The Met-Ed/Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund will make grants to fund a variety of energy efficiency projects to nonprofits, government entities, and small-businesses within the Met-Ed and Penelec utility areas. Funding is only available to existing buildings (not new construction) and to organizations that own their buildings (not lease). A preliminary energy assessment must be completed to be considered for funding. If you have not had an energy assessment completed, contact fund staff to be connected with technical assistance.
There is $500,000 available per utility area ($1,000,000 total). Grants will typically range from $25,000 to $100,000.
Announcement of invitation to submit an application by May 30
Application opens on June 1; Due July 15
Funding decisions announced by September 30
Letter of Intent
An advisory board will review the applications and decide which projects will receive grant funding.
The LOI and application is available inBerks County Community Foundation’s and Community Foundation for the Alleghenies’ grant portals. Projects in Penelec territory should fill out the form in the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies’ portal; Projects in Met-Ed territory should fill out the form in Berks County Community Foundation’s portal.
In the Met-Ed rate district, please contact Emily Smedley: Environment and Energy Program Officer, Berks County Community Foundation Fund Manager, Met-Ed Sustainable Energy Fund Emilys@bccf.org
In late 2025, the program and communication teams of Berks County Community Foundation spent two days in the Kutztown area. There, they visited local institutions that contribute to the area’s vitality.
The foundation conducts these site visits to gain knowledge about the communities we serve. Some institutions have received gifts from various funds the foundation manages. Other institutions simply enrich the cultural, educational, or religious life of the county.
This blog post is part two of a two-part series on the Kutztown tour. Read part one, available here.
The second half of the Kutztown site visit started one cold November morning at Crystal Cave, one of the oldest tourist landmarks in Berks County. Discovered on November 12, 1871, our team toured the first “show cave” in Pennsylvania on the 154th anniversary of the cave’s discovery.
The welcome center and inn giftshop at Crystal Cave were once a hotel which accommodated guests traveling from far distances.
The cave was discovered by William Merkel and John Gehret while they were blasting for limestone. After the smoke cleared, the pair descended 125 feet into damp, underground darkness. Although the pair didn’t come to purchase the cave, their initials are etched into one of the cave’s rock formations. With some formations aging more than half a million years old, it is safe to say that Merkel and Gehret’s legacies will endure for generations to come.
William Merkel and John Gehret etched their names into a rock formation upon discovering Crystal Cave on November 12, 1871.
Human influence—and intrusion—are common traits in Crystal Cave’s history as a “show cave”. Immediately after Merkel and Gehret’s discovery, Berks County residents began to brave the impenetrable darkness of the cave, in search of souvenirs. Frustrated with the damage, Samuel D. F. Kohler bought the cave, built an official entrance, and started charging guests 25 cents for admission.
The ancient appeal of Crystal Cave brought tourists from all over the country, which ushered in a time of economic growth for Kohler. Improvements were made inside the cave for safety purposes, a hotel was built for guests, and a stagecoach was purchased to expand access across the region.
Foundation team members standing at the opening of Crystal Cave, which was created for guests to safely enter the cave.
As business expanded, the Kohler family tested the limits of the cave. Hoedowns, weddings, and baptisms took place in the “Crystal Cave Ballroom”, complete with a bar for liquor, live band, and dance floor. Amid renovations and celebrations, David Kohler (son of Samuel) sold Crytal Cave to J. Douglas Kaufman.
The stalagmite “altar”, which was used in Marion Kurtz’s wedding to Francis Finley on October 15th, 1919, was removed from its original site in Crystal Cave. Without a stalactite dripping mineral water on the stalagmite altar, the altar decays. The intervention of oils from a human hand also contribute to the decay of these rock foundations.
In more recent years, Crystal Cave, Inc. has adapted as an attraction that celebrates nature and educates visitors on the fragility of the cave’s rock formations. When touring the cave, guests are asked to not touch the rock formations, as human touch can interfere with their growth—a big change from the days of removing crystals from the cave as a souvenir.
Now, Crystal Cave attracts the public through their scenic hiking trails, educational group tours, historical museum and much more.
