Give Now
Give Now

A new initiative is changing lives one word at a time. In March of 2024, the Literacy Council of Reading­ Berks launched its Overcoming Barriers Project. The goal of this project is to provide resources such as bus passes to enable female program participants the opportunity to participate in Literacy Council classes. Students will learn to read and write proficiently, become productive citizens, prepare for work, and achieve success at their jobs.

The Literacy Council of Reading-Berks is dedicated to eradicating illiteracy by teaching students to develop job skills, become a better parent, and to give back to the community. Their mission is to help adults better communicate, collaborate, and contribute to their families, workplaces, and communities.

The Overcoming Barriers Project addresses a critical need in our community. The classes go beyond reading and writing; they’re stepping ­stones to helping these females break barriers that are preventing them from being successful. The program provides a monthly BARTA bus pass for English as a Second Language (ESL) students, high school equivalency certification classes, GED preparation materials and exam fees, and a gateway to citizenship program. “The answer to being productive in life, work, and the community is the ability to communicate, collaborate with, and contribute to others’, explains Beverly Hirneisen of the Literacy Council. “Those who are illiterate find that impossible to do.”

The Power of the Purse (POP) Fund of Berks County Community Foundation provided support for the Overcoming Barriers Project. “The Power of the Purse Fund’s support is invaluable,’ says Beverly Hirneisen. “It allows us to focus on what we do best -teaching literacy skills – while ensuring our female students have the means to attend classes regularly.”

As women improve their literacy skills, they become more effective advocates for themselves and for children in schools and other public institutions. The program also serves as a gateway to higher education and increased community involvement.

“Women benefit in earnings from increased literacy skills,” Hirneisen notes. “Participation in literacy programs leads to a significant increase in participation in other community organizations.” The Literacy Council’s efforts are already bearing fruit. Students are progressing through ESL class levels, passing GED exams, and even gaining U.S. citizenship. These achievements are measured through post-testing results, exam passing rates, and tracking students’ progression through various educational levels.

One of the partners of the Literacy Council is Reading Area Community College (RACC). The partnership with a community college is crucial. Literacy Council helps RACC with professional development, student transfers, the Keystone Education Yields Success (KEYS) program, and admission assistance.

The Council also provides ESL and high school equivalency classes through Berks Latino Workforce Development Corporation, and Connections Work. The Overcoming Barriers Project is more than just a literacy program; it’s a program that provides hope. The impact of this program is immense. For each woman who learns to read, write, and communicate effectively, the program is not just changing one life-it is transforming families and strengthening our entire community.

The Literacy Council of Reading-Berks, through its Overcoming Barriers Project, is writing a new chapter in the story of Berks County. It’s a tale of empowerment, resilience, and the power of lifelong learning.

POP is a women’s giving circle with a focus on providing grants to programs that break the cycle of poverty by eliminating or addressing barriers for Berks County girls and women who want to enter or re-enter the workforce or seek the education they need to do so.

In 2024, POP awarded a total of $75,000 to the following organizations:

In Fiscal Year 2024, Berks County Community Foundation distributed $5.4 million in grants and scholarships to support the community. The year was filled with innovative projects, impactful programs and a strong commitment to our mission.  

Berks County Community Foundation helps donors fulfill their charitable desires. The Foundation was established in 1994 as a non-profit, public charity to provide a locally managed resource for establishing endowments. We have program officers on staff who are experts in their focus areas – energy & environment, lifelong learning, health & human services, the arts, and neighborhood & economic development. They steward these charitable funds to ensure that the grants and scholarships awarded from them are making an impact and fulfilling our donors’ wishes.  

“The work we do isn’t only about working with donors to establish funds. Nor is it just about awarding grants and scholarships. The team at the Community Foundation convenes local leaders, research national and local trends, and chooses initiatives on which to focus so community conversations get moving and big ideas are discussed”, Kevin Murphy, president says.  

The Annual Report highlights our mission of promoting philanthropy and improving the quality of life for the residents of Berks County. The team works hard to bring organizations and individuals together for collaboration to spark change in the community. This year’s Annual Report provides detailed stories and data behind these achievements, underscoring the powerful impact of donor support in the community.  

To read the full report, take a look below.  

As part of our ongoing efforts to streamline our payment systems, we are excited to announce that Berks County Community Foundation will begin distributing all grant payments via ACH (Automated Clearing House) effective January 1, 2025. This transition marks a significant step toward enhancing the efficiency and security of our financial processes. 

As you may already know, an ACH payment is an electronic payment credited directly to your bank account on the payment date. This method is not only reliable but also safe and convenient. By implementing ACH payments, both the Foundation and our payment recipients will benefit from improved controls, reduced chances of check fraud, better cash management, and decreased bank charges. 

