“We simply don’t know what to expect,” Garrigan said. “It’s a very uncertain and worrisome time.”
Safe Berks is one of many organizations in Berks County feeling the pinch from the budget impasse, which makes it impossible for the state to make billions of dollars in payments to nonprofits, schools, local governments and other organizations that provide services to residents.
Garrigan explained that about 75% of funding for Safe Berks is dependent on local, state and federal funding, some of which is federal money that passes through the state before getting to the agency.
Due to the budget impasse, which has resulted in a stoppage in funds of between $75,000 and $100,000 a month, Safe Berks has been forced to deplete its cash reserves and rely on a line of credit.
If funding is not soon restored, Garrigan is fearful the agency may have to tap into some investments, risking further harm to its financial future.
“The line of credit is great to have as a backup, but the interest on it is horrible,” Garrigan explained. “What happens if this keeps going and we run out of our reserves?”
Shutting down the agency, she emphasized, is not an option.
“We absolutely cannot close down,” Garrigan said. “There’s just too much need in our community.”
Beth Garrigan, Safe Berks CEO, in her office at the agency’s headquarters.
Work of Safe Berks is ‘Multi-Layered and Complex’
Gearing up to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2026, Safe Berks has served tens of thousands of women, men and children seeking escape from sexual and domestic violence.
The services that Safe Berks offers are tested and proven, Garrigan said, although many people are unaware of the depth of the organization.
“A lot of people think we’re just a shelter, but the work we do is multi-layered and complex,” she said.
A women studies a red silhouette representing a victim of domestic violence.
Looking Ahead with Apprehension
Although it’s nearly impossible to plan programming or anticipate the agency’s capacity to provide services, Garrigan and others are tentatively looking toward the coming year.
“We’ll try to maintain the bare minimum in staffing and we’re looking into how to generate additional streams of revenue,” Garrigan shared.
Nine of the agency’s approximately 60 employees have already been laid off, and others are seeking other employment as they anticipate that further cuts may be necessary.
“To have to let go of people who are doing this work from their hearts is incredibly difficult,” Garrigan said. “Those layoffs were the hardest thing I ever had to do.” Garrigan said shelter residents and other clients are sensing the uncertainty surrounding the agency, resulting in a general sense of unease. “I thought the time during Covid was bad,” she said. “This is worse than Covid.”
Walkers participate in a Silent Witness event sponsored by Safe Berks.
‘This is Just Devasting’
Echoing leaders of other area nonprofits, Garrigan praised the Berks County community for stepping up in times of need to support organizations that serve them and their neighbors.
“Community support is big in Berks County, and we have a strong donor base,” she said.
She remains concerned, however, that many people are unaware of the precarious situation service organizations are facing due to the four-month funding delay.
“We’re fighting so hard, and this is just devastating,” Garrigan said. “A lot of people can ignore the situation because it doesn’t affect them, but this is impacting everything we do.”
Even if the legislature passes a budget tomorrow and the delayed money is released, there will be a lag time until funding reaches community organizations.
“We’re going to keep doing what we do as well as we can,” Garrigan said. “We’ve been working in this community for a long time, and we know that our services are needed. I just hope we don’t get so deep into debt that we can’t get out of it.”
by Susan Shelly McGovern
On any given day, there are hundreds of men, women, teens and children experiencing homelessness in Berks County.
Some have been without homes for months – even years – while others are homelessness for the first time.
They are teenagers who have aged out of foster care, and parents who have lost their jobs and ability to provide for their families.
They are veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder, and mothers with children who have fled abusive relationships.
They are men and women battling substance abuse and its surrounding issues, and working families desperate to stay together, but unable to afford the high cost of housing.
Sixteen percent of those identified were under the age of 18, 25% were 55 or older and 38 individuals were U.S. veterans. They were sleeping in tents, cars, emergency shelters, transitional housing, under bridges and on city benches.
The tent of someone staying in a local homeless encampment.
Berks Coalition to End Homelessness (BCEH) “At a Stalemate”
Jack Williams, executive director of BCEH, said major uncertainty regarding how much federal funding may be available, and when, makes it impossible to plan for 2026 or beyond.
