An Overview
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 fund functions as a women’s giving circle, where donations are pooled to create a bigger impact than each member would make alone. Each year, group members review grant applications, visit nonprofits and vote to determine which programs will receive grants. Members are encouraged to attend four meetings per year. Members commit a minimum of $1,000 per year if they are 35 and over, and a minimum of $500 per year if they are under 35.
Since the group began awarding grants in 2013, it has given $385,983 to local organizations.
7 reasons to join
Women have a huge impact on our families, community and the next generation of both women and men.
The Power of the Purse has focused on funding programs that help 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.
Just scroll down to see the list of grants we’ve given to organizations that are doing important work.
With Power of the Purse, you can rest easy knowing your dollars are spent in a responsible, effective way. Our funding process starts with a discussion of local issues affecting women and girls and continues with an evaluation of and site visits to programs aimed at improving their lives.
Through the power of collective giving, your annual gift has the added impact of gifts from dozens of other women. Nowhere else can a relatively modest gift do so much to assist organizations and the women and girls they serve.
Whether you prefer just writing a check or also becoming deeply involved, you’re free to do as much or as little as you like, and you can evaluate your involvement every year.
Power of the Purse is an opportunity to learn about the needs of our community and how to effectively address them.
Whether you’re a newcomer or a Berks County native, Power of the Purse helps you connect with women in our community and beyond. Share your expertise, learn about pressing issues and build lasting relationships with new friends.
As an initiative of Berks County Community Foundation, Power of the Purse benefits from their years of experience and financial stewardship.
To Donate
If you would like to donate via Credit Card, click below to donate now. You can also check out our Ways to Give page to review other methods for donating.
To Join
Use this form to join or inquire about the Power of the Purse.
Grants Given
by the Power of the Purse
The Power of the Purse has focused on funding 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 they need to do so.
Students Julianna, left, and Katie, are part of the Girl Talk 101 club at John Paul II Center for Special Learning. The Power of the Purse in Berks County Fund provided the club with startup money.
2022: $55,400
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.
Grey Muzzle Manor’s therapeutic Stable Moments program provides children who have experienced developmental trauma to interact and develop trusting relationships with horses, leading to stable connections with other humans.
2021: $44,680
VOiCEup Berks, $12,200: For its Youth Volunteer Corps of Reading In-School Leadership and Service Program. The program provides opportunities for middle school girls in Reading to be involved in community service projects that are combined with an educational aspect. The program demonstrates to students their capacity to change their lives and their community through their choices and actions. Projects the program has previously completed include a school-wide anti-drug meme contest, a school-wide PSA on teen suicide, and an initiative to provide feminine hygiene products to girls in need.
Safe Berks, $10,000: To run the Education, Empowerment, Employment program, which provides survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault with support and financial assistance for education, transportation, child care, job searches and more.
Clare of Assisi House, $6,880: To run an assistance program for non-violent women who are coming out of prison. The program purchases laptops, funds a 12-week financial education workshop, produces marketing brochures for local employers, and provides access to an employment specialist.
Grey Muzzle Manor Sanctuary, Inc., $6,000: For girls participating in the organization’s new Stable Moments program. Grey Muzzle Manor is a nonprofit sanctuary for senior animals and animals with special needs. The organization started the new Stable Moments program to provide mentorship and equine-assisted learning to children in foster care and those adopted from foster care.
Girls on the Run of Berks County, $5,000: To help girls in grades 3 through 8 in schools around Berks County to be joyful, healthy, and confident by using a fun, experience-based curriculum, which integrates running and other physical activity.
Hannah’s Hope Ministries, $4,600: For the Empowered for Life Financial Program, which provides financial literacy training and individualized financial plans for residents of the transitional housing program for homeless mothers.
“Girls Supporting Girls. Period.” — a project of the Youth Volunteer Corps of Reading In-School Leadership and Service Program — seeks to address a lack of access to feminine hygiene products, which has been identified as a significant problem among Berks County women and girls in low-income households and shelters.
2020: $60,000
VOiCEup Berks, $12,575: For its Youth Volunteer Corps of Reading In-School Leadership and Service Program. The program provides opportunities for middle school girls in Reading to be involved in service learning and leadership development. Service learning combines educational efforts with community service projects. The program demonstrates to students their capacity to change their lives and their community through their choices and actions. Projects the program has previously completed include a school-wide anti-drug meme contest, a school-wide PSA on teen suicide, “Bags of Hope” assembled for girls at a local shelter, and advocacy for menstrual equity (providing feminine hygiene products to girls in need).
