Maggie Lewis does not currently live in Berks County, but her connections to home run deep. Maggie grew up here and now returns regularly to participate as a member of the Power of the Purse (POP) women’s giving circle. As a working mother living outside Philadelphia who is busy with her husband and twin toddlers, Maggie makes time to come to Berks County regularly for POP meetings and events, because she believes the mission of POP and the grantmaking facilitated by the Community Foundation is a meaningful way to give back to the community in which she was raised. While she lives in Aston, PA with her family, her connections to her home stay strong.
The Power of the Purse (POP) Fund of Berks County Community Foundation was established in 2012 and currently boasts over 60 members. POP members meet four times per year and attend optional site visits to determine recipients of grant funding through an application and review process. The Community Foundations manages the application and review process.
To read more about Maggie, click here to view the 2025 edition of 237 Court, the official magazine of Berks County Community Foundation. Her donor highlight story is on page 14.
To learn more about the Power of the Purse Fund of Berks County Community Foundation, please click here.
Power of the Purse in Berks County Fund Awards over $70,000 in Grants
Reading, PA – May 15, 2025 – The Power of the Purse in Berks County Fund of Berks County Community Foundation recently awarded $70,899 in grants to seven organizations. The Power of the Purse Fund supports programs that help break the cycle of poverty by eliminating or addressing barriers for Berks County girls and/or women who want to enter or re-enter the workforce or seek the education to do so.
The following grants were awarded:
- $15,000 to Safe Berks to help eliminate barriers that survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault face in obtaining and/or maintaining employment by providing direct support and financial assistance for education and employment needs.
- $15,000 to Helping Harvest to focus support on low-income women during pregnancy and up to one year postpartum to provide a box of healthy, vitamin-rich foods.
- $15,000 to Reading Science Center to provide access to a wide spectrum of hands-on science investigations, professional female role models and field trips that inspire young women with the confidence and skills to prepare for careers in the sciences.
- $8,000 to Literacy Council of Reading-Berks to help female residents of the community participate in the Gateway to Citizenship Program.
- $8,000 to Hannah’s Hope Ministries to provide career guidance, skills training, and mentorship and to introduce women to industries and roles that align with their interests and abilities.
- $6,399 to Co-County Wellness to help educate teens to make healthy and informed choices to postpone pregnancy and plan their futures.
- $3,500 to John Paul II Center for Special Learning to provide female students ages 10-45 with any disability category a safe space to talk about their bodies, rights, safety, and self-advocacy with staff and community experts.
“From an outsider’s perspective, you think that there are these big mountains that you have to go over, but sometimes it’s a small amount of money or just a small gesture that can make the difference for someone being successful and getting out of poverty or getting a job,” said Chiara Renninger, founder of Power of the Purse. “I learned that small things can really make a huge difference to people.”
“Being able to engage the collective giving of the Power of the Purse (POP) is really empowering for the women in our community,” said Cindy Milian, health and human services program officer. “POP funding for these organizations supports the belief that woman play a pivotal role in driving change and shaping the future of Berks County.”
Power of the Purse Fund was created in 2012 as a women’s giving circle. For more information, visit https://bccf.org/funds/power-of-the-purse-in-berks-county-fund/ or email Molly McCullough Robbins, Vice President for Philanthropic Services, at mollyr@bccf.org.
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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.
Before Grantmaking, Let’s Understand Community Foundations
Community foundations pool resources from individuals, families, and businesses to support nonprofits within their communities. It all starts with a donor or donors working with us to establish a fund to support their charitable goals. We currently manage nearly 400 different funds totaling approximately $140 million. Most of those funds are restricted to support specific organizations or areas of interest.
Our Grantmaking Process
- Identifying Community Needs: Our team of program officers, each of whom is an expert in her area of focus, starts by identifying the most pressing needs within the community and managing their related portfolio of funds. This involves engaging with local stakeholders and analyzing data to understand where support is most needed.
- Establishing Grant Programs: Based on identified needs, our team established five areas of focus: Arts & Culture, Education, Environment & Energy, Health & Human Services, and Neighborhood Vitality.
- Endowments: To support our grantmaking activities, the Community Foundation relies on donations from the public. Most of the funds that we manage are endowed funds, which are invested to generate income for long-term grantmaking. This ensures a sustainable source of funding for future grants.