To learn more about Crystal Cave or plan your next excursion, visit Crystal Cave’s website.
A large portion of Crystal Cave, with added walkways and lighting to make the tour safer for visitors.
The Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center is a nonprofit whose mission is to promote the socio-economic development of the Native American community and others who experience similar types of economic difficulties in the Greater Pittsburg metropolitan area.
The tribes most associated with Berks County include the Susquehannock, Lenape, and Iroquois peoples. Today, only 1.4% of Berks County’s population identifies as an American Native. The impact of native lives, however, can be found all over the county: what we now know as Maxatawny, Neversink, Saucony, and Tulpehocken were once Machksithanne, Navesink, Saconk, and Tulpewahaki, respectively.
The second day of our Kutztown tour concluded with a brief visit to shops along Main Street and the surrounding Kutztown area. Find the list of shops the foundation team visited below:
Casa de Empanada
Saucony Creek Brewing Company
Sorrelli Jewelry
Kutztown Tavern
Young Ones Records
Paisley & Company
Dietrich’s Meta’s and Country Store
Firefly Bookstore
Interested in having the foundation visit your nonprofit or organization? Reach out!
Thanks to the United Way of Lancaster County, 211 services are available in Berks County.
What is 211?
211 is a free, confidential, and comprehensive informational/referential service for individuals looking for a broad range of health and human services. Dial 211, text your zip code to 898211, or live chat or search at pa211east.org to find information on a broad range of services.
The services 211 can help you locate and navigate include:
Housing Support: access payment assistance, eviction and other landlord/tenant issues, emergency shelter and subsidized housing
Utility Assistance: includes mediation assistance and help with water, gas, fuel, phone and electric bills
Family Resources: find childcare, online learning resources, camps, child development and emergency family support
Food Security: locate local food pantries, home delivered meals, sit down meals, assistance programs and pet care
Elder care: includes in-home assistance, health and nutrition, caretaker support and transportation
Health Services: includes physical, mental and dental health, medical transportation, vaccines and insurance
After-school programs for at-risk children
Please note: 211 is not an emergency services provider. If your needs are emergent, call 911.
Who is 211 PA East?
211 PA East is a program of United Way of Lancaster County whose 211 services extend to all of Berks County. When Berks residents dial 211, they connect with professionally trained resource navigators, who will gain knowledge of the caller’s needs, identify solutions, and connect the caller with local services they require. Help is available in multiple languages and is completely confidential.
Dialing 211 also keeps our communities safer and healthier. When first responders react to non-emergent calls, they are unable to meet community needs as intended. By calling 211 for social service assistance, our 911 emergency dispatch system does not get overwhelmed with non-emergent calls.
211 PA East was made possible, in part, by the Home Health Care Foundation Permanent Fund of Berks County Community Foundation. If you’re passionate about improving the health and quality of life for Berks County residents, consider donating to the fund.
The DentaQuest Fund of Berks County Community Foundation, along with the PA Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics (PA AAP), recently helped bring the Oral Health Story Kit program and dental screenings to the Bethel-Tulpehocken Public Library.
Take-home supplies from the Oral Health Story Kit included a tooth cleaning tools and educational materials.
A lack of access to care can impede oral health, especially in children. With many Americans living in a ‘dental desert’, the demand for local dentists is high. Compounded with expensive treatment costs, many individuals lack necessary, preventative care, resulting in emergency dental service and/or untreated oral diseases.
A volunteer dental student interested in pediatric dental care reads a book about oral health to an audience of children.
The PA Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics (PA AAP) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the equitable health and well-being of all Pennsylvania children; they accomplish this by implementing community programs of education, support, and advocacy. As experts in pediatric healthcare, they are committed to fostering collaboration among pediatricians, families, and community partners.
The Oral Health Story Kit is just one PA AAP program that promotes oral health literacy to Berks County residents. In early February, pediatric oral healthcare professionals and their students came to the Bethel-Tulpehocken Public Library to facilitate free oral health story times and screenings for children, and to disperse educational materials to community members.
