The mural celebrates the vibrancy of our Berks County community.
On a balmy weekday afternoon in late May, a handful of interns from John Paul II Center for Special Learning finalized their contribution to a collaborative artistic project at Berks County Community Foundation.
John Paul II Center for Special Learning is located in Shillington, PA. Part of the center’s mission is to provide diversified programming for children and adults with developmental disabilities, so they can reach their full potential. The foundation began its relationship with the center in 2002 when they approved two grants totaling $10,000. Since then, John Paul II Center for Special Learning has received a total of 50 grants from eighteen different funds, making the center one of the foundation’s most deserving grantees.
Berks County Community Foundation’s favorite program of John Paul II’s, however, is one that is not motivated by charitable dollars—but rather, human connection.
The internship program at John Paul II is unique. A job coach from the center helps identify goals and skills that the interns can develop on their path to adulthood and, in some cases, financial independence. Internships allow students from John Paul II to gain hands-on experience in the workforce. Internship placements include Berks Encore, Helping Harvest, Nolde Forest, and more.
Berks County Community Foundation has welcomed John Paul II Center for Special Learning’s interns for close to ten years. The interns often complete various administration and operational tasks or lead outdoor clean-up sessions around the office’s sidewalks and parking spaces. To exercise fine motor skills and support the more artistically inclined interns, Berks County Community Foundation assigned the interns a paint-by-numbers mural to be completed by the end of the 2026 school year. The mural, which celebrates the vibrancy of Berks County, was a small project from 2023 that had fallen to the wayside for several years. Interns at John Paul II completely revitalized the project.
The Community Foundation team members, like Franki Aitken, CFO & COO, and Sally Cox, Finance and Operations Administrator, often delegate tasks to the interns and sit with them while they work. From socializing to imparting workforce wisdom, the impact of the connections created amongst foundation team members and John Paul II interns cannot be overstated.
“The team at Berks County Community Foundation loves when the interns from John Paul II come to work in our office,” says Franki Aitken. “I view the internship program as an opportunity to help students on their path to adulthood, whatever that looks like.”
There are a few options available regarding exactly where the mural will hang. Until a decision is made, the mural will be at Berks County Community Foundation’s office in downtown Reading.
Learn more about the John Paul II Center for Special Learning by visiting https://johnpauliicenter.org/.
