Reading, PA – October 9, 2024 – Berks County Community Foundation is pleased to announce the conclusion of its 3rd quarter grant cycle, which has successfully distributed vital funding to local nonprofits and initiatives dedicated to improving our community.
In this quarter, the foundation awarded grants to a diverse range of projects focusing in areas of environment and energy, education, health and human services, arts and culture, and neighborhoods and economic development; supporting the impactful work of local organizations that improve the lives of Berks County residents.
These numbers are a testament to the Foundation’s commitment to its mission to promote philanthropy and improve the quality of life for the residents of Berks County.
- Q3 total grants awarded: 549
- Q3 total dollar amount awarded: $1,459,851
- Q3 number of organizations impacted: 275
“Grants awarded are made possible by generous donors who give back to the community they love,” stated Molly McCullough Robbins, Vice President for Philanthropic Services.
Moving forward, community members are invited to join the Community Foundation in sparking change. Here are two ways to get involved:
- Give to an Existing Fund: Your contributions can help sustain the important work of established funds addressing specific needs within Berks County.
- Create Your Own Fund: Whether you want to honor a loved one or support a particular cause or organization, the Foundation can help you to create a fund that reflects your passions and philanthropic goals.
For more information on how to give or create a fund, please visit www.bccf.org, email Molly McCullough Robbins at mollyr@bccf.org, or call (610) 685-2223.
About Berks County Community Foundation
Berks County Community Foundation is a nonprofit corporation serving as a civic leader for our region by developing, managing, and distributing charitable funds to improve the quality of life in Berks County, PA. More information is available at www.bccf.org.
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The board room at Sinking Spring Public Library (SSPL) was recently transformed into an all-day workshop for anyone interested in learning the traditional Scottish craft of spinning yarn. SSPL Director Wenonah Riegel organized and instructed this unique class that featured a traditional Scottish spindle called a Dealgan.
Riegel enjoys spinning, knitting, and crocheting, and has been honing her craft for 34 years. She started spinning when she worked at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, where she was responsible for costume interpretation in one of the tenant houses. She has also demonstrated various traditional crafts including spinning and natural dyeing at Daniel Boone Homestead, Warwick Park, Hay Creek Festival, the Mouns Jones House, and the Birdsboro Community Center.
The recent workshop at SSPL began with a demonstration of how to properly wash wool from two different Scottish breeds of sheep. Each participant was encouraged to get their hands dirty for an authentic experience as they were reminded to stay mindful of water temperature to prevent felting of the wool. Participants then learned how to brush the clean wool to prepare it for the spinning wheel before actually attaching it. Then everyone had the chance to use a spinning wheel equipped with a Dealgan. During the workshop, participants also learned about historic Scottish sheep breeds and the efforts to conserve them.
This program was funded by the Juniper Fund of Berks County Community Foundation. The Juniper Fund of Berks County Community Foundation was established in 2010 by The Murray Clan Society of North America to support the education, promotion, and preservation of the history, heritage, and traditions of Scotland. Learn more about The Juniper Fund by clicking here.
Program attendees had access to spinning wheels, a spinning book for beginners, and fiber they could take home with them. The hope is that the class will inspire participants to keep this traditional craft alive. SSPL encourages crafters to stick with their projects by hosting craft nights every Wednesday from 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm. During these programs, attendees can ask follow-up questions, connect with one another, and continue working on their projects. Additionally, two spinning wheels are available to check out from SSPL’s “Library of Things” for individuals to try their hand at spinning from the comfort of their own home.
Whether you’re looking to learn a new skill, find a creative outlet, or simply connect with others, spinning offers a wonderful opportunity to weave new stories into the fabric of your life. For more information about programming at SSPL, please click here.
Exciting changes are on the horizon for the Reading Symphony Orchestra (RSO) as it welcomes a new executive director! This moment in the organization’s journey was celebrated on Thursday, September 19th at a welcome reception in our lobby at Third and Court. The event not only marked the beginning of a fresh chapter for the orchestra but also served as a networking opportunity for local leaders and community members.
Attendees included business leaders, philanthropists, and community advocates—all eager to connect and support the new executive director as he takes on this exciting journey.
The atmosphere was filled with the sound of laughter, lively conversation, and the buzz of possibility. Guests mingled, sharing their visions for the future of the RSO and exploring how they could collaborate to enrich the cultural fabric of Berks County. David brought Hershey’s Symphony Chocolate paired with two tickets to see the orchestra, doubling as a fun treat for guests.
David says, “I am really grateful to be here at this time and to do this work with you. We are excited about the upcoming new season, and we hope it brings some air back into the arts because the arts are vital to the health and vitality of our community.”
Prior to David’s recent appointment, he served as president and CEO of ArtsinStark, a Stark County-wide arts council, in Canton, Ohio. Additionally, David served as the executive director for both the Asheville Symphony Orchestra in North Carolina and the Bangor Symphony Orchestra in Maine. During his time in Asheville, David developed and oversaw the implementation of several signature Asheville Symphony programs, including the Asheville Amadeus festival.