“Programs like the Oral Health Story Kits help build oral‑health literacy at the earliest ages, which is one of the strongest predictors of long‑term dental health,” says Jacqueline Pugliese, Oral Health Program Manager of PA AAP. “In rural areas of Berks County, where access to providers is limited, giving families clear, engaging tools to understand how to care for their teeth can make a real difference. Libraries are the perfect place to spark that learning—accessible, trusted, and rooted in the community.”
A variety of interactive educational materials were available during the program, including puppets to practice tooth brushing, dioramas on the effects of sugary drinks on teeth, and children’s oral health flyers for families to take with them.
“Many residents in our rural area have large families and limited transportation. There are no local health care or offices for social services,” says Kaitlin Lehman, Director of the Bethel-Tulpehocken Public Library. “Bringing representatives of these organizations closer to people who need them is a big step in improving accessibility. Getting connected to services through a familiar, trusted resource like the library also helps reduce the barrier of fear or uncertainty.”
Volunteer dental students conducted basic oral health screenings on young patients.
While access to medical specialists may be lacking, every community in Berks County has a local library. For our rural communities, libraries may be the only communal space to gather—and why it makes sense for PA AAP to meet the community where they already are.
“In our community, there are no other public spaces – no senior center, playground, or rec center. So, people rely on the library not only as a source of information and education, but also for community and connection,” says Lehman. “The library is the only place that people can come and just be, without judgment, and without the expectation of spending money.”
PA AAP and Berks County Community Foundation understand the importance of these programs, and that charitable dollars can never replace government funding. While government funding continues to roll back for health and human services, the nonprofit sector recognizes the need to consolidate resources and provide creative solutions to arising community needs.
Volunteer dental students used dental-themed coloring book pages to teach children about the impact of oral health.
“Berks County Community Foundation is happy to support programs like the Oral Health Story Kit,” says Cindy Milian, Health and Human Services Program Officer. “There are many ways to build a healthier Berks County, and engaging the youth in conversations about their health can help lay a strong foundation.”
The next Oral History Health Kit program and dental screening will take place at Morgantown Library on February 18th from 10am to 12pm. Walkins are available for this free service. This program was made possible, in part, by the DentaQuest Fund of Berks County Community Foundation. This fund is now closed for applications.
If you are passionate about improving the health and quality of life for Berks County residents, consider donating to the Dental Treatment Fund of Berks County Community Foundation. This fund helps cover the cost of dental treatment for individuals with financial need.
At Berks County Community Foundation, we know that charitable giving is deeply personal—and that choosing the right tools matters just as much as choosing the causes you care about.
Whether you are considering establishing your first fund with the Community Foundation or considering adding another fund to complement the ones you already have, it can be helpful to step back and look at how different options support different goals.
Designated Fund
Perhaps you are instead (or also) focused on making a lasting impact on a single organization that has played an important role in your life. In that case, a designated fund may be the right addition to your charitable portfolio. A designated fund provides ongoing, predictable support to a specific nonprofit—either through regular distributions or grants made as needed. Because the Community Foundation provides stewardship of the fund’s assets, a designated fund offers stability and continuity for the organization it benefits. This type of fund can be especially helpful if you want to “bunch” multiple years of giving into a single year for tax purposes while ensuring continued support for a favorite charity over time. Plus, if you are age 70 ½ or older, a designated fund can receive Qualified Charitable Distributions from your IRA.
Some donors are drawn to a different approach: addressing the community’s most pressing needs, both now and in the future, while relying on professional insight to guide that work. For these donors, an unrestricted fund offers powerful flexibility. Unrestricted funds allow the Community Foundation to direct resources where they are needed most as circumstances change—whether that means responding to a crisis, supporting emerging opportunities, or addressing long-term challenges. These funds play a critical role in the community’s ability to adapt and thrive, and they create a legacy of giving that remains relevant for generations.
A field-of-interest is similar to an unrestricted fund, except that you can name a specific area of need, such as the arts, education, or emergency assistance, to receive support from the fund.