“We’ve basically come to a stalemate,” Williams said. “We can’t make decisions or enter into contracts, because we don’t know what’s happening with the funding we rely on.”
BCEH is an umbrella agency that oversees services to Berks County residents and works with a network of area nonprofits that receive federal funds for a variety of projects.
While federal funding has increased in recent years, officials worry that proposed cuts and conditions placed on funding may badly jeopardize the work they’re able to do in the future.
A problem this year, Williams explained, is that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has not yet released guidelines for next year’s grant applications, which normally are due at the end of September.
Unable to even complete an application for funding leaves agencies completely in the dark, unable to know what to expect. Most agencies, however, are anticipating funding cuts.
Volunteers cut children’s hair during a back-to-school community event sponsored by Family Promise of Berks County.
Reading Housing Authority “Preparing for Changes”
Lorena Keely, chairwoman of the board of commissioners for the Reading Housing Authority, which works to assist individuals and families find permanent housing, agreed that future funding and policies are uncertain, and cuts may be imminent.
“We’re trying to keep our finger on the pulse of what’s happening at the federal level, and we share the concerns of other agencies,” Keely said. “If what we’re hearing is being discussed comes to fruition, we need to figure out what that means for the people we serve.”
Specifically, representatives of the housing authority are concerned about a federal threat to end support for Housing First programs, which enable people to attain permanent housing without having to first meet certain conditions, such as employment or mental health treatment.
That would disproportionately affect people struggling with chronic, long-term homelessness, Keely explained, placing additional strain on agencies addressing housing issues.
There also is talk of instituting a two-year voucher program, which would put a time limit on assistance for eligible participants. While Reading Housing Authority has received no notification of such a limit, officials are working to stay on top of reports.
“We’re preparing ourselves as much as possible for any potential changes,” Keely said.
Tents provide shelter for unhoused people in Berks County.
Family Promise of Berks County Facing Severe Cuts to Operating Budget
Anticipating its 20th anniversary next year, Family Promise of Berks County’s future is uncertain as it faces the possibility of severe cuts in federal funding.
“Unfortunately, 70% of our budget comes from federal funding,” said Jill Glose, executive director. “It’s absolutely critical to what we do.”
Family Promise provides housing for families in crisis for 90 days while also providing crucial case management services and assistance in finding jobs and permanent housing. It also runs a program for homeless youth and supplies rent and utility assistance for eligible applicants.
Glose remains hopeful that federal funding will come through for next year. If it does not, she said, Family Promise’s ability to serve clients will certainly be impacted.
“The amount of need has absolutely increased, and it’s harder and harder to keep up with the support we can provide,” Glose said.
Luis Ruiz Lopez, a former caseworker for Family Promise of Berks County’s U Turn program, poses with a client who’s just been given a bicycle to use for transportation. The U Turn program serves teens who are experiencing homelessness.
Determined to Continue Serving Clients
While it’s difficult to remain optimistic in the face of looming budget cuts likely to adversely affect a large number of individuals and families, leaders of local agencies addressing housing and homelessness are determined to keep working for those they serve.
“We can’t give up,” Williams said. “We have to be prepared to pivot and do what we can to make sure the least number of people possible get hurt by all this.”
Keely said Berks County has a long history of agencies with common goals working together – something that will benefit everyone.
“We’ll put our heads together and seek solutions the best we can,” she said. “Our commitment to the people we serve is not going to change.”
by Susan Shelly McGovern
Helping Harvest vans are frequently seen at community events in Berks and Schuylkill counties.
Maria has always worked hard to make sure her children have enough food and other necessities. There seldom was extra, but they always had enough.
When Maria, of Reading, was diagnosed earlier this year with Stage 5 kidney disease, however, the single mother didn’t know what to do. Unable to work, faced with medical bills and receiving only 60% of her wages through short-term disability insurance, having enough food for her family was suddenly a very frightening uncertainty.
Volunteers distribute food to neighbors at a Helping Harvest Mobile Market.