David also worked in Orange County, California, as an arts administrator with the Pacific Symphony, Laguna Beach Music Festival, and the Philharmonic Society. Read more about David’s bio originally published here.
If you couldn’t attend the welcome party, there are still plenty of ways to get involved with the Reading Symphony Orchestra. Whether through attending performances, volunteering, or becoming a member, your support is invaluable. Click here to learn more about RSO.
Here’s to a bright future for the Reading Symphony Orchestra, and to all the incredible opportunities that await in Berks County!
Over our 30-year history, we have had the opportunity to meet with hundreds of people who wanted to make a difference in their community – to give back in support of a cause about which they cared deeply or in honor or memory of someone they loved or admired. Thousands of grants representing millions of dollars have been distributed in Berks County thanks to the foresight of those donors who trusted Berks County Community Foundation with their charitable gifts.
Every year or two, we update the Funds for Grants and Scholarships brochure, which lists the funds currently available for grantmaking and scholarship awards. Feel free to browse the brochure to learn more about how donors have supported individuals and organizations in our community – everything including animals, arts & culture, education, environment & energy, health & human services, neighborhoods & economic development, public safety, scholarships, and youth sports. You may find an opportunity for funding or inspiration for establishing your own fund.
Change starts with a spark. Your spark. We’re here to help – please reach out with any questions or ideas.
Every year, Earth Day is celebrated across the globe with tree plantings, festivals, and various volunteer activities that remind us of our collective responsibility to steward the natural environment and limit impacts on the earth.
The Berks County Earth Day Committee hosts an Earth Day celebration every year to bring the community together and educate about environmental and conservation subjects while encouraging participants to make sustainable choices. Thousands of people gathered in City Park on April 20 to enjoy live music and food from local vendors and participate in a range of educational activities from planting seeds and trees to litter clean ups to wildlife demonstrations.
“The pure joy of seeing little ones bouncing from booth to booth, learning about our Earth, made my heart smile. They’re the future of our planet, and their enthusiasm gives me hope for a brighter tomorrow,” said Lazarely Martinez, a first-time attendee of the Earth Day celebration in City Park.
The Youth Volunteer Corps held a table at the event that promoted planting vegetables in a bag. The bag was recyclable, and dirt was donated from Ridgewood Soils in Birdsboro. Kids of all ages were instructed to scoop dirt into their bags and then were provided with lettuce or spinach seeds to plant in the soil. Participants were encouraged to place the bags in sunlight and watered regularly. When leaves start to sprout, they can be cut and are ready to be eaten.
“I like spinach because it makes me feel strong and planting it makes me feel like a farmer,” said Avian Robles, an 8-year-old student at Muhlenberg Elementary Center after planting his spinach planted bag.
At the Community Foundation, our goal is to keep Berks County a beautiful place by supporting projects and programs that recognize the value of our open space and provide education on how to reduce our impact on the planet. The Earth Day celebration was made possible by the Hawley and Myrtle Quier Fund of Berks County Community Foundation. This fund makes distributions to improve the quality of life for the residents of Berks County. This support not only benefits the present generation but also lays the foundation for a more sustainable future for generations to come.
Berks County is home to hundreds of houses of worship in both the urban and rural areas, many built throughout the 1700s and 1800s. These buildings have been vital cultural vehicles that have helped knit the fabric of our cultural heritage for generations. But these sacred places are at risk, like many others across America. With this threat to Berks County’s sacred places in mind, it’s important to preserve the contributions that are being made in the community. Sacred places are ubiquitous in our communities, forming an integral part of social safety nets. This started the “Sacred Places” project to set out to build an inventory of the purpose-built sacred places within the city.
Berks County Community Foundation is collaborating with Partners for Sacred Spaces, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit that brings people together to find creative ways to maintain and make the most of America’s older and historic houses of worship.
For more than five years, Partners for Sacred Places and Berks County Community Foundation have collected the history of local houses of worship, assessed the condition of the buildings and the stability of their congregations, and encouraged partnerships to preserve these sacred places.
As a result, the Community Foundation will continue its partnership with Partners for Sacred Places in 2024 to provide its New Dollars/New Partners program. Several congregations spanning across denominations, locations, sizes, and missions – will have the opportunity to focus on building capacity to better serve their communities as anchor institutions, nurture transformation, and shape vibrant, creative communities.
If you lead or volunteer with a congregation in Berks County, we invite you to a free informational session on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at 6:00 pm at Berks Nature (575 St. Bernardine Street, Reading, PA 19607).
You can register for the informational session by clicking here. In the months that follow, the New Dollars/New Partners training program will be available for congregations interested in participating.
Funding for this project came from James P. Born, Sr. Fund of Berks County Community Foundation. The fund supports local houses of worship, interfaith dialogue, and inclusive programs for all children, including those who are underprivileged.
We look forward to seeing you at the session and collaborating with places of worship in Berks County.
The Community Foundation manages several charitable funds that benefit cultural groups and organizations. In early 2023, the Kutztown Pipe Band, which is made up of students, faculty, and staff from Kutztown University, local students, and community members, requested a grant from the Juniper Fund to buy materials for its Learn About Bagpipes program. The band created this program to promote excitement and enthusiasm for Scottish music and culture.