Recent challenges such as inconsistent mail delivery, rising instances of mail theft, and lost checks have prompted us to make this necessary transition. We believe that moving to ACH payments will mitigate these issues and ensure that your funding arrives securely and on time. 

To receive future grant payments, all individual grantees and organizations will need to complete an ACH authorization form. You can fill out the form by clicking here. This form must be filled out by an authorized signer from your organization and submitted along with a copy of a voided check. Payments will continue to be made on the 1st and 15th of each month. You will receive an email notification detailing the remittance of payments once they are processed. 

If your organization has already completed an ACH form with us, there’s no need to fill it out again unless you have updated account information to provide. 

We hope you find this new process smooth and beneficial. Should you have any questions or need assistance regarding this transition, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at my email, sallyc@bccf.org or call 610-685-2223. 

Congratulations! You’ve received a grant from Berks County Community Foundation. This is an acknowledgment of your project’s potential and a testament to your hard work. This is a significant milestone, and we are excited to support you on your journey. What comes next?

Before you receive the funding from us, you are required to submit a grant agreement form. This agreement details the responsibilities of Berks County Community Foundation and your organization (grantee). This form must be completed within 30 days of the date of the initial offer email. This form can be submitted through our online portal.

After successfully submitting your grant agreement form, you have the option to share your results with the community. If you decided that you’d like to share on your website or social platforms, be sure to take the time to celebrate, share your results, and acknowledge the funding source.

You can find more information about this by following our guide. You can download a copy of the guide by clicking here. There are guidelines on how to correctly write the name of our organization and use our logo. Click here to find templates and download our logo.

Receiving a grant is a great achievement and an excellent opportunity to make a significant impact in our community. By understanding the terms of your grant, effectively managing your project/program, and reporting on your progress, you set the stage for a successful outcome. We are here to support you every step of the way. Here’s to sparking positive change that your project is bound to bring!

If you would like more information on the specific funding you received, contact Erica Caceres, Communication Manager, at ericac@bccf.org.

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.   

On February 28th, Berks County Community Foundation held a Winter Get Together. Over 30 professional advisors attended the event, which included a roll-out of our updated Giving Guide.  

The Giving Guide is a comprehensive resource designed to explain what a community foundation is and the advantages of using Berks County Community Foundation. The guide includes explanations on the various types of funds one can establish, how to create a charitable fund, and more.   

Introductions to the program officers and their areas of focus were part of the evening’s festivities, in addition to introducing a new face, Molly McCullough Robbins.  

Robbins comes to the foundation as the Vice President for Philanthropic Services handling resource development and promotional efforts of the foundation. Robbins will work with the program officers to identify individuals in the community who may be interested in supporting the foundation’s work.  

The event was also a chance for us to thank the professional advisors who, by introducing the Community Foundation to their clients, allowed us to carry on our mission of promoting philanthropy and improving the quality of life for Berks County residents.    

Since the Community Foundation was founded 30 years ago this year, 50% of the charitable funds we manage have been the direct result of a referral by a professional advisor. If we look at the dollar amount of those funds referred to by a professional advisor, it is 76% of our current investment pool. 

Details on how you can be a referral and spark change are available in the Community Foundation’s Giving Guide.  

If you have questions, please email give@bccf.org.

READING, PA (February 6, 2023) – Berks County Community Foundation and Reading Pride Celebration (RPC) recently distributed the first round of grants from the Reading Pride Celebration Gives Back Fund. The grants support local programs that align with the fund’s mission of promoting diversity, inclusion, and equality in the Berks County area.

The following organizations received grants:

“Our LGBTQ+ youth are the future leaders of our community and we hope that these funds help educators create programs and provide much-needed resources that benefit them while promoting inclusive environments and communities,” said Enrique Castro, Jr, RPC’s Executive Director.

Each grant will be used for outreach, education, and advocacy efforts aimed at creating a more inclusive community for everyone.

“We are delighted to support these organizations through the Reading Pride Celebration Gives Back initiative,” said Cindy Milian, Health and Human Services Program Officer at Berks County Community Foundation. “Their work is essential to promoting equality and understanding in our community, and we are honored to support their mission.”

The Reading Pride Gives Back Fund was created with a portion of the proceeds from the Reading Pride Celebration Festival 2022.

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.

Reading Pride Celebration is an organization that has the mission of promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by building a community that embraces and supports differences and seeks to eliminate racial oppression, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and other oppression. Every dollar raised through our Pride festival or other fundraising initiatives goes directly back to support our mission and programs.

Media Contact: Erica Caceres, Communication Manager, Phone: 610-685-2231, Email address: ericac@bccf.org