Fortunately, Maria reached out and was able to secure immediate assistance from Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank, a community resource serving Berks and Schuylkill counties. That help has given her family access to adequate food supplies as they wait for their application for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to be processed and, hopefully, approved.
But that ability to provide immediate and adequate aid for those in need is becoming increasingly difficult, according to Jay Worrall, president of Helping Harvest and board chair of Feeding Pennsylvania, an organization that promotes food banks within the state and assists them in obtaining necessary resources and support.
Cuts in federal funding for food distribution programs made earlier this year are straining the ability of food banks across the state and nation to continue supplying resources to those most in need.
Worrall said federal cuts resulted in a loss of $3 million to Helping Harvest, equivalent to about 15% of the food it distributes annually.
Those cuts, coupled with stalled state funding caused by Pennsylvania’s ongoing budget impasse and impending cuts to SNAP, are resulting in trying times for Helping Harvest, Worrall said.
SNAP benefits could be reduced by as much as $11 million in Schuylkill County and up to $26.8 million in Berks, according to Worrall, affecting thousands of families. In addition, it is unclear whether the recent shutdown of the federal government, which was still underway at the time this article was written, might have long-reaching implications for the future of Helping Harvest.
Volunteers pack food boxes in Helping Harvest’s warehouse in Spring Township.
“Demand for our services continues to increase, but we’re left with fewer resources to meet those needs. The worst of the SNAP cuts haven’t even taken place yet, but people are anticipating them and already looking to us for extra help. It’s the perfect storm and it’s making our work very difficult,” Worrall explained.
Helping Harvest recently announced cuts to some of its programs in Schuylkill County, starting in November. The food bank will stop providing food to about a dozen pantry and mobile market sites, a move Worrall attributed to federal funding cuts and the state’s budget impasse.
A Helping Harvest volunteer gives local students fresh fruit to take home.
Although the food bank has made some organizational changes and altered the way it processes and distributes food to try to make up the shortfalls it’s experiencing, it is unable to keep up with decreased funding and increasing demand.
“We’re working to close that gap, but we’re not going to make up $3 million in one year,” Worrall said. “We’re going to have very serious challenges to overcome.”
While the future of funding for Helping Harvest and other food banks is uncertain, Worrall is looking forward and trying to remain optimistic.
He pointed to the potential of Helping Harvest’s Community Kitchen that opened in August in downtown Reading, explaining that the kitchen makes it possible for large-scale food donations to be repurposed into thousands of individual meals for people in Berks and Schuylkill counties.
“That’s a real help in getting meals out to people who need them,” Worrall said. “It’s wonderful how the community came together to support the Community Kitchen and make that possible.”
Volunteers and staff assemble ready-to-eat meals at Helping Harvest’s new Community Kitchen.
In these very uncertain times, Worrall will continue to look to the Berks and Schuylkill communities for support. It is urgent, he said, that the needs of everyone at risk for hunger – especially children – are addressed and met.
“Think what it would be like to not have enough food for your kids,” Worrall said. “I can’t imagine that, and I don’t want anyone else to have to, either. We’re going to need all the help we can get, but Helping Harvest will continue to serve the people who need us the most.”
Reading, PA (August 25, 2025) – Health and Human Services Program Officer of Berks County Community Foundation, Cindy Milian, gave the keynote speech at the Community Wellness Department of Reading Hospital Tower Health’s “Voices for Health” event. This event launched the Community Wellness Department’s week-long celebration of community health workers. Tanieka Mason, MPH, Director of Health Equity at Tower Health, asked Cindy to address the health needs of Berks County residents, impart her expert knowledge, and provide a testimonial to the vital services our community health workers provide.
Event attendees and speakers included Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank’s President, Jay Worrall; Reading Hospital President and CEO, Dr. Charles F. Barbera, MD, MBA, MPH, FACEP; Secretary of Human Service of the PA Department of Health, Dr. Valeria Arkoosh, MD, MPH; Executive Deputy Secretary of the PA Department of Health, Kristen Rodack; Senator Judy Schwank; various local health service and pharmaceutical providers, and of course, a cohort of dedicated community health workers who serve Berks County.