The band first introduced the program at both Conrad Weiser East Elementary and Conrad Weiser West Elementary. Band members gave demonstrations during assemblies in which students heard songs played on various forms of bagpipes. Laura Sherrod, pipe major of the Kutztown Pipe Band, and Diana Cook, member of the Kutztown Pipe Band and an elementary music teacher, gave these demonstrations. If students had questions, they could get answers from the pipers directly during a special panel called “Ask the Piper.”
Kutztown Pipe Band hopes to expand its educational opportunities to include more adult programming. The first adult event took place at the Kutztown Public Library. Libraries pay a discounted fee to host the Kutztown Pipe Band for educational sessions, while demonstrations are free to schools thanks to the grant funding and the generosity of the members of the Kutztown Pipe Band who volunteer their time to educate students on Scottish history.
The Kutztown Pipe Band began with five piping students in 2017 and now has more than two dozen members.
In 2022, the band started the Learn About Bagpipes program to educate audiences about the instrument and to instill in them a deeper appreciation of Scottish Heritage. The musicians tailor each demonstration to the audience, and describe the history and functionality of the instruments, and play different tunes on different bagpipes.
The Juniper Fund of Berks County Community Foundation was established in 2010 by The Murray Clan Society of North America to support the education, promotion and preservation of the history, heritage and traditions of Scotland.
The fund provides financial support for the following purposes but is not limited to:
- Individuals to improve basic skills in Scottish music, dance, art, cuisine, etc.
- Activities to promote enrichment experiences in Scottish culture, traditions and history.
- Activities to benefit the Scottish community and the Murray Clan.
The $300 grant from the Juniper Fund to the Kutztown Pipe Band supported the cost of these educational programs, which allowed, and will continue to allow, the Kutztown Pipe Band to offer programs free for schools.
The presence of the Kutztown Pipe Band at local schools and community events carries a transformative power. It sparks curiosity, ignites passion, and inspires young minds to explore the world of music and culture. By funding the band, the Juniper Fund is growing young talent, and offering musicians a chance to engage with a unique form of art.
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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In 2021, a $15,000 grant from Berks County Community Foundation to Our Town Foundation supported local arts in Hamburg. With a mission of revitalizing, promoting, and preserving the downtown historic district of Hamburg, Our Town Foundation wanted to reignite arts and culture in the community after the pandemic. The grant paid for performers and art teachers and marketing expenses. Activities included:
- 33 film and movie screenings
- 4 live performances at a local theatre
- Art classes
- Reception with local artists at the Art & Craft Gallery of Hamburg
- A talent show entitled “Hamburg’s Got Talent” where 13 people performed
- The performances of 22 bands and musicians at the annual Taste of Hamburger Festival
Some of these activities were brought back to the community for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. Our Town Foundation suffered financial loss during the pandemic due to the temporary closing of the Strand Theatre and the Art & Crafts Gallery.
The community was very receptive to these planned events and opportunities. Many people took advantage of the art classes in the area. The movie screenings were popular among children and their families, especially movies related to holidays. The Polar Express movie screening around Christmastime sold out completely! With these movie screenings, Our Town Foundation entertained families and children while simultaneously supporting its mission by promoting and using a historical landmark in the town.
Funding for these projects came from our 2021 Special Programs: Berks County Arts & Culture Ramp Up. The goal of this one-time program was to provide grants that would support Berks County’s nonprofit arts and culture organizations as they ramped back up during the fourth quarter of 2021 or 2022. The grant to Our Town Foundation was one of fourteen that was awarded through the program.
Local Youth Hope to Unite Community on MLK Day
Reading, PA–Local teens involved in a youth-driven initiative for social justice called Stand Together Against Racism (S.T.A.R.) are coming together on Martin Luther King Day to host a community event sure to leave an impact. The S.T.A.R. initiative was born through the support of Youth Volunteer Corps of Reading and VOiCEup Berks. These motivated high school students are providing an opportunity for families to learn, unite as a community, and pay tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King.
In honor of MLK Day on January 16, S.T.A.R. students will host a drop-in event at Berks County Community Foundation, 237 Court Street in Reading, from 1-4 pm. Throughout the entirety of the event, there will be a student-created art exhibit, mini-service projects for youth ages 8+, and storytime for ages 4-7. Additionally, there will be a screening of the student-directed documentary, created by S.T.A.R. members, entitled ‘Stand Together’ at 2 pm (recommended for ages 11+). Following the film screening, there will be a youth-led discussion on racism and youth activism. This event will be fulfilling for all community members. More information can be found at www.voiceupberks.org/opportunity. This is a drop-in event and registration is not required but appreciated.
Youth Volunteer Corps of Reading focuses on promoting a lifetime commitment to service among youth by offering 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 24,000 hours of service to help this community over the past 6 years. Find more information at www.voiceupberks.org/yvc. VOiCEup Berks is a fund of Berks County Community Foundation.
Youth Volunteer Corps of Reading MLK Family Full Event Schedule
