Reading, May 26, 2023 – The Power of the Purse in Berks County Fund of Berks County Community Foundation recently awarded $56,000 in grants to seven organizations. The Power of the Purse Fund supports organizations and projects that focus on women’s education, economic empowerment, safety, rights, and health.
The following grants were awarded:
- $11,000 to Clare of Assisi House to support a grief counselor, nutrition/wellness/yoga instructor, and to purchase program supplies.
- $15,000 to Safe Berks to help survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault with education and employment needs.
- $8,000 to Hannah’s Hope Ministries to support transportation and childcare to eliminate barriers to education, healthcare access, and employment.
- $10,000 to Berks Connections Pretrial Services for programs to help women with criminal records in Berks County get jobs and housing.
- $2,000 to John Paul II Center for Special Learning for its Girl Talk 101 program.
- $3,500 to Mary’s Shelter for the STRONG program, which helps youth develop independent living skills.
- $6,500 to VoiCEup toward its Stand Together Against Racism (STAR) program, which addresses racism and injustice through education, dialogue, and projects which are started, supported, and facilitated by youth.
“These grant recipients exemplify the spirit of the Power of the Purse initiative, which aims to uplift and empower women in our community,” said Cindy Milian, health and human services program officer. “The Power of the Purse Fund was established with the belief that women play a pivotal role in driving positive change and shaping the future of our society.”
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/.
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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.
The Power of the Purse in Berks County (POP) in Berks County held its 2022-2023 kickoff meeting at Berks County Community Foundation. POP is a women’s giving circle where donations are pooled to create an impact in the Berks County community. In the meeting, there was a discussion on how to improve the lives of women and girls that included explaining The University of Pennsylvania’s Center for High Impact Philanthropy’s XX Factor Framework. Based on this framework, there are five dimensions that women look to thrive in their community: health, education, economic empowerment, personal safety, and legal rights.
- Health: Women are free from disease and pain and able to live full, flourishing lives.
- Education: Women have access to knowledge and education opportunities to cultivate learning and expand their possibilities in life.
- Economic Empowerment: Women are enabled to achieve economic success and have agency over financial decision-making.
- Personal Safety: Women are free from violence and other harmful practices that undermine bodily autonomy and well-being.
- Legal Rights: Women have rights under the law that enable them to thrive (including in the other four dimensions).
“Collectively, if there is not an impact on all five, women cannot thrive. Progress in one will create a domino effect with the other dimensions,” explains Katherina M. Rosqueta, Founding Executive Director for the Center for High Impact Philanthropy, School of Social Policy & Practice, University of Pennsylvania.
The Power of the Purse in Berks County Fund of Berks County Community Foundation awards grants to programs that 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 education they need to do so.
The deadline to apply is January 24, 2023.
This funding is made possible by the generous women who are members of the Power of the Purse in Berks County, which was started in 2012 to improve the lives of local women and children.
You can learn more about POP, how to apply for a grant, how to donate to the group, and what grants have been previously awarded at https://bccf.org/pop/.
Apply for a grant directly at http://bccf.link/grants. The deadline to apply for funding is January 24, 2023.
READING, PA (May 12, 2022) – Celebrating its 10th year of improving the lives of local women and girls, the Power of the Purse in Berks County Fund announced Thursday it recently awarded $55,400 in grants to eight organizations in Berks County.
Administered by Berks County Community Foundation, this charitable fund has had 89 female members since its inception. The women have donated a total of $385,983 to 24 organizations over 10 years.
A group of women started the Power of the Purse in Berks County Fund in 2012 to improve the lives of local women and children. The group awarded its first grants in 2013.
The group marked its 10th year of giving with a ceremony at The Nature Place, the headquarters of conservation group Berks Nature at 575 St. Bernadine St. in Reading.
“The donations of our members are combined and targeted toward specific programs so that we have a greater local impact than we would if we each gave individually without a coordinated effort,” said Chiara Sockel Renninger, the group’s founder.
The women who give to the Power of the Purse in Berks County Fund have steadfastly sought to break the cycle of poverty for women and girls, said Franki Aitken, Chief Operating Officer at Berks County Community Foundation.
They do this by giving to programs that eliminate or address barriers for girls and/or women who want to enter or re-enter the workforce or seek the education they need to do so, Aitken said.
“While the impact of the Power of the Purse is measurable in the number of dollars donated and people assisted, the true impact – the extent to which lives were reclaimed, souls nurtured, and hope restored – is immeasurable,” Aitken added.
