy Program Officer Emily Smedley about grants that are increasing energy efficiency for local organizations and grants that are improving soil health by monitoring the flight patterns of birds of prey;
Lifelong Learning Program Officer Kim Sheffer about teacher mini-grants, which support innovative classroom projects across Berks County.
Details about each of these initiatives are available in the Community Foundation’s 2023 Annual Report.
In addition to learning about the work the Community Foundation is undertaking, attendees were invited to pick up a brush and add their touch to a Berks County mural, and to listen to a trio of local student musicians.
If you’d like to join the Community Foundation at future annual meetings, please send your name and email address to info@bccf.org and ask to be added to the invitation list. If you’d like to learn more about the Community Foundation, including how to start a charitable fund of your own, visit www.bccf.org.
At the community foundation, we help people in Berks County who want to do something charitable by distributing grants, scholarships, and other forms of support from funds they create based on the community’s needs. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for residents and to do that, we make a point of connecting with the community we serve.
One way we make those connections is to visit places where grants are distributed to see the impact they have on the community. We recently visited the Governor Mifflin area, which we manage several funds to support.
Our program team had an incredible day exploring the Governor Mifflin area. This visit took us to three unique and captivating locations: the Mifflin Community Library, Alvernia University, and the Allegheny Evangelical Lutheran Church. We also made some in-between stops, including John Updike’s childhood home, the U.S. Army Reserve Center, a much-needed stop for snacks at Tom Sturgis Pretzels, a quick trail walk at Berks Nature, Berks Military History Museum, and a visit with some farm animals at Swartz’s Roadside Stand.
Here’s a recap of this enriching experience:
Our first stop was the Mifflin Community Library, a true gem nestled in the heart of Governor Mifflin. As we entered this cozy library, we were immediately struck by the inviting atmosphere. We met Natasha Donaldson, Director of the library, and Colleen Stamm, Board Treasurer who were both friendly and helpful. The shelves were lined with a variety of books. The library’s serene reading nooks and vibrant children’s area made it a welcoming space for all ages. We discussed some of the programs offered at the library for the community. We shared information with Donaldson about the Russell L. Hiller Charitable Trust Fund.
“The funding helps us add more variety to our collection,” Donaldson said.
Judge Russell Hiller was a resident of Shillington, and in his will, he established a fund that distributes grants to help the Borough of Shillington, Shillington Borough Library, and Albright College, and provides scholarships to Governor Mifflin High School seniors. Additionally, the fund supports an annual competitive grant process for programs benefiting the residents of the Governor Mifflin School District.
Next on our itinerary was a meeting with Glynis Fitzgerald, President of Alvernia University. The campus was not only stunning but also vibrant, with students hustling to and from classes and enjoying the lovely surroundings. We explored the university’s modern facilities, from well-equipped classrooms to the state-of-the-art library. Many students who receive scholarships from the Community Foundation attend local colleges and universities like Alvernia.
We enjoyed lunch from Screpesi’s Sandwich Shop, where they know a thing or two about sandwiches. They have been serving Berks County since 1949. We took the sandwiches to Shillington Park and enjoyed the fall colors with a view of the Pagoda.
Our final stop took us to the Allegheny Evangelical Lutheran Church where we met with Kristen Kelly, Director for Children and Family Ministries. The church has beautiful architecture and serene surroundings that provide a sense of tranquility. Our tour gave us valuable insights into the rich history of the church and its role in the local community, which includes offering its space to community organizations and programming for residents.
The Home Health Care Foundation Fund supported two new automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for the church.
“Having the AED equipment provides us with peace of mind knowing it’s there in case there is an emergency,” Kelly said.
Throughout the day, we couldn’t help but appreciate the warm hospitality and genuine friendliness of the Governor Mifflin community. This tour was a perfect blend of intellectual exploration, natural beauty, and cultural heritage. Look for us on our next stop as we explore more of Berks County’s interesting organizations and history.
Reading, PA – Youth Volunteer Corps of Reading (YVCR) has recognized Wilson High School junior, Samantha Martinez, with its annual Youth of the Year Award. As the youth program arm of VOiCEup Berks, YVCR engages over 500 Berks County students annually in projects that serve the community. This award is given to one student who has shown exemplary leadership skills, has advanced the mission of YVCR through volunteerism and the development of creative YVCR projects, and has the highest level of volunteer commitment recorded in the program year.
This program year, Samantha served over 230 hours on community projects ranging from volunteering at homeless shelters, to helping develop and run summer story time and playground programs, to facilitating conversations about equality and justice for groups of students in her school and adults in the community. Since her involvement with YVCR began five years ago, Samantha has amassed over 500 hours of service with the program, making Samantha the first recipient of the YVCR 500-Hour Award as well.
Samantha began her journey with YVCR as a sixth grader at Reading Southern Middle School. In middle school she worked with a group of her peers, developing projects to help underserved women and girls gain access to menstrual products. As a high school student at Wilson, Samantha has gone on to be a leader within the Stand Together Against Racism (S.T.A.R.) youth-driven initiative. She also serves as a YVCR Youth Mental Health Ambassador and served her first term on the Youth Advisory Board of Berks County Community Foundation and Youth Volunteer Corps.
“She is the epitome of grace, kindness and strength. Her leadership skills and ability to make everyone around her feel at ease makes her light impossible to ignore. She is a true leader and community changemaker.” says Lindsay Sites, YVCR Program Director.