According to the Tower Health website, “Reading Hospital’s Community Wellness Department works to identify and address key health issues in the community by leading a variety of programs and initiatives, collaborating with community partners, and investing in the overall health of our community.”
Cindy Milian’s keynote speech for the Community Wellness Department of Reading Hospital Tower Health’s “Voices for Health” event can be found below. Please note that certain photographs and last names of individuals have been omitted to maintain anonymity.
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“Thank you to the Community Wellness Department of Reading Hospital Tower Health for having me as a speaker for this event.
It is an honor to address esteemed hospital leadership, the stewards and officials of our local community, and of course, the cohort of community health workers present today.
My name is Cindy Milian, and I am the Health and Human Services Program Officer at Berks County Community Foundation. After 25 years of working as an Early Intervention Specialist, Therapeutic Staff Support, Home Health Aide Supervisor, Caseworker, and Casework Supervisor in Pennsylvania, I decided to take a well-deserved break by joining the foundation and overseeing hundreds of grants for individuals, public health initiatives, and human services initiatives.
Before I talk to you about community health, patient advocacy, or social determinants of health, I want to talk about my grandson.
This is Alexander (image omitted). He loves Baby Shark, Reggaeton, and being carried on my husband’s shoulders. If anyone here has a one-year-old child in their lives, then you know that they assert themselves and their needs loudly and with conviction. Alexander is no exception to this—we always know when he’s hungry, or wants Papa, or isn’t feeling well. Being a grandmother to Alexander means witnessing community health initiatives in action; it means fielding a lot of requests for help and hugs; it requires the inspection of the tangible and intangible world around him, and evaluating how it will affect his mental, physical, and spiritual health.
But the real inspection I want to conduct today is on the health of Berks County. My current work with the Community Foundation places me in a position of power and privilege: the power—or burden—of saying no to grant applicants, and the privilege of witnessing the life-changing impacts our donors have on their fellow Berks residents.
With the foundation, I’ve met with Hamburg community leaders who are struggling to identify mental health clinics for their at-risk populations; in Reading, I’ve guided a monolingual, Spanish speaking resident through the process of applying for a grant that could save her child’s life; and all over Berks County,
I’ve talked with countless individuals who are one paycheck away from homelessness. They are our neighbors, our coworkers, our friends. They are the patients we see in our offices, clinics, at-home visits and hospital beds every day.
Before we can talk about community health, we must talk about the community. In 2023, the United Way’s ALICE Report, which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, showed that over 40% of Berks County households earned less than the county’s basic cost of living. This means that more than 47,000 Berks County working households are one paycheck away from a severe financial crisis, and more than 18,000 households are living in poverty.
For those 18,000+ households, the cost of a survival budget is unattainable. Meaning 12% of Berks Countians cannot afford the following:
Housing
Childcare
Food
Transportation
Health care
Technology
Taxes and
Unanticipated, one-time costs within the other categories.
So, what budget item would you cut to make ends meet? Would you call out from work and miss a paycheck because you couldn’t afford the bus fare? Would you skip a mammogram appointment to pay your rent this month? These aren’t hyperbolic questions designed to scare you – these are questions that tens of thousands of our community members ask themselves every day.
Some people in Berks County might hear these numbers and think, “well, that’s just a City of Reading issue.” This belief is false.
The need to improve access to equitable care, particularly for marginalized populations
The need to provide behavioral/mental healthcare to both adults and youth
The need to focus on health education and health literacy, especially resources and information tied to wellness and disease prevention
The need to address health disparities and increase the focus on health equity
Based on the information provided in this report, I’d like to share with you a story that highlights the need for these improvements. Last names have been omitted to maintain anonymity.
Ms. Susan is a grandmother, just like me. She lives in Boyertown, and, like so many families in our county, has been tasked with the guardianship of her grandson, who was diagnosed with Joubert Syndrome at birth. This genetic disorder affects part of the brain that controls balance and coordination. The disorder requires extensive therapy and services to manage daily living. Missing these appointments can have severe impacts on health – so why would Susan skip them? Ms. Lauren, a community health worker assigned to Susan’s family, noticed a trend of skipped appointments and decided to check in with the family.