This past year, the 50 current members of the Power of the Purse reviewed grant applications, met with nonprofits, and voted to determine which programs received grants. For more information on the Power of the Purse, including how to join or contribute, go to bccf.org/pop.
This year’s grant recipients:
- Safe Berks, $12,000: For the “Education, Employment, and Empowerment Program,” which helps eliminate barriers that survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault face in obtaining and/or maintaining employment. Direct costs to be covered for education and employment needs include program or application fees, books and supplies, childcare, transportation, and employment prerequisites such as photo identification, birth certificates, physicals/health-related costs, tools, uniforms, and technology to obtain education goals.
- Berks Connections/Pretrial Services, $10,000: To remove obstacles to employment and education for women who were formerly incarcerated. Direct costs to be covered include bus passes, money for ride-hailing services, work boots, tools, and mobile phone minutes.
- Opportunity House, $10,000: For the “Mom and Me Moving Forward through Education and Employment” program, which will have a social worker begin facilitating a Career Education & Exploration Program for girls who attend Opportunity House’s Learning Center. The program will include field trips and first-hand experiences. The social worker will also offer a financial counseling program to parents of children who attend the center (primarily single mothers).
- Reading Science Center, $7,439: To expand its offering of female-focused STEM work with specialized programming to reach girls from underserved and underrepresented families.
- Clare of Assisi House, $6,561: For its Workforce Development Program for non-violent women who are transitioning into the community from incarceration. In its application for a grant, Clare of Assisi House included research showing women who were formerly incarcerated have much higher rates of unemployment and are less likely to have a high school education than men in a similar situation.
- Hannah’s Hope Ministries, $5,400: To run the Pathway to Progress program that helps mothers who are single and homeless overcome barriers to employment and financial stability by providing assistance with transportation, childcare, and education and training fees.
- John Paul II Center for Special Learning, $2,000: For its Girl Talk 101 club for girls ages 10 to 21 with any disability category. The club will be a safe space where the girls will talk about anything related to their bodies, rights, safety, and self-advocacy with staff and community members who are subject matter experts.
- Literacy Council of Reading-Berks, $2,000: To increase literacy skills among women, who will then be more employable and better able to advocate for their children with schools and other public institutions/systems.
“When we started the Power of the Purse, I was confident there would be interest among other local women in joining,” said Renninger, the group’s founder. “Still, it’s gratifying to see the group is still growing and adding enthusiastic members after 10 years.”
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Berks County Community Foundation is a nonprofit corporation that serves as a civic leader for our region by developing, managing and distributing charitable funds aimed at improving the quality of life in Berks County. More information is available at www.bccf.org.
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Contact: Jason Brudereck, Director of Communication, jasonb@bccf.org, 610.685.2223
READING, PA (December 22, 2021) – Nine organizations have been awarded grants totaling $227,300 for programs that address health-related issues among residents of Berks and nearby counties.
The Home Health Care Foundation Fund of Berks County Community Foundation awarded the grants. This fund will again accept applications for another round of funding from January 1 until March 15, 2022.
The Home Health Care Foundation Fund provides grants to organizations and programs that do one or more of the following:
- Help residents recover from illness or disability at home.
- Support preventative healthcare for residents and overall community health.
- Provide health-related charity care to residents.
Grants are awarded to organizations and programs that serve Berks County and/or those counties that are contiguous to it. Preference is given to Berks County organizations.
The maximum amount available per organization is $40,000.
To apply, visit bccf.org and click on “Apply for a grant” under “Scholarships + Grants” in the website menu or go to http://bccf.link/grants. You must create an account to access the application system.
The Home Health Care Foundation Fund has distributed more than $500,000 since it was established at the Community Foundation in 2020.
The grants for this round of funding:
- $114,000 over three years to Berks Teens Matter, a program of Co-County Wellness Services. The funding will support social media work to spread messages intended to reduce teen pregnancy. Berks Teens Matter educates youth and the community about the accessibility of sexual health resources. The program also advocates a healthy approach to adolescent sexual health.
- $27,600 to United Disabilities Services Foundation for residents in need to be given stairlifts at no cost. This will allow those residents to remain safely in their own homes.
- $25,000 to Alvernia University to support pro bono, high-quality physical therapy care at its Physical Therapy Center at Oakbrook. Since 2016, the center has provided physical therapy to more than 300 patients during more than 1,000 appointments. Alvernia plans to use the funding to double the amount of services provided there within two years.
- $20,000 to the American Red Cross to hold blood drives in Berks County and distribute platelets for use by patients fighting cancer.
