Ed Lombardo has a connection to Berks County Community Foundation that goes back many years. A lifelong Berks resident, high school football coach, community volunteer and investment advisor, Ed recognizes the importance of philanthropy.
Earlier this year, Ed reflected on his history of giving, which includes the Lombardo Family Scholarship Fund and the Lombardo Family Memorial Fund. To learn more about Ed’s connections to Muhlenburg, read his feature in this year’s edition of our annual magazine, 237 Court. Click here to view the magazine; Ed’s story begins on page 3.
To learn more about establishing a fund at Berks County Community Foundation, click here or email mollyr@bccf.org.
On Tuesday, July 16th, 2025, leaders from Bernville Heritage and Cultural Center, Rentschler Arboretum, Bernville Area Community Library, Friedens Evangelical Lutheran Church and Christ Little Tulpehocken Church welcomed Berks County Community Foundation team members to their spaces to discuss community programming initiatives.
The Foundation visited these institutions, as some have received gifts from various funds the foundation manages, and others simply enrich the cultural, educational, or religious life of the Tulpehocken area.
The program team of Berks County Community Foundation, comprised of experts in their fields of interest, started their Tulpehocken area tour at the Rentschler Arboretum.
The arboretum is a sprawling 34-acre tract of land, pictured below. Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club (BMECC), a grantee of Berks County Community Foundation, owns and maintains the arboretum. BMECC leads hikes on the Appalachian Trail, schedules bike rides and camping trips, and hosts various cultural and educational events throughout the year.
When Berks County Community Foundation team members arrived at the Rentschler Arboretum, Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club (BMECC) member Linda Enders greeted the team and led them on a tour of the grounds.
Linda highlighted the club’s non-native flower planting initiative that encourages biodiversity, as well as their kestrel nest box, which helps protect the small falcon’s declining population. A source of pride for the club is its youth camp offerings that allow kids to camp in tents on the Rentschler Arboretum land, learn about environmental protection, and form healthy connections to nature.
A grant from the Conservation Equity Fund of Berks County Community Foundation was awarded to BMECC in 2022. The club used the money to install a new Wayfinding Mural, pictured below.
To learn more about the climbing club and Rentschler Arboretum, visit BMECC’s website.
The next stop on the Tulpehocken tour was the Bernville Area Community Library. The director of the library, Jen Franklin, gave a presentation on the library’s history and its position as a vital public institution.
Residents can visit the library for resources beyond books and media. The foyer features a food pantry, the technology section boasts public computers and hotspot rentals, and the library itself hosts over 200 programs each year. Franklin and the library’s website commit to creating a welcoming and safe environment for everyone. To learn more about the programs and resources available at the library, visit their website.
Then, Marisa and Tom Vanzin, members of the Bernville Heritage and Cultural Society, gave a detailed presentation on Bernville’s history. Nestled in rural Berks County, Stephanus Umbenhauer founded Bernville; the borough was officially incorporated in 1851. Stephanus’ children were laid to rest in the Evangelical Lutheran Friedens Church’s graveyard, a historical site in Bernville. Impressive stained-glass windows adorn the inside of the church. Much like Bernville Area Community Library, Friedens Church offers public resources and lends its basement to other organizations to congregate. To learn more about Friedens Church, visit their website.
a graveyard holding many Revolutionary War soldiers and notable Berks County residents rest
in the church’s backyard. One such notable soldier is Balzer Umbenhauer, the son of Bernville
founder Stephanus Umbenhauer. Pictured above is Balzer’s final resting place at Friedens Church.
of stained glass.
The Tulpehocken tour concluded at Christ Little Tulpehocken Church, another religious institution that dates to the 18th century.
Despite fire damage and other structural issues, congregants have rebuilt and maintained the historic site for more than 250 years. On the upstairs balcony, a Kantner organ extends to the ceiling. This is where Christ Church member Carol Dieffenbach Kantner played hymns for the foundation and other visitors. To learn more about the storied history of Christ Little Tulpehocken Church, visit their website.
Kantner organs are famous classical instruments, known for their expert craftsmanship and the rigorous preservation efforts.