- Grant Application and Review: Nonprofit organizations seeking funding submit grant applications detailing their projects and how they align with the foundation’s priorities. Applications are reviewed by a committee and/or foundation staff to assess their potential impact and feasibility. Committee members are selected because they have a connection to the fund or expertise in the area it supports.
- Awarding Grants: Once the review process is complete, the foundation awards grants to selected nonprofits. These grants can be unrestricted, allowing organizations to use the funds as needed, or restricted to specific projects or programs.
- Monitoring and Evaluation: After grants are awarded, our program officers monitor the progress of funded projects. This involves regular reporting from grantees and site visits to ensure that the funds are being used effectively and that the projects are achieving their intended outcomes.
- Community Engagement and Feedback: Continuous engagement with the community is crucial. Foundation staff often holds meetings, site visits, and forums to gather feedback and ensure that our grantmaking strategies remain aligned with community needs and our mission.
Our grantmaking is made possible by the funds that have been established over our 31-year history. Each fund was established based on the interests and passions of the donor(s), and it is our honor and obligation to abide by the parameters set forth by our fund holders.
There are different types of funds that donors can establish with the Community Foundation:
- Undesignated: Want to meet the most pressing needs in Berks County? Grants from undesignated funds are determined by our board of directors to address ever-changing community needs. This type of fund supports initiative work such as our support of Spotlight PA, student retention work, rural initiatives, and new arts funding. We strategize to use unrestricted funding to create systemic change and address big issues.
- Designated: Support a specific organization year after year, even after you are gone. Organizations benefit from consistent support, and you can be confident the money in your fund is professionally managed.
- Field of Interest: Whatever your cause, our team of program experts will do the legwork to ensure grants from your fund make a difference for your cause now and for years to come.
- Donor Advised: Make decisions about where grants from your fund go each year while you are alive, with the option to name a successor advisor after you are gone.
- Scholarships: Help students pay for their education through a scholarship fund. Or use a designated fund or more flexible field-of-interest fund to support a specific school or area of education.
- Giving Circle: The Power of the Purse (POP) committee is a women’s giving circle. The dedicated group of women meets several times a year to learn about barriers women and girls face in Berks County. They visit local organizations, listen to expert speakers, and make thoughtful decisions about how best to help, using their pooled resources.
The vision for the Program Team is to:
- Move the needle in priority areas where donors and/or the community have asked us to shine a light.
- Develop deep expertise in these priority areas and make strategic investments of time, effort, and money to improve the quality of life in Berks County in those areas.
- Be impeccable in the stewarding of grants to ensure donor intent is met and data and feedback are collected and put to good use.
I lead the team of expert program officers, ensuring their grantmaking work and management align with donor intent. Together, we seek local and national partnerships and opportunities to amplify the impact of our programs.
The mission of Berks County Community Foundation is to promote philanthropy and improve the quality of life for the residents of Berks County. We play a pivotal role by providing financial support to various nonprofit organizations and individuals in need through our grantmaking. If you have questions, please email me at monicar@bccf.org. To learn more about myself and the team at Berks County Community Foundation, visit the Our Team page.
READING, PA (April 9, 2025) – Berks County Community Foundation is pleased to announce the conclusion of its 1st quarter grant cycle for calendar year 2025, 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.
- Q1 total grants awarded: 190
- Q1 total dollar amount awarded: $1,152,270
- Q1 number of organizations impacted: 142
“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.
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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.
On March 29, 2025, approximately 145 guests gathered at the Berkshire Country Club to honor Ramona Turner Turpin with the 2025 Thun Award. The Thun Award was created in 1988 to honor Louis R. Thun and Ferdinand K. Thun, local industrialists and philanthropists, in recognition of their long-standing record of civic and community service. The award is presented to Berks County residents whose commitment of time, leadership, and philanthropy exhibits the enduring sense of community reflected by the high ideals of the Thun family.
Fulton Bank and Berks County Community Foundation proudly presented the 2025 Thun Award to Ramona Turner Turpin for her extraordinary community contributions, engagement, and philanthropy in Berks County. Ramona is an Instructor at the Literacy Council of Reading-Berks. Early in her career, Ramona was employed by Berks County Intermediate Unit – first as a teacher, then as an early childhood education coordinator. She served as the Dean of Leadership and Director of Funds Development for the I-LEAD Charter School in Reading. Ramona’s banking career began as the Community Reinvestment Act Director for Bank of Pennsylvania before she was named Community Relations manager for Sovereign Bank in 1999, a position she held for almost ten years. In addition, she held the role of Small Business Specialist for three years.