- $15,000 to Safe Berks to rapidly expand its prescription medication assistance program for victims of domestic violence and/or sexual assault.
- $10,000 to Planned Parenthood Keystone for its Rapid STI Testing & Treatment Program. The program combines testing, education, and treatment in the same visit. This approach increases STI treatment rates, reduces community spread, decreases long-term health consequences, and creates more access to care.
- $9,100 to the YMCA of Reading & Berks County to provide mental health first-aid training to parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens to help adolescents who are experiencing a mental health crisis or addiction challenge.
- $4,000 to Fleetwood Community Bus, a nonprofit 25-seat bus run by volunteers, to transport local seniors to the grocery store.
- $2,600 to the John Paul II Center for Special Learning to purchase CPR “manikins,” AED practice devices, and updated CPR and first-aid teaching manuals. This will allow for in-house training to reduce ongoing CPR costs while allowing staff to practice their CPR skills more frequently.
Below, Alvernia University’s Physical Therapy Center at Oakbrook provides pro bono, high-quality service to hundreds of patients.
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Berks County Community Foundation is a nonprofit corporation that serves as a civic leader for our region by developing, managing and distributing charitable funds aimed at improving the quality of life in Berks County. More information is available at www.bccf.org.
NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Jason Brudereck, Director of Communication, jasonb@bccf.org, 610.685.2223
READING, PA (November 23, 2021) – Two grant programs that address issues affecting local youth, women, and girls will accept applications from Berks County organizations until January 24, 2022.
To apply for a grant, use Berks County Community Foundation’s online application system. You must create an account to access the system: http://bccf.link/grants
Details about the programs:
- The Youth and Philanthropy Fund of Berks County Community Foundation provides grants to Berks County programs that address youth-related issues that are considered critical needs by the Community Foundation’s Youth Advisory Board, which is managed in conjunction with the Youth Volunteer Corps of Reading, a program of VOiCEup Berks. The Youth Advisory Board has decided that it will award grants this school year to organizations that, through education or programs, promote the awareness/importance of mental health, serve/support those who are struggling with their mental health, or create preventative solutions to decrease the scope and severity of mental health issues.
- The Power of the Purse in Berks County Fund of Berks County Community Foundation awards grants to programs that 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 they need to do so. For many women, employment is not only a matter of empowerment; it’s a matter of survival. Barriers such as the ability to afford adequate childcare, a lack of transportation, a gap in skills, limited access to dental care or healthcare, or a lack of information about their options keep some women and girls from reaching their full potential. If your organization makes a difference in the lives of women and girls in Berks County by helping them discover or navigate their way to gainful employment, and ultimately, self-sufficiency, we encourage you to apply for a grant from the Power of the Purse in Berks County Fund.
The Power of the Purse is a program of Berks County Community Foundation. Learn more here: https://bccf.org/pop/
Applications will be accepted from 11/23/21 until 1/24/2022 for both programs.
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Berks County Community Foundation is a nonprofit corporation that serves as a civic leader for our region by developing, managing and distributing funds to meet existing and emerging community needs. More information is available at www.bccf.org.
NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Jason Brudereck, Director of Communication, 610.685.2223, jasonb@bccf.org
READING, PA (July 20, 2021) – Two established summer tennis programs and one pilot summer tennis program have received $10,400 in total funding from the Berks County Tennis Fund of Berks County Community Foundation.
The Berks County Tennis Fund of Berks County Community Foundation has awarded $269,860.20 in grants to area tennis programs since it was established in 2002.
This year’s grant recipients:
- The Reading Recreation Commission received $7,500 for its COR (City of Reading) Tennis summer program.
- The Conrad Weiser Tennis Association received $1,500 for its summer tennis program.
- The Olivet Boys & Girls Club of Reading and Berks County received $1,400 for its pilot summer tennis program, which Olivet plans to expand in the fall.
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Berks County Community Foundation is a nonprofit corporation that serves as a civic leader for our region by developing, managing and distributing charitable funds aimed at improving the quality of life in Berks County. More information is available at www.bccf.org.
NEWS RELEASE
READING, PA (July 8, 2021) – Berks County Community Foundation has awarded $3,600 from the Albany Township Tomorrow Fund to three organizations for programs that will benefit the entire Albany Township community.
The Albany Township Tomorrow Fund supports community organizations and initiatives that benefit the residents of Albany Township, Berks County. This fund was created in honor of Pauline Levan Hamm and Gloria Longenberger Hamm and their lifelong efforts to support and improve the Albany Township community. Since the fund was established in 2019, it has awarded $11,800 to local organizations.