“Having the opportunity to be a part of YVCR for the past five years has definitely changed my life for the better” says Samantha. “This program has not only taught me how to speak up for what’s right and be a better person, but it has also given me the chance to make lifelong friendships. I am beyond grateful to have accepted this award and hope to continue being a change maker in my community in the years to come.”
Samantha received the Youth of the Year recognition at the annual YVCR Awards Ceremony on August 1. Other students honored at the event included five of Samamtha’s fellow Wilson classmates – Jaida Garber, Kemi Ojikutu, Sindura Sridhar, Mia Worley and Athena Worley – who were each honored with the 100-in-One Award for completing over 100 hours of service to the community through YVCR in one program year. Cadence Perez from Muhlenberg High School received the Heart of YVC Award and the YVCR club at Northeast Middle School in Reading received the YVCR Project of the Year Award for its project addressing domestic violence and supporting Safe Berks.
Youth Volunteer Corps of Reading focuses on developing leadership skills and promoting a lifetime commitment to service among youth by offering student-driven volunteer projects for youth ages 11 to 18 on Saturdays, after school, during school, virtually, and during the summer. YVC of Reading, hosted by VOiCEup, is one of over 30 affiliates of Youth Volunteer Corps, headquartered in Kansas City. YVC of Reading has engaged hundreds of young people from diverse backgrounds in over 35,000 hours of service to help this community over the past 7 years. Find more information at www.voiceupberks.org/yvc. VOiCEup Berks is a fund of Berks County Community Foundation.
To learn more about the fund, click here
Press release originally published by VOiCEup Berks. Contact Contact: Christi Terefenko, Executive Director, christi@voiceupberls
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Today – March 7, 2023 – marks one year since Berks County Community Foundation created the Fund for Ednannia at the request of the City University of New York Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society. As Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine enters a second year, the importance of this charitable fund only grows.
Since last March, the Fund for Ednannia has provided an opportunity for more than 60 individuals and charitable foundations to make a direct impact on communities affected by the war. Every dollar donated is distributed to Ukrainian community foundations in towns and cities across that country, providing much-needed relief to those impacted by the war.
Thanks to their generosity, our fund has sent nearly $200,000 to Ednannia, which is the Ukrainian network of community foundations. Click here to read a full report about the grants that Ednannia has distributed thanks in part to this support.
In addition to creating and managing the Fund for Ednannia, we’ve provided leadership support, too. Last summer, I traveled to Poland to meet with Ukrainian community foundations to discuss plans for rebuilding and recovery. And last month, our foundation was among the first endorsers of a global Philanthropy Statement of Solidarity and Support to the People of Ukraine that expresses our combined commitment to stand with the Ukrainian people and civil society.
Our collective efforts to support Ednannia exemplify the power of community philanthropy. By bringing together donors, foundations, and civil society, it is possible to provide meaningful assistance to those in need, regardless of their location or the scale of the crisis. Thank you to all who have given and all who continue to give. Click here to support the Fund for Ednannia.
Kevin K. Murphy
President
Berks County Community Foundation
Photo description from Ednannia: Community Foundation of Berezan has become a focal point for all communities surrounding Berezan that were affected by the warfare (Baryshivska territorial community and others). Community Foundation organized a humanitarian hub on the base of its office. The situation was especially drastic with baby food – as the warfare was very close there were no deliveries, so the Community Foundation appealed to other Community Foundations and CSOs with the plea to send whatever is possible to be able to feed the kids in these communities.
As the season of giving approaches, people often open their hearts and their wallets for good causes. In some cases, donations to those causes may be deducted from your taxes, but not always. If you’re hoping to support a cause and take advantage of a tax deduction, be sure to check with your accountant or attorney before you write that check or click “give.”
“There are many caring things that people do that are not considered charitable in the eyes of the Internal Revenue Service,” said Frances A. Aitken, CPA, chief operating officer at Berks County Community Foundation. “That doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t give, but it’s good to be aware of the types of donations that do not qualify for a deduction.”
In general, donations to the following types of organizations qualify for the charitable tax deduction:
- Public charities as defined by section 501(c)3 of the internal revenue code. You can search for organizations by name at www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/search-for-tax-exempt-organizations and look for deductibility code “PC.”
- Religious organizations such as churches, temples, and synagogues.
- Nonprofit educational institutions, although be sure to check to see if your school has a foundation that accepts donations on its behalf.
- Governmental organizations, although sometimes governmental organizations such as parks, libraries, or police K9 units prefer donations be made to a “Friends” group that is a 501(c)3 public charity.
In general, donations to the following types of causes DO NOT qualify for a tax deduction:
- Donations to support a specific family or individual who is in need or who has experienced a loss.
- Donations to membership organizations that are not listed as public charities, such as private clubs, even if they are small and don’t make a profit.
- Donations to parent volunteer groups that are not under a school’s umbrella or listed as a public charity.
- Donations to start-up business ventures.
This list is not exhaustive, and regulations change often, so be sure to seek the advice of a qualified financial professional if you are unsure if your donation is tax-deductible. “At the Community Foundation, we manage funds created by local people to provide grants for causes they care about,” Aitken said. “We’re governed by IRS rules too, so we always check the charitable status of an organization before we issue a grant. If you’re interested in the charitable deduction and you aren’t sure if the organization you’re giving to is charitable, call your accountant.”
To make a tax-deductible gift to a charitable fund managed by the Community Foundation, visit www.bccf.org and click “Give Now.” With more than 370 charitable funds under management, you’re sure to find one that provides grants or scholarships for a cause you care about. To learn more about creating a charitable fund of your own, call the Community Foundation at 610-685.2223.