Donor advised funds make it simple to support a wide range of nonprofits while maintaining a clear, organized approach to philanthropy. With a donor advised fund, you can make contributions of cash, stock, or other property at your convenience, and these gifts are eligible for a charitable tax deduction in the year of the gift. Separately, the donor advised fund allows you to recommend grants to your favorite IRS-qualified charities over time.
Adopt a portfolio approach
Many donors choose to establish more than one type of fund over time, building a thoughtful and diversified approach to philanthropy that reflects both their values and their evolving priorities.
Wherever you are on your charitable giving journey, the Community Foundation is here to help. It is our privilege to partner with you, provide guidance, and support your generosity in ways that strengthen the community we all care about. Please reach out anytime—we would love to talk with you.
Many people approach a new year with a genuine desire to be more intentional about their charitable giving.
They know they want to make a difference, align their generosity with their values, and perhaps even involve their families—but they are often unsure where to begin. The combination of busy lives, changing tax laws, and an ever-growing number of worthy causes can make getting started feel overwhelming. The good news is that taking a few simple, thoughtful actions at the beginning of the year can bring clarity and confidence to your giving.
Here are three first steps to inspire you:
Consider reviewing your 2025 charitable contributions with the team at the Community Foundation. Looking back at last year’s giving can be surprisingly helpful, especially when guided by professionals who understand both philanthropy and the local community. The Community Foundation can help you see the real-world impact of your gifts, identify patterns in your giving, and highlight opportunities you may not have considered. This review also creates a natural bridge to planning your 2026 support, whether that means refining your focus, adjusting gift amounts, or exploring new charitable vehicles. Just as important, it allows you to begin thinking strategically about future years, helping ensure that your generosity grows in a way that is both meaningful and sustainable.
Talk with your tax advisors as soon as possible about whether and how the new tax laws might impact your situation. Charitable giving is closely connected to tax and estate planning, and early conversations can help you make informed decisions before the year gets too far along. This is also an ideal time to revisit your estate plan and beneficiary designations. Many donors choose to include a gift to their fund at the Community Foundation in their wills, trusts, or beneficiary designations on retirement accounts or life insurance policies, creating a lasting legacy that reflects their values. Coordinating these updates with your tax advisor and the foundation can ensure your charitable intentions are clearly documented, tax-efficient, and aligned with your overall financial and estate planning goals.
Set goals for your charitable involvement in 2026. Rather than giving reactively, goal setting allows you to be proactive and intentional about how you engage with the causes you care about. Berks County Community Foundation can help you explore new and emerging charities, learn more about pressing needs in the community, and connect with organizations that align with your interests. Together, you and our team can create a plan for timing gifts throughout the year, whether through recurring contributions, single large gifts early in the year to help a favorite charity leap ahead, or strategic gifts of highly appreciated or complex assets. This approach not only makes giving more manageable but also helps ensure your generosity has the greatest possible impact.
As you look ahead, remember that you do not have to navigate charitable planning on your own. The Community Foundation is here to serve as a trusted partner—whether you are just getting started, refining an existing plan, or thinking about the legacy you want to leave for future generations. We invite you to reach out anytime to ask questions, explore ideas, or take the next step in your giving journey. We are honored to help you turn your charitable intentions into meaningful, lasting impact.
Please reach out to Molly McCullough Robbins, Vice President for Philanthropic Services, by calling 610-685-2223 or emailing mollyr@bccf.org.
On Wednesday, November 19th 2025, the Berks community gathered at WCR Center for the Arts in Reading, PA, for Berks County Community Foundation’s annual meeting, “A Night at the Theater”.
Monica Reyes, Vice President for Programs and Initiatives, welcomes attendees. Photo by Jeremy Drey
Foundation President Kevin Murphy gave opening remarks and shared a broad overview of the foundation’s work during the previous fiscal year.
“But the assets we manage only represent our potential for making progress,” said Kevin Murphy. “What we do with those assets is what really matters.” Building community partnerships and supporting our local nonprofits are what really matters, now more than ever.
Foundation President, Kevin Murphy, gives opening remarks. Photo by Jeremy Drey
Keynote speaker Kim Sheffer, Lifelong Learning Program Officer at the foundation, expanded on the topic of community engagement and collaboration. Over the past year, Kim convened with local businesses, higher education institutions, and nonprofits to develop a strategic plan for retaining more Berks County college and university graduates.