Safe Berks, $10,000: To run the Education, Empowerment, Employment program, which provides survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault with financial assistance and support for education, transportation, child care, job searches and more.
Reading Recreation Commission, $10,000: To fund the Girls Leadership Program, which empowers young women in Reading. The program addresses peer pressure, bullying, self-worth and self-confidence. Girls participate in community service projects such as food and clothing drives. The program includes speakers, female mentors and field trips.
Community Prevention Partnership, $10,000: To support the Nurse Family Partnership program, which provides home visitation to first time, low-income mothers beginning in pregnancy and continuing until the child’s second birthday.
Berks Youth Chorus, $5,000: For scholarships to ensure all girls ages 8 to 18 who desire to sing with the chorus can do so, regardless of financial need. BYC’s programs help girls develop the soft skills they need to succeed in their education and in the workforce, such as confidence, leadership, time management, effective communication, and teamwork.
Girl Scouts of Eastern PA, $4,619.50: To support its Funded Initiatives Program, an innovative, out-of-school-time leadership development effort that engages hundreds of girls between the ages of 5 and 17 in underserved areas of Berks County.
Girls on the Run of Berks County (GOTR), $4,619.50: To provide Power Up kits to local girls. Power Up is a new at-home program by Girls on the Run that uses creativity and physical activity to teach valuable skills to girls, such as how to stand up for themselves and others, recognize the leader within, better understand and deal with emotions when times are difficult, and learn to enjoy and be present in daily life — all of which were incredibly relevant during a global pandemic. This funding will also support the GOTR fall season in Berks.
Clare of Assisi House, $3,186: For its “Bridge the Gap” program, which offers workforce development, drug and alcohol counseling, and life skills training to non-violent women who are coming out of prison.
Girls on the Run (GOTR) inspires girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum that creatively integrates running.
2019: $45,000
CONCERN – Professional Services for Children, Youth, and Families, $15,000: To enhance its Intensive Family Reunification Services Program to Better Empower Working Mothers. This program focuses primarily on helping single mothers finish their education, become a productive member of the workforce, lessen their dependence on public assistance, and reunite with their children who have been living in out-of-home placement. (Check out page 2 of CONCERN’s Fall 2019 newsletter.)
VOiCEup Berks, $12,800:For its Youth Volunteer Corps of Reading In-School Leadership and Service Program. The program, which is part of the school day, provides weekly opportunities for middle school girls in Reading to be involved in service learning and leadership development. Service learning combines educational efforts with community service projects. The program demonstrates to students their capacity to change their lives and their community through their choices and actions. Projects the program has previously completed include a school-wide anti-drug meme contest, a school-wide PSA on teen suicide, and “Bags of Hope” assembled for girls at a local shelter.
YMCA of Reading and Berks County, $7,500: For a program that enables women in transitional housing, and who would otherwise be homeless, to quickly obtain employment and educational opportunities by paying for child care and transportation. The program also provides the women with opportunities to engage in creative experiences.
Freedom and Restoration for Everyone Enslaved (F.R.E.E.), $2,770:To help establish a F.R.E.E. Drop‐In Center at a location in Berks County to provide relief for women who are experiencing sexual exploitation. The group fights human trafficking in Berks County.
Barrio Alegria, $2,770: For its “Storytelling through Dance” program. The program uses the arts as a platform to shift community residents’ perceptions of themselves and their communities by embedding leadership- and self-confidence-building activities in theatrical productions that explore difficult social themes. While several performances will be produced to engage the community, the productions aren’t the goal. The goal is to increase empowerment, leadership and community-building.
Clare of Assisi House, $2,360: To enhance programs that include money management and GED attainment as part of its transitional residential living and life-skills training to women in Reading.
Girls on the Run of Berks County (GOTR), $1,800: To launch a new one-week program, Camp GOTR, to provide elementary-school-age girls with opportunities for physical activity and social and emotional development during non-school times. GOTR inspires girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum that creatively integrates running.
Berks Teens Matter seeks to reduce teen pregnancy in Berks County by 40 percent by 2022.
2018: $35,660
Co-County Wellness Services, $12,860: To fund the Berks Teens Matter Youth Ambassador program. Berks Teens Matter was started in 2014 to create and implement a plan to sustain programs and practices that reduce teen pregnancy, leading to improved educational outcomes and long term well-being of families and communities in Berks County. The ambassador program educates youth from Reading High School about teen birth rates and how they impact the community, effective methods of birth control and where they can be accessed, components of healthy relationships, and qualities of an effective youth leader. The ambassadors provide peer education to youth at Olivet Boys & Girls Club.