This Kantner organ moved to Christ Little Tulpehocken Church in 1863.
Berks County Community Foundation extends their gratitude to all the organizations, volunteers, and congregations that hosted us for our first Tulpehocken area tour.
Meeting our community friends and partners strengthens our connections and provides learning opportunities to expand our knowledge of various parts of Berks County.
To learn more about our areas of focus and grantmaking, visit our website: Community Initiatives
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Reading, PA (July 23, 2025) – Berks County Arts Fund of Berks County Community Foundation recently awarded $50,000.00 in grants to six organizations. The Berks County Arts Fund supports arts and culture organizations that will implement community-focused programs/projects through visual arts. They seek to support innovative, inclusive, and accessible programs that will foster community pride and encourage creative expression within the Berks community.
The following grants were awarded:
- $13,025.70 to Alvernia University’s Total Experience Learning Institute mural project, Sanctuary of Color – Bringing Art to the LightHouse Playground. The mural installation will enhance the beauty, privacy, and safety of the playground for Lighthouse residents who are transitioning from crisis to stability.
- $3,500.00 to Theron Cook Art Don’t Quit Foundation to support the project ArtCycle: Transforming Trash Into Treasure. Guided painting sessions of inner-city Reading’s trash and recycling bins will bring local youth together to beautify their community and learn about the importance of recycling.
- $5,000.00 to State Theatre Preservation Society for its Summer Kid Movies program to provide discounted movies, snacks, and relaxing quality time for lower-income families in Boyertown and the surrounding areas.
- $5,815.00 to Our Town Foundation to build its community mural at State Street Square, an event and gathering space that is currently being developed for the cultural and educational enrichment of Hamburg residents.
- $3,500.00 to Reading Theater Project to construct large, operable puppets for a free, outdoor theater performance at the Reading Public Museum Arboretum.
- $19,159.30 to Reading Symphony Orchestra to host a night of music and visual art. A Visual & Musical Mosaic features musical performances by Reading Symphony Orchestra and photography from local students that answer the question, “What does Berks County mean to me?”
Monica Reyes, Vice President for Programs and Initiatives of Berks County Community Foundation, stated, “We are proud to support these organizations whose work enriches our communities through visual arts. By supporting the visual arts, we’re investing in both creative expression and the civic vitality it fosters.”
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Berks County Arts Fund supports visual arts programming based in Berks County. To learn more about the fund, please visit the fund’s landing page on our website.
If you would like to make a gift to increase our ability to provide grant funding for the arts in our community, please email Molly McCullough Robbins, Vice President for Philanthropic Services, at mollyr@bccf.org.
Talking is hard – and for girls, having a safe space to discuss feminine issues can make those conversations easier. John Paul II Center created Girl Talk 101 so girls with special needs could meet monthly. There, girls can discuss topics they may not feel comfortable discussing in front of male classmates or at home.
Girl Talk 101 received a grant from the Power of the Purse (POP) in Berks County Fund of Berks County Community Foundation. The grant was awarded so that the club can continue to meet and provide resources for participants. POP awarded the club $3,500 for 2025-2026 to financially support the club’s endeavors. The “girls only” club is available for JPII female students ages 10 to 21 and meets monthly. There, the girls discuss topics like feminine health, personal hygiene, bodily changes, relationships and more. Girl Talk 101 participants also cultivate social skills and self-assurance, so those who can enter the workforce do so with confidence.
John Paul II Center’s mission is to serve “children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities by providing diversified programs.” The center believes in the Catholic Church’s teachings on the sanctity of human life, which guides programming. John Paul II Center acknowledges the dignity of all learners while they realize their full potential.
POP is a women’s giving circle established in 2012 to support causes that improve the quality of life for women and children in Berks County. Chiara Sockel Renninger, a financial advisor who had taken part in something similar in Lehigh Valley, brought the idea to the Community Foundation.
“I wanted to start a group that would give local women a place to pool their charitable resources to improve the lives of women and girls in our community,” Renninger said. Since its inception, POP has provided more than $581,000 to local organizations, including JPII for Girl Talk 101.
To learn more about the Power of the Purse Fund of Berks County Community Foundation, please click here.