Ramona has served on numerous boards, including Berks County Community Foundation, Reading Musical Foundation, Olivet Boys and Girls Club, BCTV and United Way of Berks County. She has volunteered her time with Berks Intercultural Alliance. Ramona is a long-time member of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church where she has shared her time and talents as a teacher, choir member, and Christian education director; she presently sits on the steward board. Ramona has received numerous awards, including the Athena Award, the Outstanding Woman award from Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania, the Amiga Award from the Latina Gathering, and the NAACP Image Award.
Previous Recipients of the Thun Award:
- 1988: Ferdinand K. Thun and Louis R. Thun
- 1989: Gertrude Sternbergh
- 1990: H.O. “Mike” Beaver
- 1991: Eugene L. Shirk
- 1992: Severin Fayerman
- 1993: Albert Boscov
- 1994: Paul and June Roedel
- 1995: Sidney and Barbara Kline
- 1996: Samuel A. McCullough
- 1997: Dr. Charles A. Carabello
- 1998: John F. Horrigan Jr.
- 1999: T. Jerome and Carolyn Holleran
- 2000: P. Michael Ehlerman
- 2001: Robert W. Cardy
- 2003: Thomas P. Handwerk
- 2004: Karen A. Rightmire
- 2005: David L. Thun
- 2007: DeLight E. Breidegam
- 2008: Gordon G. Hoodak
- 2013: C. Thomas Work
- 2014: Irvin and Lois E. Cohen
- 2015: The Honorable Arthur E. Grim and Louise C. Grim
- 2016: Christ “Chris” G. Kraras
- 2017: Carole and Ray Neag
- 2018: Carl D. and Kathleen D. Herbein
- 2022: Julia Klein and Eric Jenkins
Thun Award recipients are community advocates who are leaders in commerce and industry. This year’s award recipient embodies the passion for and investment in this community, qualities that are found in all the recipients of the Thun Award.
Berks County Community Foundation established the Thun Award Fund from which honorees recommend grants to organizations of their choice. Ramona selected The Sisterhood of Reading to receive this year’s grant. The Sisterhood of Reading strives to foster a kindred and caring spirit among African American women. Their goal is to mentor young women for the betterment of our community.
Click here to view event photos from the Celebration of Giving and Thun Award presentation. To view the video which highlights Ramona’s contributions to the community, visit our YouTube page here. For more information about the Thun Award, please email me at mollyr@bccf.org.
Thanks to the generosity of our community, Berks County Community Foundation now manages nearly 400 funds totaling over $140 million. Since we were founded in 1994, donors have worked with us to establish these funds to support the causes and organizations that are most important to them. Are you interested in giving back to your community? Sparking change in Berks County starts with defining your charitable goals. We can help you achieve those goals, no matter the cause or motivation. Let us help make a difference to what matters most to you.
One way to spark change is to determine how you want to support the community. What causes interest you most? We have created a short questionnaire to set your journey of generosity in motion. The questionnaire starts by asking, “What do you hope to achieve with your fund?”
Different funds fulfill different charitable goals. When you create a fund with Berks County Community Foundation, do you want grants from your fund to support:
- A variety of community needs as determined by the Community Foundation
- A specific organization (or multiple organizations)
- A cause I care about, not a specific organization
- Different nonprofits that I select each year
- Individuals seeking an education
- Individuals who excel at something
Once you’ve narrowed down your goals, it’s time to talk to us. We will work with you to draft a fund agreement which details your wishes and eligibility parameters for future grant recipients from your fund.
In this three-part series, we will explore endowment funds, sparking change, and grantmaking. At Berks County Community Foundation, we do all three. Whether you’re a nonprofit leader, philanthropist, or community advocate, this series will provide insight into how strategic funding can shape a better future.
If you have questions, please email me at mollyr@bccf.org or call 610-685-2223. I look forward to hearing more about you and how you would like to spark change in our community.
Over the past 30 years, we have built strong relationships that form our network of donors, fundholders, grantee organizations, supporters, and community leaders. That network is essential to our ability to operate and fulfill our mission to promote philanthropy and improve the quality of life for the residents of Berks County. To better serve the community, we want to understand what matters most to our constituents and supporters.