Lauren found that Susan’s husband is wheelchair bound and in need of constant care, just like their grandson. Between providing 24/7 care for both her husband and grandson, Susan struggled to manage the paperwork and scheduling necessary for her grandson to attend school and therapy. Lauren discovered that the family didn’t have readily available access to a computer, where most of this paperwork could be found. That’s when Lauren reached out to the foundation.
For less than $200, Jess’s Sunshine Fund provided a laptop for Susan to manage her grandson’s care. The no more missed appointments led to no more unnecessary declines in her grandson’s health. Susan’s grant is one of the smallest distributions made by Jess’s Sunshine Fund, but it was profoundly impactful.
This technological barrier reveals a much larger truth: when we have a dedicated community health worker committed to the recognition, investigation, and improvement of the conditions that people are born, raised, and grow in, we can work together to create a healthier future.
Stories like Susan’s are just one of hundreds that I’ve been a part of at Berks County Community Foundation. Our relationships with community health workers in the county allow us to allocate donor dollars to essential health initiatives.
I’d like to give you another example of how collaboration with a community health worker made a positive impact on a family.
In 2024, a Berks County community health worker, Ms. Bobbi, noticed that Ms. Carmen, whose son has sickle cell anemia and Lowe syndrome, often rescheduled or missed her son’s necessary, recurring appointments in Philadelphia. After talking with Carmen, Bobbi discovered two things: first, Carmen’s car was in constant need of repair and wholly unreliable. Second, Carmen is a single mom, tasked with providing constant care for her son. As a young boy who is blind, non-verbal, and non-ambulatory, Carmen’s son has total dependence on his mother.
With Bobbi’s help and a written letter of recommendation, Carmen applied for our Arthur O. and Clara M. Schlegel Memorial Fund and was awarded the grant money needed to purchase a reliable vehicle. In Carmen’s case, and too often in Berks, non-medical factors impede our community’s health. We’ve all heard the cliché statement of, “I can’t afford to get sick right now.” Right now, it is our job to make a healthy life attainable and affordable for all.
Addressing the social determinants of health in Berks decreases health issues and lessens the burden on our community. Having a community health worker on your care team to identify both non-medical and medical needs is vital to ensuring positive health outcomes.
Berks County is a beautiful, diverse, and complicated region. We speak different languages, experience different life stressors, and hold vastly different beliefs. But our personal health is fundamentally interconnected with our community’s health. We need community health workers in our offices, clinics, hospital rooms, and mobile health services. Now more than ever, for ourselves and for future generations.
In closing, I want to leave you with one final thought. At Berks County Community Foundation, we have a quote on the wall of our boardroom from local philanthropist and industrialist Louis R. Thun; that reads,
“We remind ourselves constantly that we are heirs of an exceptional past, custodians of a challenging present, and architects of a limitless future.”
I believe that together, we can rise to the challenges presented to us today. I believe that we can build a more equitable, healthy, and vivacious Berks County. And to the community health workers of Berks County – thank you. Your work is invaluable and necessary. True change can start with a single spark, and we need yours.
Thank you.”
Reading, PA (June 12, 2025) – Home Health Care Foundation and Berks County Community Foundation announced that they have merged. Home Health Care Foundation became an affiliate of Berks County Community Foundation in 2020. The transaction adds $7.3 million to the Community Foundation’s assets.
Home Health Care Foundation was created in 2019 after the merger of Berks Visiting Nurse Association, the Visiting Nurse Association of Pottstown and Vicinity and Advantage Home Care with Tower Health.
For years, each of these organizations provided compassionate and much-needed care to the communities they served. In that spirit, the Home Health Care Foundation was created to support charity care and other programs for the good of the community.
The Community Foundation has supported the Home Health Care Foundation board over the past five years.