Kim brought Generation Impact, a program of VOiCEup Berks focused on engaging, connecting, and retaining 18–24-year-olds in Berks County, into the conversation. The foundation is proud to announce that we are supporting Generation Impact’s pilot program, which will hire campus ambassadors, manage annual signature events, and provide networking opportunities for students and employers.
“If our collective goal is to make it compelling for college students and young professionals to say “yes” to Berks,” said Kim Sheffer, “we must work together to make it a vibrant and livable place.”
Kim Sheffer, Lifelong Learning Program Officer, delivers the interactive keynote speech. Photos by Jeremy Drey.
Contributing to our community vibrancy are Tim Shew and Jane Brockman, the guest performers for the annual meeting. Credited with decades of lead roles in Broadway productions, Tim and Jane are experts in their respective fields.
Broadway veterans Tim Shew and Jane Brockman perform a musical number. Photo by Jeremy Drey
They are also the perfect people to host and direct local musical theater workshops—which they are currently doing at Alvernia University. In the spirit of collaboration, these workshops—and the community musical theatre production they will stage in the Spring of 2026—are open for any Berks County college/university student to attend. Independent community actors are also welcome to join.
From right to left, the above photos feature: Musical theater workshop participant and producer of the upcoming community musical theater production performs “Beautiful City” from the musical Godspell; Musical theater workshop participant and current Alvernia University student performs “Diva’s Lament (Whatever Happened to My Part?)” from the musical Spamalot; Musical theater workshop participant performs “On the Steps of the Palace” from the musical Into the Woods. Photos by Jeremy Drey
At Berks County Community Foundation, we are honored to work with you and so many other families, individuals, and businesses to help organize your charitable giving and support favorite charities that make a difference in our community.
As the year winds down, here are 10 giving tips to keep in mind:
Remember that 2025 is a pivotal year for charitable planning. With more stringent charitable deduction limitations taking effect in 2026 under new tax laws, this year may offer a favorable tax environment for your giving depending on your personal situation. Talk with your tax advisors as soon as possible.
Work with your tax advisors to evaluate the benefits of “bunching” multiple years of charitable gifts into 2025. By front-loading contributions, you may be able to exceed the standard deduction this year and maximize your tax benefits.
Use a donor-advised fund to simplify year-end giving. You can make one tax-deductible contribution now, receive the deduction in 2025, and recommend grants to nonprofits over time, throughout 2026 and beyond.
Give appreciated stock instead of cash. Donating long-term appreciated securities may eliminate capital gains tax and in turn increase your charitable impact. Talk with our team and your tax advisors as soon as possible so these gifts can be processed well before the end of the year.
Explore giving from your IRA if you’re 70½ or older. A Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) can reduce taxable income and, if applicable, satisfy required minimum distributions—to the tune of $108,000 per taxpayer in 2025. IRS rules allow you to make QCDs to a wide variety of funds at the Community Foundation (but not to your donor-advised fund).
Check to see whether you’ve met your charitable goals for 2025. Don’t wait until late December to review your plan. Our team can help you think through options for this year and begin to coordinate more complex gifts for next year.
Support the community overall by making gifts to existing funds at Berks County Community Foundation. 2025 has been a tough year for many people in our community, and our team can help you support families in crisis both now and in the future.
Review your beneficiary designations. Naming your fund as a beneficiary of an IRA or other retirement account can create meaningful future gifts while reducing the tax burden on heirs.
Avoid last-minute surprises. Gifts of complex assets—such as real estate or closely-held stock—require additional steps and a lot of lead time, so contact us early if you’re considering these options. Even if it is too late to complete these gifts in 2025, start working with our team on options for 2026 gifts.
Above all, lean on the team at the Community Foundation! We are here to help you explore the most tax-efficient ways to meet your charitable goals, whether you’re planning year-end gifts, updating a legacy plan, or thinking ahead to the changes coming in 2026.
Thank you for the opportunity to work with you. We look forward to supporting your charitable goals this year and for many years to come.
