First Baptist Church Reading – Legacy Fund
This fund supports organizations that were important to the mission of First Baptist Church. Distributions from the fund shall be made annually to support the following organizations:
- Helping Harvest Food Bank
- Living Christian Church Ministries
- Hope Rescue Mission
- Avivamiento Cristiano Emanuel
If you have questions about this fund, please email Cindy Milian, Health and Human Services Program Officer of Berks County Community Foundation, at cindym@bccf.org.
Najarian Fund for Bethel-Tulpehocken Public Library
The purpose of the fund is to support the Bethel-Tulpehocken Public Library.
Royals Youth Hockey Fund
This fund provides financial support for youth to participate in ice hockey lessons, camps, clinics, or leagues.
Woman’s Exchange of Reading Fund
The Woman’s Exchange of Reading Fund provides grants to assist Berks County artisans in the pursuit of perfecting their art, trade, or craft. Assistance could be, but is not limited to: advanced training in their art, trade, or craft; special equipment or tools needed for their art, trade, or craft; or education on the distribution or sale of their art, trade, or craft.
An artisan is defined as:
1) a worker who practices a trade or handicraft;
2) a person that produces something in limited quantities often using traditional methods.
Decisions are generally made within 14 days of receiving the reference form from the individual you list on the application.
Albert Boscov Memorial Scholarship Fund
This fund provides scholarships to graduating seniors from a Berks County high school who will be pursuing their education in performing arts, entertainment, or sports management.
Michael Constantine Film Education Fund
An anonymous donor established the Michael Constantine Film Education Fund to honor the late actor. This fund awards grants to ReadingFilmFEST to educate students and emerging filmmakers on how to develop and showcase their craft.
A Reading native and a Reading High grad, Constantine was best known for his Emmy-winning role as high school principal Seymour Kaufman in the TV series Room 222 from 1969 to 1974. He found a new generation of fans with his portrayal of Kostas “Gus” Portokalos, the Windex-toting father of the bride in the 2002 film My Big Fat Greek Wedding. He died August 31, 2021, at age 94 in his Reading home surrounded by family.
William and Beulah Eshelman Memorial Fund
This fund was established in 2010 through a bequest to Calvary United Methodist Church in memory of William and Beulah Eshelman.
Annual distributions from this fund shall first be applied for the benefit of Calvary United Methodist Church, Mohnton, Pennsylvania in such amounts or proportions and for such purposes as the Church’s Trustees shall select from time to time. Also, in the discretion of the Church’s Trustees, the fund may provide scholarship loans to assist deserving church members in pursuing post-secondary education.
St. John’s UCC Reading Fund
The St. John’s UCC Reading Fund supports organizations and causes that were important to the mission of the church. Grants support programs and initiatives that reduce hunger, offer shelter or improve housing, meet a pressing need for youth, or create or maintain open space.
Distributions are made in the following order of preference:
• Religious organizations or causes within a one-mile radius of 149 S. 9th Street, Reading, PA.
• Organizations or causes within a one-mile radius of 149 S. 9th Street, Reading, PA.
• Religious organizations or causes in the City of Reading.
• Organizations or causes in the City of Reading.
• Religious organizations or causes in Berks County.
• Organizations or causes in Berks County.
St. John’s was located at 149 S. Ninth St. in Reading. It was formed in 1871 as St. John’s Reformed Church of Reading.
In 2017, a majority of its remaining members voted to dissolve St. John’s United Church of Christ as a legal entity.
In 2019, the church filed with Berks County Court to transfer much of its assets to the Community Foundation and to give its building and some assets to Open Door Mennonite Church, Lancaster County, to establish the South 9th Street Mennonite Church in the building.
In 2020, the St. John’s UCC Reading Fund of Berks County Community Foundation was created to continue the church’s mission.
Amos Lemon Burkhart Art Scholarship Fund
The Amos Lemon Burkhart Art Scholarship Fund was established at Berks County Community Foundation in 2018 in memory of Amos Lemon Burkhart, a 2017 graduate of Governor Mifflin High School. Amos possessed both great technical ability in drawing and painting, and unusually advanced conceptual gifts, as evidenced by his large body of work. Amos was awarded a presidential scholarship at Montserrat College of Art for fall of 2018 to study animation and painting. Sadly, Amos suffered from mental illness and trauma and passed away in May 2018 at 19 from causes related to substance abuse.
This fund provides scholarships to graduating seniors of Governor Mifflin High School who display extraordinary artistic promise and will be furthering their education after high school.
Recipients of the scholarship must plan to continue their education after high school; however, the recipient does not have to continue his/her education in art. In the event the recipient does not attend college immediately after high school, recipients have until the fall semester, the year after the scholarship is awarded, to use the scholarship.
No application is needed. Scholarship recipients are selected by faculty in the Art Department at Governor Mifflin High School.
Wummer Family Fund
Grants support Berks Catholic High School, Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, St. Ignatius Loyola Roman Catholic Church, and Villanova University.