The merger between the two foundations creates a fund at Berks County Community Foundation that will support:
Programs and educational activities that promote the general health and wellness of Berks County residents or its contiguous counties
Organizations and programs that help the residents of Berks County or its contiguous counties recover from illness or disability at home
Organizations that provide health-related charity care for the residents of Berks County or its contiguous counties
Programs and activities that support preventative healthcare and community health.
Kevin K. Murphy, president of Berks County Community Foundation, stated, “Our board and staff are delighted to be carrying on the legacy of Berks Visiting Nurses Association. We look forward to continuing to support projects that help our residents remain healthy and active.”
Rabbi Brian Michelson, Chair of the Home Health Care Foundation board, commented, “The board of the Home Healthcare Foundation has confidence that the Berks County Community Foundation will utilize these funds to enhance healthcare in the Berks County community and support programs that enable individuals to age in place and avoid unnecessary hospitalizations. This mission honors the legacy of the Berks Visiting Nurse Association and its donors.”
For more information, please contact Monica Reyes, Vice President for Programs and Initiatives, at monicar@bccf.org. To learn more about Monica Reyes and the Community Foundation team, visit Our Team page.
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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.
As we age, maintaining strength, balance, and flexibility becomes essential for staying active and independent. Recognizing this need, the Home Health Care Foundation Fund of Berks County Community Foundation provided a grant to support older adults in their wellness journeys. Through a grant awarded to the TriCounty Active Adult Center’s Fitness Program, older people in the community now have greater access to a variety of fitness classes designed to improve their overall health, reduce the risks associated with falls, and provide general elder care.
The TriCounty Active Adult Center, formerly known as the Pottstown Area Seniors’ Center, is a nonprofit community center dedicated to serving individuals aged 50 and above across western Montgomery, northern Chester, and eastern Berks counties. With nearly 100 programs each week, many free or at a minimal cost, the center provides ample opportunities for elder care, so older adults can stay active, learn new skills, and connect with others.
“I decided to go to a class to check it out. It was then that I realized what I had been missing. I’ve met new friendly people and there are many things to do. It filled the void in my life. I felt I had a new life now. Something to look forward to,” one participant mentioned after attending a class.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2021 falls caused 38,000 deaths among those age 65 and older. The center offers a variety of classes for all abilities to help people over 50 improve their strength, stamina, flexibility, and balance to avoid falls and to reduce the severity of injuries when falls do occur.
The grant from the Home Health Care Foundation Fund of Berks County Community Foundation supports programs and organizations that benefit the health of residents in Berks County and surrounding counties. Since 2019, this fund continues to be a crucial resource for supporting health and wellness efforts across the region, ensuring that older adults have the tools and resources they need to age well. You can read more about the fund by clicking here.
Together, we can build a stronger, healthier future for all!
In Fiscal Year 2024, Berks County Community Foundation distributed $5.4 million in grants and scholarships to support the community. The year was filled with innovative projects, impactful programs and a strong commitment to our mission.
Berks County Community Foundation helps donors fulfill their charitable desires. The Foundation was established in 1994 as a non-profit, public charity to provide a locally managed resource for establishing endowments. We have program officers on staff who are experts in their focus areas – energy & environment, lifelong learning, health & human services, the arts, and neighborhood & economic development. They steward these charitable funds to ensure that the grants and scholarships awarded from them are making an impact and fulfilling our donors’ wishes.
“The work we do isn’t only about working with donors to establish funds. Nor is it just about awarding grants and scholarships. The team at the Community Foundation convenes local leaders, research national and local trends, and chooses initiatives on which to focus so community conversations get moving and big ideas are discussed”, Kevin Murphy, president says.
The Annual Report highlights our mission of promoting philanthropy and improving the quality of life for the residents of Berks County. The team works hard to bring organizations and individuals together for collaboration to spark change in the community. This year’s Annual Report provides detailed stories and data behind these achievements, underscoring the powerful impact of donor support in the community.
To read the full report, take a look below or click here.
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 byclicking 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.