This solicitation is valid only for residents of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
by Susan Shelly McGovern
Young children work in a classroom. Schools across Berks County and Pennsylvania were affected by federal budget cuts and the state impasse.
With a state budget finally signed into law and the federal government reopening on the same day last week, some Berks County public school administrators remain concerned about potentially lasting impacts caused by a lack of funding for more than four months.
Significant funding for school districts has been held up since July 1 due to a failure by Pennsylvania state legislators to agree on terms for the state’s FY2025-26 budget. Legislators finally reached an agreement on a $50.1 billion spending plan and Gov. Josh Shapiro signed it into law on Nov. 12.
On the same day, President Donald J. Trump signed a funding bill to reopen the federal government following a 43-day standoff in Congress.
While education leaders welcomed those events, there is uncertainty about when the delayed funding will reach them and concern about potential consequences of the interruptions to funding that forced some districts to take out loans and delay or cancel programming and school activities.
Federal Funding Concerns Remain
Wayne Gehris, chief financial officer of the Reading School District, is concerned about potential cuts to Medicaid that could affect ACCESS reimbursements to the district, totaling between $1.5 and $2 million a year.
That could impact health care coverage for some low-income students or those with disabilities.
He also worries that demand for free meals provided by Reading schools will increase due to uncertainties concerning SNAP benefits, which many students and their families rely on.
“Not all students rely on the free breakfast program, but a reduction or delay in SNAP funding may cause more students to participate,” Gehris wrote in response to a county-wide survey of school districts facilitated by the Berks County Intermediate Unit (BCIU).
Christian Lelllig, chief financial officer of the Daniel Boone Area School District, reported his district also has been affected by federal cuts and the shutdown of the government.
“Federal programs such as Title I, special education (IDEA) and school meal funding have experience delays in payments, which has created uncertainty for our budgeting and staffing,” Lellig said.
And Lucille Gallis, chief financial officer for the Berks County Intermediate Unit (BCIU), reported that Preschool Development Grant funding, which provides mental health supports for preschool and childcare centers across Pennsylvania, has been eliminated for fiscal year 2026.
The Berks County Intermediate Unit in Berks County was forced to take out a loan due to delayed funding.
State Impasse Affected Most Berks County Districts
While 53% of school districts that participated in the BCIU survey reported experiencing impacts from federal cuts and the government shutdown, 80% said they were negatively affected by the state budget impasse.
Many districts reported putting a hold on or limiting non-curricular and extracurricular expenditures, deferring non-critical maintenance, delaying purchasing and reducing programming.
Tim Matlack, superintendent of Antietam School District, said that field trips were cancelled and after school activities like the MATHCOUNTS competition are in jeopardy.
“It’s frustrating for the teachers and the kids and the parents,” Matlack said. “It’s been a frustrating time for everyone in education.”
Officials in districts that were forced to take out loans are concerned about interest they will need to pay, an unanticipated expense they do not expect to be reimbursed for.
Reading School District entered into a $90 million tax and anticipation note, advancing $10 million on Nov. 7 to pay salaries and other necessities. The BCIU has secured $17 million in loans and was in the process of obtaining another $10 million when the state budget passed.
Some districts that didn’t need to take out loans, including Muhlenberg School District, reported having to tap into reserved funding.
“We’re relying on what we have budgeted and our reserves, which means we’ll lose the interest we would have earned on those dollars,” said Dr. Joseph Macharola, Muhlenberg Superintendent.
And while a budget has finally been passed, it’s likely it will take some time for funding to trickle down to school districts and allow for normal operations.
Children participate in activity in an early childhood classroom operated by the Berks County Intermediate Unit.
Funding Cuts, Budget Delays and Government Shutdowns are Bad for Education
Even with the passing of the state budget and reopening of the federal government, educators and administrators remain on edge.
That causes frustration among district officials, who work hard to get their budgets submitted to the state by June 30, as required.
The uncertainty associated with cuts and funding delays causes a high level of anxiety, which eventually can affect daily operations.
Lellig summed up the situation like this.
