Imagine the daily challenges faced by a mother trying to provide the best for her child with disabilities. Accessibility issues can turn simple tasks into daunting obstacles. For one local mother, the dream of a reliable vehicle and a lift hoyer* seemed out of reach, but thanks to the Arthur O. and Clara M. Schlegel Memorial Fund of Berks County Community Foundation, this dream has become a reality.
The purpose of the fund is to help to defray the costs of treating and correcting physical differences in children residing in Berks County who are either without parents or whose parents are unable financially to meet such expenses. Clara M. Schlegel originally established a trust fund in 1984 which required using an Advisory Board to award grants. The structure of the fund made it difficult to administer; at that time, prior to the creation of Berks County Community Foundation in 1994, there was no well-known charitable organization model in Berks County with an affiliated group to identify community needs.
By August of 2000, an advisory board was created, including Kevin Murphy, president of Berks County Community Foundation, as a member. Kevin’s involvement on the advisory board included transferring the fund over to the foundation to start facilitating the distribution of grants. Since the time the Foundation has been managing the fund, the Arthur O. and Clara Schlegel Memorial Fund has distributed over 1.1 million dollars in grants in Berks County, overseen by the advisory group and Community Foundation staff members, myself included.
Recently, a mother submitted an application to request an electric lift hoyer and assistance with purchasing a reliable vehicle. Jayvien, a 13-year-old male diagnosed with sickle cell anemia and Lowe syndrome, travels to Philadelphia every 3-6 months to see a specialist. Due to recent car problems, appointments were missed and/or rescheduled. Jayvien also requires total assistance with transportation transfers and daily life activities. Jayvien’s mother and his grandmother have been helping, but using a manual lift is unsafe.
After reviewing the request, I knew that this application should be presented to the advisory board for consideration. The Community Foundation has a solemn obligation to honor the donor’s intentions set forth when establishing their fund. I knew this fund could make an impact on this family.
The committee approved the grant with the instructions to find a car through a dealership rather than a private owner and send the funds directly to the dealership towards the purchase of a reliable car, so that Jayvien can safely and reliably make his appointments in Philadelphia. The committee also approved the grant request for the electric lift hoyer.
I met with Jayvien’s mother at the dealership, and she was grateful for the funding that was available to help her family. She said, “I truly appreciate all that you guys do. It has left a huge imprint in my heart, not so much the material things, but the root core of what the foundation stands for. The fact that this will help Jayvien as well as my family means the world to me, and I hope to be able to give back to the foundation to forward the help to families like mine. My family and I are forever grateful. Thank you so much!”
The recent funding provided to the mother in need for her son with disabilities is a powerful testament to the ongoing impact of the Arthur O. and Clara M. Schlegel Memorial Fund. It’s a story of compassion and sparking change in the community.
You can spark change in the community by creating a fund. Learn how you can do this by clicking here. To give to the Arthur O. and Clara M. Schlegel Memorial Fund, click here.
* A hoyer lift is a patient lift used by caregivers to safely transfer patients. It can be used for lifting patients from the floor or onto a healthcare bed. The lift also can assist in other surface-to-surface patient transfers, such as moving from a bed to a bath or chair.
Thanks to the DentaQuest Fund of Berks County Community Foundation, an elementary day care center was able to provide a dental care program for their students.
The grant will provide reimbursement to a dental professional for providing oral health services, on-site, to children enrolled in Riverview Christian Early Learning Center (RCELC) as part of an Oral Health Story Kit pilot program. While the Oral Health Story Kit provides oral health education to childcare staff, children, and families, there is a need for direct services and for families to obtain a dental home for ongoing oral care. A dental professional has agreed to provide the direct services described.
Jenn Angstadt, Executive Director and Minister of Mentoring and Outreach of RCELC says, “I am so grateful for the opportunity to be able to provide exceptional dentistry at our school through generous funding. We are overjoyed through faith and community partnerships that this was able to be accomplished and provide so many little ones with quality care. We owe it all to God who has paved the way for our success and growth.”
The benefits of this program extend far beyond the immediate provision of dental care. Healthy teeth and gums contribute to better nutrition. Moreover, the presence of a dentist at the day care center opens opportunities for community engagement and education. Parents and caregivers receive valuable information on maintaining oral health at home, and the day care center becomes a hub of health and wellness in the community.
Berks County Community Foundation, Berks Community Health Center and the Early Childhood Resource Center are working together to make this program available to other early learning facilities, but we need dental professionals. If you are a dental professional and would like to be part of the program, please email me at cindym@bccf.org.