With that in mind, we created a short survey to gather insights into the interests of our community. We asked:
- What is your relationship with Berks County Community Foundation?
- Berks County Community Foundation supports the community based on the philanthropic priorities of our donors. What topics interest you most for your potential philanthropic support in our community AND/OR an opportunity to learn about local issues? In other words, to what areas are you most likely to give and/or about which topics would you most like to learn?
- How would you like to learn more about topics that interest you?
- Please select your age range.
A total of 72 community members completed the survey. The results revealed a wide range of interests as well as an appetite to learn more about those topics through various communication channels and events. The most popular topics aligned with areas of focus prioritized by our team of program officers.
We will use the results of the survey to plan future communications and events, including targeted outreach to our constituents to invite them to participate in discussions, lunch & learn events, and other opportunities to engage with us and learn more about the topics that interest them most.
If you would like to participate in the survey, please email mollyr@bccf.org, and I will send you the link. This information will help shine a light on the things that matter to help spark change in your community.
January is “National Thank You Month”— a time to embrace the power of gratitude. Originally established to encourage appreciation after the holiday season, it reminds us to reflect on the kindness and support we receive throughout the year. At Berks County Community Foundation, we don’t really need reminders to be grateful for the support we receive from members of the community – we see examples of this support every day, year-round.
In calendar year 2024, we received over 1,500 donations from 760 donors. In addition, seven new funds were established in 2024, each with specific charitable goals defined by the fund’s founders. Those donations and funds will contribute to the Foundation’s ability to distribute grants and scholarships for many years to come.
To give an idea of the impact made by the donations we receive and the funds we manage, Berks County Community Foundation awarded $6,465,590 in grants to 563 organizations and individuals in calendar year 2024.
Grants awarded are made possible by generous donors who give back to the community they love. Community members are invited to join the 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
READING (January 14, 2025) — Berks County Community Foundation is pleased to announce the conclusion of its 4th quarter grant cycle for calendar year 2024, 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.
- Q4 total grants awarded: 225
- Q4 total dollar amount awarded: $2,120,983
- Q4 number of organizations impacted: 156
“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.
As 2024 headed to a close, Berks County lost two of its giants.
Like any other community, Berks County has benefited from leaders who stood up, did the hard work of bringing a community together around its challenges and opportunities, and guided efforts to improve the quality of life. Without David Thun and Al Weber, that work will be harder.
David Thun died in a swimming accident on October 31. You would never have known he was 87 years old, given the vitality and energy that he displayed every day. The Thun family has a long and storied history in Berks County, but no one contributed more to that than David. While he was successful in business, I will most remember his contributions to the growth of our community. David was one of the founding members of the board of Berks County Community Foundation. Wading through a list of his community involvements is a dangerous task, as it feels infinite. I remember well his involvement with Berks Nature, the Schuylkill River Greenway, Reading Hospital, Penn State Berks, the Reading Symphony Orchestra, the Reading Public Museum and so many other organizations.
David and his wife Barbara were likely the first people my wife, Kim and I met when we moved to Berks County. They welcomed us and, more than anyone, David helped me learn the lay of the land here. We will miss the way David embodied the essence of a Berks Countian.
While David was the quintessential Berks Countian, Al Weber was not.
Born and raised in Boston, Al, who passed away in late November at the age of 72, never learned that there was an “R” in the word “park.” That Boston accent only added to his credibility as he led almost every nonprofit in Berks County, either as a board member or as a consultant guiding strategic planning.
Al served as Chair of the Community Foundation board from 2020-2023. There was no one’s counsel I valued more. Again, the list of community involvements would go on forever, and our debt to him can never be repaid.
Al’s biggest contribution to the Community Foundation, and perhaps our community, occurred during a staff retreat that he led as a consultant. About half-way through that meeting, Al said, “We need to toss this agenda. Your problem is that you’re trying to lead the community, but you’re charging fees like you’re a bank.”
We tossed the agenda, spent the afternoon figuring out how to create a sustainable business model, and as a result, built what is probably America’s best community foundation. Al’s ability to cut to the chase was unparalleled.
It’s the nature of communities that leaders emerge and, ultimately, leave the scene. Berks County will soldier on. Still, we benefitted greatly from the commitment that David and Al made to this community, and it will be hard to replace them. Our challenge moving forward is to build a community worthy of their trust.
