On November 8, Berks County Community Foundation held its Annual Meeting at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Reading. More than 100 civic leaders attended the event, which included brief presentations by the Community Foundation’s program officers and an overview of the year by Kevin K. Murphy, foundation president.
“This year marked the culmination of our plan to increase our impact in Berks County by expanding the number of program officers working on specific causes,” Murphy said. “Our annual event gave us the opportunity to introduce these new faces to the community.”
The program officers oversee distributions from more than 346 charitable funds that were created by Berks County residents to support causes in the community that were important to them. In fiscal year 2023, those grants and scholarships totaled more than $6.2 million. That brings the total amount of grants and scholarships distributed since the Community Foundation’s founding in 1994 to over $101 million.
In addition to Murphy, who provided a recap of the West Reading Disaster Relief Fund, attendees heard from:
Vice President for Programs and Initiatives Monica Reyes about an effort underway with the Berks County Medical Society to share the results of a study about public health released by the Berks County Commissioners this year;
Health and Human Services Program Officer Cindy Milian about the work she oversees to support animal welfare and to assist families who have children with special needs;
Environment and Energy Program Officer Emily Smedley about grants that are increasing energy efficiency for local organizations and grants that are improving soil health by monitoring the flight patterns of birds of prey;
Lifelong Learning Program Officer Kim Sheffer about teacher mini-grants, which support innovative classroom projects across Berks County.
Details about each of these initiatives are available in the Community Foundation’s 2023 Annual Report.
In addition to learning about the work the Community Foundation is undertaking, attendees were invited to pick up a brush and add their touch to a Berks County mural, and to listen to a trio of local student musicians.
If you’d like to join the Community Foundation at future annual meetings, please send your name and email address to info@bccf.org and ask to be added to the invitation list. If you’d like to learn more about the Community Foundation, including how to start a charitable fund of your own, visit www.bccf.org.
At the community foundation, we help people in Berks County who want to do something charitable by distributing grants, scholarships, and other forms of support from funds they create based on the community’s needs. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for residents and to do that, we make a point of connecting with the community we serve.
One way we make those connections is to visit places where grants are distributed to see the impact they have on the community. We recently visited the Governor Mifflin area, which we manage several funds to support.
Our program team had an incredible day exploring the Governor Mifflin area. This visit took us to three unique and captivating locations: the Mifflin Community Library, Alvernia University, and the Allegheny Evangelical Lutheran Church. We also made some in-between stops, including John Updike’s childhood home, the U.S. Army Reserve Center, a much-needed stop for snacks at Tom Sturgis Pretzels, a quick trail walk at Berks Nature, Berks Military History Museum, and a visit with some farm animals at Swartz’s Roadside Stand.
Here’s a recap of this enriching experience:
Our first stop was the Mifflin Community Library, a true gem nestled in the heart of Governor Mifflin. As we entered this cozy library, we were immediately struck by the inviting atmosphere. We met Natasha Donaldson, Director of the library, and Colleen Stamm, Board Treasurer who were both friendly and helpful. The shelves were lined with a variety of books. The library’s serene reading nooks and vibrant children’s area made it a welcoming space for all ages. We discussed some of the programs offered at the library for the community. We shared information with Donaldson about the Russell L. Hiller Charitable Trust Fund.
“The funding helps us add more variety to our collection,” Donaldson said.
Judge Russell Hiller was a resident of Shillington, and in his will, he established a fund that distributes grants to help the Borough of Shillington, Shillington Borough Library, and Albright College, and provides scholarships to Governor Mifflin High School seniors. Additionally, the fund supports an annual competitive grant process for programs benefiting the residents of the Governor Mifflin School District.
Next on our itinerary was a meeting with Glynis Fitzgerald, President of Alvernia University. The campus was not only stunning but also vibrant, with students hustling to and from classes and enjoying the lovely surroundings. We explored the university’s modern facilities, from well-equipped classrooms to the state-of-the-art library. Many students who receive scholarships from the Community Foundation attend local colleges and universities like Alvernia.
We enjoyed lunch from Screpesi’s Sandwich Shop, where they know a thing or two about sandwiches. They have been serving Berks County since 1949. We took the sandwiches to Shillington Park and enjoyed the fall colors with a view of the Pagoda.