In March 2023, the Berks County Commissioners released a study about public health in our community. The report had four recommendations on how Berks County can support a healthier community. Leading the conversation are T.J. Huckleberry and Dr. Michael Baxter. I sat down with the two and had questions for them about the report’s recommendations. Get ready for insightful answers from experts in their field.
Dr. D. Michael Baxter practiced medicine for over 30 years in Berks County. He was the chair of the department of family and community medicine at Reading Hospital and a director of the Reading Hospital family medicine residency program.
T.J. Huckleberry is the Executive Director of Berks County Medical Society. Berks County Medical Society serves members and the residents of Berks County, PA, with physician, hospital, and health-related information
Q: The commissioners released a report that provided four recommendations on how to create a healthier Berks County. What were your initial reactions to the report?
T.J.: This is the first tangible approach our county leadership has made towards addressing public health and wellness. It’s a great first step!
Dr. Baxter: The authors, Health Management Associates (HMA) of Philadelphia, did outstanding work reviewing the health problems and needs of Berks County. Their review and comparison of major health issues confronting Berks and five neighboring counties as well as comparing Berks with Pennsylvania and U.S. data was particularly enlightening.
Four recommendations:
1. Create a Berks County Health Director position to lead public health collective action and coordination and serve as a trusted communicator about public health information. 2. Establish a Public Health Advisory Panel and appoint members who can advise on public health assessment, assurance, and policy activities. 3. Support the establishment of a “Healthy Berks” coalition to serve as a coordinating body for public health efforts in the county. 4. Create a Berks County Health Data Analyst position to improve Berks County-specific public health data completeness and accuracy
Q: Why do you think it is important to educate the community on the report and its recommendations?
T.J.: These four pillars provide a blueprint for how we as a community can address and take control of our public health issues.
Q: If you had a magic wand, what are the top three wishes you would fulfill for Berks County to make it healthier?
Dr. Baxter: If I had to only choose three, I would like to see:
Improved access to care for everyone with or without health insurance by increasing the numbers of primary care and mental health providers in Berks (in the HMA study, Berks was at the bottom of the number of such health providers per population).
Healthier living for all (especially those with chronic diseases) by developing resources in the community for healthier diets and more easily accessed exercise and provider access.
Proven efforts to address drug abuse and violence (especially guns) which have a devastating impact, especially on many young people.
T.J.: In addition to what Dr. Baxter mentioned, I’d also like to see increased avenues for mental health awareness and services.
Q: What initiatives can be implemented to improve healthcare access for individuals in Berks County?
Dr. Baxter: Access for all health services is a top priority. Increase the number of primary care and mental health providers as previously noted, and implement approaches (involving our health care institutions, schools, and others) to make such access available and affordable. Explore school-based clinics as a high priority for the physical and mental health challenges, especially facing children and youth.
Q: In what ways can we address healthcare disparities among different communities within Berks County?
Dr. Baxter: One way we can address the disparity is to use the data available through this study and the Hospital Community Health Needs Assessments to address identified problems throughout the county. This would be a priority for a County Health Director and a County Health Data analyst.
Q: How can we promote preventive healthcare measures to ensure better health outcomes for all Berks County residents?
Dr. Baxter: Health disparities which include the Social Determinants of Health must be a priority for any successful efforts to improve the health/public health of all the people of Berks County. Resources need to be coordinated between health care institutions, educational and religious groups, and the media to shine light on issues, the people most in need and the resources to meet those needs.
Q: What collaborative efforts can be made to strengthen the healthcare infrastructure in Berks County?
Dr. Baxter: A top priority would be to see our major health care institutions truly work together to improve the health of our people, but I have been waiting over 30 years for that to happen. I would hope a County Health Director, if not the full impact of a County Health Department, could help achieve that. In addition, we have many excellent organizations including the United Way and the Berks Community Health Center that could join forces to address many of our health and social determinants issues.
Q: One of the county health report’s recommendations is to create a Berks County Health Director position. We were introduced to the functions and responsibilities of local health directors during the COVID-19 pandemic. When they aren’t addressing emergency public health issues, what are some of their day-to-day responsibilities?