This year’s grant recipients, award amounts, and programs supported:
- Kempton Community Center: $1,500 for the Youth Livestock Education Program, which cultivates agricultural skills in the youth of Albany Township by providing opportunities to learn and demonstrate livestock skills.
- Eastern Berks Kutztown Tennis Association: $1,100 for tennis clinics, open tennis nights, and tournaments.
- New Bethel Church: $1,000 for the annual community-wide Easter Egg Hunt.
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Berks County Community Foundation is a nonprofit corporation that serves as a civic leader for our region by developing, managing and distributing charitable funds aimed at improving the quality of life in Berks County. More information is available at www.bccf.org.
NEWS RELEASE
PHILADELPHIA, PA (June 11, 2021) – The Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) elected Berks County Community Foundation Chief Operating Officer Frances A. Aitken as its president today for the 2021-2022 year. Aitken, a certified public accountant (CPA) from Exeter Township, was elected at PICPA’s 124th Annual Meeting held June 11.
Aitken is chief operating officer for Berks County Community Foundation in Reading, overseeing the management of the foundation’s assets and the operations of the foundation’s building. Aitken also works with local estate and financial planners on complex estate planning functions and assists their clients with designing charitable legacies.
In her address to the 20,000 members of the PICPA, Aitken said, “As I start my term as president, I am committed to ensuring the PICPA has the resources CPAs need for a post-COVID accounting profession. In some ways, the pandemic accelerated changes in our industry that were becoming inevitable. Now, it is up to all of us to embrace the positive ones for the good of the profession.”
Mike Colgan, PICPA’s CEO and executive director, added, “Franki has demonstrated excellent leadership throughout her years of PICPA membership at both the Reading Chapter and state level. We look forward to her unique perspective as a thought leader who operates in the not-for-profit space as the PICPA begins to navigate the post-pandemic business environment.”
Aitken received her Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Widener University. In 2014, Lehigh Valley Business gave Aitken the CFO of the Year Community Service Award and the Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce and Industry selected her for the ATHENA Award, which honors professional excellence, community service, and active assistance to women in their attainment of professional excellence.
Aitken is a past president of PICPA’s Reading Chapter and a current member of the Pennsylvania CPA Foundation and CPA-PAC boards. In addition to her volunteer leadership with the PICPA, Aitken is a trustee of the Law Foundation of Berks County.
Other elected officers at the annual meeting include Aaron R. Risden, chief financial officer and treasurer of Vision Benefits of America in Carnegie, Pa. (president-elect); Thomas H. Flowers, managing partner with Flowers & Flowers CPAs in Harrisburg, Pa. (vice president); Ryan G. Lafferty, partner with Attolon Partners LLC in Philadelphia (vice president); and Elizabeth Krisher, manager partner with Maher Duessel in Pittsburgh (treasurer).
For a complete list and photos of the 2021-2022 PICPA leadership, visit www.picpa.org/leadership.
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The Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) is a premiere statewide association of more than 20,000 members working in public accounting, industry, government, and education. Founded in 1897, the PICPA is the second-oldest state CPA organization in the United States. To learn more about the PICPA visit www.picpa.org.
READING, PA (May 20, 2021) – The Gilmore | Henne Community Fund of Berks County Community Foundation has awarded $3,000 in grants to support three summer recreation opportunities. Three organizations each received $1,000.
This year’s grant recipients and projects:
- La Salle Academy Catholic Youth Organization to renovate the basketball court at La Salle Academy, 440 Holland Street, Shillington.
- Muhlenberg Township for arts, crafts and sports supplies for its summer playground program.
- VOiCEup Berks to introduce the Stand Together Against Racism (STAR) initiative at the Reading Recreation Commission’s summer playground programs. This summer, high school students from the Youth Volunteer Corps of Reading (YVC), a program of VOiCEup Berks, will meet weekly with children age 6 to 12 to engage them in discussions about accepting others. STAR activities will include arts, crafts, games, and team-building exercises that explore the importance of diversity and inclusion.
The Gilmore | Henne Community Fund supports recreational park programs, improvements and maintenance at Berks County parks.
Wilson High graduates and NFL players John Gilmore and Chad Henne established the fund in 2010 to improve the community and the lives of children through the revitalization of parks and recreational facilities. To learn more about the fund or to donate to it, visit https://bccf.org/funds/gilmore-henne/.
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Berks County Community Foundation is a nonprofit corporation that serves as a civic leader for our region by developing, managing and distributing charitable funds aimed at improving the quality of life in Berks County. More information is available at www.bccf.org.
NEWS RELEASE