VOiCEup Berks, $12,800: To support the Youth Volunteer Corps of Reading In-School Leadership and Service Program. The program, which is part of the school day, provides weekly opportunities for middle school girls in the Reading School District to be involved in service-learning and leadership development. Service learning combines educational efforts with community service projects. The program demonstrates to students their capacity to change their lives and their community through their choices and actions.
Safe Berks, $10,000: To run the Education, Empowerment, Employment program, which provides survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault with financial assistance and support for education, transportation, child care, job searches and more.
Girls Leadership Program of Reading Recreation Commission empowers young women in Reading.
2017: $37,000
Reading Recreation Commission, $10,000: To fund the Girls Leadership Program, which teaches young women in urban environments to be leaders and gives them the tools to be healthy, successful members of society.
Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania, $10,000: To support its Funded Initiatives Program, an innovative, out-of-school-time leadership development effort that engages 1,400 girls between the ages of 5 and 17 in underserved areas of Berks County.
YMCA of Reading & Berks County, $5,000: To fund the Y-Haven child care and transportation program, which enables women in YMCA transitional living, who would otherwise be homeless, to quickly research and accept jobs and educational opportunities by covering child care and transportation costs.
Community Prevention Partnership of Berks County, $4,480: To support the Nurse Family Partnership program, which provides home visitation to first time, low-income mothers beginning in pregnancy and continuing until the child’s second birthday.
Clare of Assisi House, $3,562: To support transitional residential services and life-skills training for non-violent women who are coming out of prison and need a safe living environment while they become self-sufficient.
Girls on the Run of Berks County, $2,570: For scholarships to Reading School District elementary and middle school girls from low-income households so they can participate in this youth development program.
Children’s Home of Reading, $1,388: For a program that helps females in the Berks County jail system prepare for successful lives outside of prison and make better life choices.
Girls Leadership Program of Reading Recreation Commission provides unique opportunities to young women.
2016: $31,000
Co-County Wellness Services, $18,000: To fund the Berks Teens Matter program, which is developing and implementing a plan to sustain programs and practices to reduce teen births in Berks County by 40 percent by 2022.
Reading Recreation Commission, $13,000: To fund the Girls Leadership Program, which empowers young women in Reading. The program addresses peer pressure, bullying, self-worth and self-confidence. Girls participate in community service projects such as food and clothing drives. The program includes speakers, female mentors and field trips.
Girls Leadership Program of Reading Recreation Commission addresses peer pressure, bullying, self-worth and self-confidence.
2015: $33,500
Reading Recreation Commission, $13,000: To fund the Girls Leadership Program, which empowers young women in Reading. The program addresses peer pressure, bullying, self-worth and self-confidence. Girls participate in community service projects such as food and clothing drives. The program includes speakers, female mentors and field trips.
YMCA of Reading and Berks County, $10,500: To support the Y-Haven child care and transportation program.
Bridge of Hope Berks County, $5,000: To prevent homelessness for women and children with the help of trained mentoring groups within local congregations.
Mary’s Shelter, $5,000: To fund its education and employment program, which assists young women to secure post-graduation employment, education or training that will help them become successful parents and self-sufficient adults.
Berks Women in Crisis (now Safe Berks) supports survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
2014: $28,543
YMCA of Reading and Berks County, $10,581: To support the Y-Haven child care and transportation program. The program enables women in transitional housing to quickly accept jobs and educational opportunities by covering costs for child care and transportation.
Berks Women in Crisis educational opportunity fund, $8,981: To help domestic violence and sexual assault survivors obtain GEDs or connect to other educational opportunities.
Co-County Wellness Services, $8,981: To educate young Reading women on the risks of teen pregnancy. The goal was to increase the chances that young women would complete their education by providing resources to avoid unplanned pregnancies.
Phelicia Schuller and her 8-month-old daughter after completing the Y-Haven program, which supports women in YMCA transitional living.
2013: $15,200
Berks Counseling Center, $5,200: To pay for materials and staff training for a program called Building a Work Attitude for Women in Recovery.
Opportunity House, $5,000: To help women in the organization’s programs earn a GED.
YMCA of Reading and Berks County, $5,000: To support the Y-Haven child care and transportation program. The program enables women in transitional housing to quickly accept jobs and educational opportunities by covering costs for child care and transportation.