(Never awarded or not awarded for several years)
ANTI-RACIST / ANTI-OPPRESSION
--GREATER READING IMMIGRATION PROJECT (GRIP) is a coalition of community volunteers working to raise awareness about immigration issues in Berks County through education, communication and advocacy. Our primary focus is to educate the community on the issues facing local youth and their families as they seek to continue their education, research possible paths to citizenship and safely become productive, contributing members of the community. Our donation will contribute to the scholarship to help undocumented college students (because they cannot not qualify for student aid or loans).
https://www.readinggrip.org/grip-dreamer-scholarship-fund/--CENTRO HISPANO: Centro Hispano has a shared vision for real change. Their mission is to support
and enhance the acculturation of the Latino population in the Greater Reading area through
collaborative initiatives designed to enable individuals to improve their quality of life and the quality of
life in their communities.
http://www.centrohispano.org.
---BERKS CONNECTIONS/PRETRIAL SERVICES: improves lives and creates safer, more prosperous communities by providing services, support, and community reintegration to individuals involved in the justice system and to their families. (previously awarded March 2019)
https://www.berksconnections.org/ECONOMIC JUSTICE
____ BLANKETS OF HOPE: This winter, over 500,000 Americans will be alone, homeless, and freezing cold. Blankets of Hope is a 501(c)3 organization created to fulfill a simple need - provide a blanket to someone needing a little warmth, and a little love. But it’s about so much more than a blanket - it’s about human connection. That’s why every blanket includes an inspirational note handwritten by students across the country.
https://www.facebook.com/BlanketsofHopeBerks____ HOPE RESCUE MISSION: Since 1894, Hope Rescue Mission has been a place of refuge for the homeless men of Berks County, PA. They offer residential programs wherein men can work their way through to transition back into the community as productive and independent individuals.
https://www.hopeforreading.org.
-------HABITAT FOR HUMANITY BERKS: Our vision at Habitat Berks is to be among the major housing leaders in our community for neighborhood revitalization by providing affordable housing and homeownership opportunities for our client families. Habitat for Humanity of Berks County (HFHBC) is an organization that believes all people deserve a decent life and the power to build their own futures.
EQUALITY
_____PROSPECTUS BERCO - We increase opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities and special needs through a well-run community home in Berks County that provides a family atmosphere. We organize activities and training and vocational support at on-site contracted work and off-site paid positions in local businesses (100 adults).
https://proberco.org/serv-residential/ _____ EQUALITY PENNSYLVANIA: Pennsylvania’s leading organization advancing equality and
opportunity to lesbian, gay, transgender people. They are committed to the core principles of fairness,
equality, equity, and justice for all Pennsylvanians. Our donations would be made to their 501(c)(3) public
charity and not to their PAC political organizations.
http://equalitypa.org------- FOSTER LOVE PROJECT: Provides love in action to foster children as well as support to the families who provide care for them. Based in Pittsburgh, they operate a free shopping center, a summer retreat for foster families, a teen connections group, and other events to benefit children and families in foster care.
https://www.fosterloveproject.org/____PLANNED PARENTHOOD KEYSTONE: Operates the Susie & John Stanley Health Center in Reading. Founded in 1916, Planned Parenthood is a trusted health care provider, educator, and passionate advocate here in the U.S. as well as a strong partner to health and rights organizations around the world. Each year, Planned Parenthood delivers vital sexual and reproductive health care, sex education, and information to millions of people.
https://www.plannedparenthood.org ___Mentors for Berks Youth guides students with potential toward post-secondary success by providing one-to-one relationships with accomplished, dedicated adults. The vision of Mentors for Berks Youth is to empower Berks youth to become assets in our community by nurturing and promoting their academic, social and cultural development.
http://www.m4by.org/EDUCATION / ADVOCACY
------ READING PUBLIC LIBRARY: Your gift to the Reading Public Library Foundation allows us to meet the greatest needs of Reading Public Library’s diverse patrons. We are an invaluable force in empowering children, teens and adults to explore, learn, and thrive through access to information. As a 21st century institution, we are well positioned to bridge the literacy, cultural and digital divides within our city and the Greater Berks County community.
http://readingpubliclibrary.org/----- MURRAY GROVE Retreat Center: Mission: To provide a sustainable center for retreat and renewal of spirit, mind, and body and the preservation of Unitarian Universalist history and heritage through educational opportunities, the arts, and prophetic outreach. Although the center is in NJ, it has supported the FUUBC for the past four years by donating a two-night stay for our annual auction. A few years ago, the TPUC elected to cut back 2/3 of their Murray Grove’s funding in order to support a special grant to replace our (FUUBC) Chalice House boiler.
www.murraygrove.org------ ONE SIMPLE WISH: Based in Trenton, NJ, work with over 700 social service agencies throughout the United States to collect wishes from kids in foster care, those who are aging out and other young people that are involved in our child welfare system in under-served communities. Based on the amount collected by FUUBC, the Social Justice Team will fully grant the wish of a child in foster care or contribute to OSW's college scholarship fund. Browse wishes on
https://www.onesimplewish.org/site/mediaENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
.------ BERKS NATURE: Serving the Berks County community since 1974. Land preservation, water protection, trail management, community gardens, education programs, State of the Environment, Eco-Camp and our valued partnerships are at the center of Berks Nature’s work every day. We hope you join us by becoming a Champion of Nature. You’ll enjoy exclusive benefits, while supporting programs that help connect people to nature and maintain the natural beauty of Berks County.
https://berksnature.org/