Reading Pride Celebration Gives Back Fund
This fund supports projects and programs that affirm and enhance the lives of LGBTQ youth in Berks County.
Created with a portion of the proceeds from the annual Reading Pride Celebration Festival, this fund will allow educators and community organizations to develop or expand programing that directly impacts the lives of LGBTQ+ students in Berks.
Typically, there are two cycle opportunities to submit an application. In October 2024, the donor decided to not have a second cycle this year due to lack of funding.
Jeffrey S. Waltman Sr. Legacy Fund
To honor the life of the late Reading City Council President Jeffrey S. Waltman Sr., his colleagues on the Reading City Council have established the Jeffrey S. Waltman Sr. Legacy Fund of Berks County Community Foundation. Distributions from this fund will improve recreation space or support recreational programs in the City of Reading. To contribute to this fund online, visit https://bccf.link/waltman. To mail contributions, make checks payable to Berks County Community Foundation and write “Waltman” in the memo line. Mail them to: Berks County Community Foundation c/o Waltman 237 Court St. Reading PA 19601 Jeff passed away unexpectedly at age 58 on Monday, June 13, 2022, at Reading Hospital. Jeff served as a manager of Operations and Billing at Exide Corporation and went on to serve as Assistant Vice President and Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch for many years. Jeff served as the president of the Reading City Council and will be deeply missed by his colleagues there. Jeff enjoyed playing basketball, throwing football, writing poetry, reading, taking nature walks, hiking, and spending time with his granddaughters, whom he loved dearly. He will be remembered for his strong leadership, his appreciation for life, his generous heart, and his willingness to help others. Jeff is survived by his children: Ashley Waltman (Skyler) of Wyomissing and Jeffrey Waltman Jr. of Reading; his siblings: Edward Waltman, Jody Shifflett, and Karen Waltman; and two grandchildren: Sophia and Olivia. He is also survived by his longtime friend and the mother of his children, Christina Waltman.
This fund will improve recreational spaces or support recreational programs in the City of Reading, PA., in memory of Jeffrey S. Waltman, Sr., who served as Reading City Council President at the time of his passing.
Forest Crigler, Jr. Memorial Fund in Support of Youth Swimming
The Forest Crigler, Jr. Memorial Fund in Support of Youth Swimming awards grants to programs that develop, encourage, and promote youth swimming in Berks County.
Reading Muhlenberg Career & Technology Center Education Fund
This fund supports students at Reading Muhlenberg Career & Technology Center. Support aims to remove barriers and/or increase a student’s chance of success upon graduation. Support could be but is not limited to assistance with specialty clothing or tools required for an internship or a job upon graduation, transportation to and from an internship, or stipends to enhance wages for an internship. Distributions may also be made directly to the Reading Muhlenberg Career & Technology Center to add or enhance a technical education program.
Friends of the West Reading Police Department and K9 Unit Fund
Distributions from this fund maintain and enhance the West Reading Police Department and K9 Unit and to support education and awareness for the citizens of West Reading regarding the West Reading Police Department and its K9 Unit.
Pamela A. and Gregory W. Heid’s Fund for the Animals
This fund awards grants to animal welfare organizations for the direct support of animal care, food and medicine.
Embracing Aging Fund
This fund provides grants to address the needs of Berks County’s older residents by removing barriers to aging well.
Home Health Care Foundation Fund
The Home Health Care Foundation Fund provides grants for organizations and programs that serve Berks County and/or those counties that are contiguous to it (Chester, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, and Schuylkill). Preference will be given to organizations or programs that train or support family caregivers providing home health care to kin.
One or more of the following purposes must be met to be considered for a grant:
1. Organizations and programs that help residents recover from illness or disability at home to prevent them from needing in-patient medical care;
2. Programs and activities that support preventative healthcare for residents and overall community health to reduce the need for in-patient medical care;
3. Organizations that provide health-related charity care to residents.
Preference will also be given to organizations and programs that help individuals remain at home. Maximum grant available to an organization per grant cycle is $40,000.
History
On January 1, 2019, Tower Health assumed the operations of Home Health Care Management, Berks Visiting Nurse Association, the Visiting Nurse Association of Pottstown and Vicinity, and Advantage Home Care.
For years, each of these organizations provided compassionate and much-needed care to the communities they served. In that spirit, the Home Health Care Foundation was created as part of the merger to support charity care and other programs for the good of the community.
The Home Health Care Foundation became an affiliate of Berks County Community Foundation in 2020.
Home Health Care Foundation Board
Kim R. Berry
Jim Gierlich
Robert R. Kreitz, Esq.
Rabbi Brian I. Michelson, Chair of the Home Health Care Foundation Board of Directors
Kevin K. Murphy, President, ex officio, of Home Health Care Foundation, and President, Berks County Community Foundation
Mike Paolini
Karen S. Thacker Ph.D., RN, CNE
Frances A. Aitken, CPA, Treasurer, ex officio, of Home Health Care Foundation, and COO and Treasurer, Berks County Community Foundation*
*Serves as an officer, not a board member.
Fund for Science Research Institutes
This fund supports Science Research Institutes serving students in Berks County schools.
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.