Dr. Baxter: A County Health Director would collect and organize data (with the assistance of the Data Coordinator), set priorities based on needs, coordinate efforts, and energize support (including political advocacy) to get things done that make a true impact.
Q: How could the recommendations in the county’s report supplement the work of local hospitals and the community health center? How do they differ?
Dr. Baxter: Our local “not for profit” hospitals are required by law to conduct their Community Health Needs Assessments every 3 years. They take this process seriously and perform a very valuable service. However, they are not government bodies with the resources to change policy, invest in public funding or change the dynamics of our community. While they are responsible for improving health, much of their effort is focused on the emergency and acute care needs readily addressed by a hospital. They can assist in these public health efforts but that is generally not their primary function.
Q: About half of Pennsylvanians are served by a local or municipal health department. Why is it important for the county to have taken on the issue of public health in Berks County, when they commissioned this study?
T.J.: A public health structure in Berks County would place a magnifying glass towards the preventative health concerns facing our friends and neighbors while creating an advocate for state funding and support from Harrisburg and Washington to address these issues. Public health not only prevents and educates against the spread of diseases but promotes healthy living among our community.
Dr. Baxter: Although there are only 7 County and 4 Municipal Health Departments in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, these departments cover a large proportion of the residents of Pennsylvania and, I argue, represent, in general, the economic hubs in PA. There is a direct link between health and economic success–healthy people in general are more economically successful and their communities are also more successful and vice versa. It is a responsibility of government then not only to promote the economic well-being of their communities but also the health of the residents of those communities. Government, with the support of the many resources that exist in their communities, is best poised to address the disparities and promote the policies that will build stronger healthier lives for all.
“Gaining insight into why it is important to have a County Health Department is the first step. Our goal is to educate the community on the benefits of a public health department. Fortunately, because of the Community General Hospital Healthcare Fund of Berks County Community Foundation, we were able to support a community conversation that our friends at Berks County Medical Society hosted. The conversation was held in September 2023 and gave residents a chance to ask questions about the four recommendations that resulted from the study. The study was released by Berks County Commissioners and conducted by Health Management Associates in March 2023. You can access the report by clicking here.”
Cindy Milian, Health & Human Services Program Officer
READING, PA (May 25, 2022) – Five organizations have been awarded grants totaling $143,500 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 June 1 until August 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.
Programs that serve Berks County and/or those counties that are contiguous to it are eligible to apply. Berks County organizations receive preference.
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 $658,700 in grants since it was established at the Community Foundation in 2020.
The grants for this round of funding:
$40,000 to Berks Encore for its “Medically-Tailored Meal Program.” In this pilot program, 25 individuals will receive two medically-tailored meals and 1 snack per day, 7 days per week, for 12 weeks. Medically-tailored meals are delivered to those living with severe illness via referral from a medical professional. The diets are designed to improve health outcomes, lower cost of care, and increase patient satisfaction.
$40,000 to Western Berks Ambulance Association for ongoing cardiac monitor replacements.
$30,000 to Opportunity House to turn two storage rooms into bedrooms for shelter residents recovering from illness, replace 75 shelter mattresses, and support the salary of a new social worker who will coordinate a program for at-home testing and recovery from COVID.
$27,000 to the YMCA of Reading & Berks County for the “Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring Program,” which is designed to help adults with hypertension lower and manage their blood pressure by focusing on regular self-monitoring. The grant will cover the cost for 108 participants in the first year of this program, including blood pressure monitors and cuffs for each participant.
$6,500 to John Paul II Center for Special Learning for “Medical and Mental Health Crisis Preparedness.” The center said the pandemic highlighted the center’s need to expand its medical supplies and to train to respond more quickly to medical emergencies and mental health crises.
Below, a Berks Encore volunteer delivers “Meals on Wheels.” The Home Health Care Foundation Fund of Berks County Community Foundation has awarded a grant for Berks Encore’s pilot program that will deliver medically-tailored meals to those living with severe illness via referral from a medical professional. Two meal examples, lemon chicken and salmon, are pictured.
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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