“Repeated budget cuts and delayed funding weaken the quality of public education by increasing class size, reducing programming and straining teachers and resources. Over time, these issues widen inequities between districts and harm student learning and overall outcomes,” Lellig wrote.
Dr. Khalid Mumin, superintendent of the Reading School District and former Pennsylvania Secretary of Education, noted that public education is experiencing a time of significant change, but will continue moving forward to serve students, families and communities.
“It’s like a cruise liner that has to keep moving forward, even though the seas are a little rocky,” Mumin said. “Education will keep moving forward and we’ll continue to serve the young people, who are our future.”
Volunteers participate in a fundraising event at Gov. Mifflin’s Athletic Community Center. School districts increasingly rely on outside sources of funding for activities and programs.
Richie Santiago spends five or six hours on most weekdays at the Circle of Friends Drop-In Center on North Fifth Street in Reading, playing pool, chatting with friends, enjoying home-cooked meals and helping staff members with cleanup chores.
“I’m from New Jersey and don’t have any family here,” said Richie, who lives near the center. “If I didn’t have this place to come to it would hurt. This place benefits me a lot.”
Richie is one of about 235 people served annually by the center, which is run by Community Prevention Partnership/CHOR, an agency that provides a variety of prevention services in Berks and Schuylkill counties.
Richie Santiago helps clean up after a Halloween party at the Circle of Friends Drop-In Center on North Fifth Street.
According to Barbara Werner, executive director of Community Prevention Partnership, the Circle of Friends Drop-In Center, which serves people living with chronic mental health conditions, lives up to its name.
“It provides clients with a circle of support,” Werner explained. “Not everyone has a support system they can lean on when something goes wrong, but the center gives them that.”
Sadly, the future of Circle of Friends is not guaranteed.
CHOR-Youth and Family Services has been forced to pick up the tab because Block Grant money is stalled due to Pennsylvania’s budget impasse, a stalemate that has prevented many agencies from receiving expected funding since July.
“We are able to keep the center operating for now because we’re part of a larger organization,” Werner said. “But I’m not sure that CHOR’s funding can go on indefinitely.”
Having to shut down the center, she said, would be extremely detrimental to clients.
“The center helps meet people’s basic needs. We provide meals and social activities and a shower and laundry facilities,” she said. “That all helps keep our clients as mentally and physically stable as possible.”
“As of now, we haven’t heard of any of these agencies having to shut down, but we know that some are having to cut services and are worried about how long they can continue operating,” Seaman said. “Those Block Grant funds support a lot of services.”
An inspirational bulletin board created by clients at the Circle of Friends Drop-In Center.
Both programs have been very successful over long periods of time, he explained, and discontinuing them is not an option.
“The people we serve would be homeless,” Michalik said. “We’re not going to let that happen.”
While the programs are continuing to operate, Michalik has put off making upgrades and improvements to some of the group homes and is looking at the possibility of having to seek a line of credit.
“If we need to do that, we’ll have to use money from some of our programming to pay the interest on the loan,” he said. “We’ve been told that we won’t get reimbursed for the cost of interest.”
Clients line up at a food truck at the Circle of Friends Drop-In Center.
Four Months is ‘Long Enough’
Funding stoppages caused by the state budget impasse may be causing long-lasting damage, but the lack of a state budget also is causing short-term problems, according to Berks County Commissioner Michael S. Rivera.
“We have no idea how much money the county will be getting this year,” Rivera said. “We’re guessing and hoping we’ll get at least as much as last year, but we just don’t know.”
That makes it nearly impossible to enter contracts or plan for future spending.
Berks County has reserve funds that are enabling it to continue operations but is losing money it would have earned as interest on those reserves.
In addition, there is uncertainty over federal funding sources other than through the Block Grant program.
“That’s also a day-to-day process of trying to figure out what might happen,” Rivera said.
While Michalik said he takes no sides on the issue of the budget impasse, he is surprised that state legislators have been unable or unwilling to work together to pass a spending bill.
“I don’t know what they’re thinking, but this is like a perfect storm that agencies are struggling to weather,” he said. “I think that four months is long enough.”