Our final stop took us to the Allegheny Evangelical Lutheran Church where we met with Kristen Kelly, Director for Children and Family Ministries. The church has beautiful architecture and serene surroundings that provide a sense of tranquility. Our tour gave us valuable insights into the rich history of the church and its role in the local community, which includes offering its space to community organizations and programming for residents.
The Home Health Care Foundation Fund supported two new automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for the church.
“Having the AED equipment provides us with peace of mind knowing it’s there in case there is an emergency,” Kelly said.
Throughout the day, we couldn’t help but appreciate the warm hospitality and genuine friendliness of the Governor Mifflin community. This tour was a perfect blend of intellectual exploration, natural beauty, and cultural heritage. Look for us on our next stop as we explore more of Berks County’s interesting organizations and history.
READING (December 1, 2022) — Berks County Community Foundation announced this month that one new employee has joined the organization. Erica Caceres is the Communication Manager.
As the Communication Manager, Caceres will tell the Community Foundation’s story through a variety of platforms, including the website. She will monitor advertisements and all types of media, assist other staff members with reports and presentations, and create story packages that put the written word, audio, photography, video, and other materials to their best use.
Before joining the Community Foundation, Caceres held a variety of marketing positions, including with Naylor Association Solutions, the Pennsylvania Apartment Association, and The Yocum Institute. She is a visionary storyteller with an eye for detail who is always ready to learn new things to ensure she is savvy with the latest trends.
Caceres is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University Berks Campus with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts and Science degree and a minor in Professional Writing. In her college career, she was published twice in a local magazine, At Home in Berks.
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, PA (June 7, 2021) – Seven organizations have been awarded grants totaling $146,600 for programs that improve the health and well-being of residents in Berks and nearby counties.
The money was awarded from the Home Health Care Foundation Fund of Berks County Community Foundation.
The Home Health Care Foundation Fund has another round of funding available now for organizations and programs that benefit the health of residents of Berks County and the counties that are contiguous to it. Preference will be given to Berks County organizations.
Applications are due August 16. 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.
This was the second round of grants that have been distributed from the Home Health Care Foundation Fund, which was established at the Community Foundation in 2020. The fund distributes money twice per year. The total amount distributed so far has been $287,900.
“This fund has two grant cycles per year, investing nearly $300,000 annually in local programs that will have a powerful impact on the health of residents in the region,” said Monica Reyes, Community Foundation Health and Human Services Program Officer.
The organizations, grant amounts, and programs that received funding in this round:
- Berks Community Health Center: $40,000 to implement the “Hypertension: Awareness UP, Pressure DOWN” program, which will use additional staff and remote blood pressure monitoring devices to increase the number of patients whose blood pressure is controlled.
- Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank: $27,000 to expand its cold storage capacity.
- Epilepsy Foundation Eastern Pennsylvania: $25,000 for seizure recognition and first-aid trainings to improve the safety and social climates for persons experiencing seizures by educating students, school staff, emergency personnel, caregivers, and the general public in Berks, Chester, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery, and Schuylkill counties.
- Berks Encore: $20,000 to provide education about preventing falls among older Spanish-speaking and limited-English residents. Death rates from falls among older Latinos have been climbing in recent years. Berks Encore notes there is a scarcity of evidence-based fall-prevention programs designed for Latinos.
- Olivet Boys & Girls Club of Reading and Berks County: $20,000 for Olivet Hubs of Hope, which provides hygiene packs, clothing, shoes, backpacks, bed sets, grocery gift cards, and mental health counseling to youth who have lost a parent or guardian.
- Greater Reading Hearing the Call: $10,000 to provide communication and hearing solutions on a reduced-fee basis for low- to moderate-income residents in Berks County who otherwise would not have the financial ability to obtain assistance for hearing loss.
- Alzheimer’s Association: $4,600 for efforts to increase the accurate and timely diagnosis of people living with Alzheimer’s and to increase the number of people with dementia and caregivers who receive affordable, high quality care, and support. Many of these efforts will target diverse communities disproportionately affected by Alzheimer’s to ensure they are aware of available resources and support groups.
The Home Health Care Foundation Fund provides grants to organizations and programs that do one or more of the following:
- Promote the general health and wellness of residents.
- Help residents recover from illness or disability at home.
- Provide health-related charity care to residents.
- Support preventative healthcare for residents and overall community health.
###
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
