$307,800 awarded to 59 nonprofits

The Berks County Community Foundation has released $307,800 in emergency grants to 59 Berks County nonprofit organizations to fill gaps in funding that have occurred as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The funding from the foundation’s COVID-19 Nonprofit Continuity Grants program will help with unexpected expenses or revenue losses that are not otherwise recoverable by the stimulus measures that the government has put into place.

The disbursements from this program could not come close to satisfying $2,435,203 in funding requests the the foundation received from 173 organizations.

“We are working to seek additional resources to assist local nonprofits because we know

that government stimulus measures and our emergency grant program will not be enough to sustain all of our local nonprofits,” said Kevin K. Murphy, foundation president. “Many of these organizations are working harder than ever, expending more resources than before, and facing unprecedented financial hardship.”

The foundation recently surveyed Berks nonprofits and the responses indicated tremendous financial stress in every part of the nonprofit sector, said Heidi Williamson, foundation senior vice president for programs and initiatives.

“Organizations from across Berks County need assistance,” she said. “Some, like the local food pantries, are working every day to meet a growing need among friends and neighbors, many of whom never had to reach out for help before. And as the recovery begins, all of the places that make a community feel like home — think of the arts venues, nature trails, historical societies, libraries, faith groups and so many others — will need financial support to restart their work.

“People often ask us where they should donate. Our best guidance is to make as generous a contribution as you comfortably can to the organizations that matter most to you.”

The following grants were distributed: $20,000

• GoggleWorks Center for the Arts

• Helping Harvest

• Opportunity House

• The Salvation ArmyReading $15,000

• Berks Coalition to End Homelessness $10,000

• Berks Nature

• Boyertown Area MultiService

• New Journey Community Outreach

• Olivet Boys and Girls Club

• Prospectus Berco

• Reading Recreation Commission

• The Salvation ArmyBoyertown

• The Salvation ArmyService Extension (Northeast Berks) $7,500

• Shady Hollow Assisted Riding $7,300

• Hannah’s Hope Ministries $6,000

• Fleetwood Area Public Library

$5,000

• Breast Cancer Support Services of Berks County

• Centre Park Historic District Inc.

• Habitat for Humanity of Berks County

• Hope Rescue Mission

• Our Town Foundation (Hamburg)

• Studio B (through Building a Better Boyertown)

• YMCA of Reading and Berks County

• Yocum Institute for Arts Education $4,000

• CASA of Berks County $3,800

• The Rudden Family Foundation $3,500

• Leesport Lock House Foundation $3,000

• Crisis Pregnancy Center of Kutztown $2,500

• Art Plus Gallery

• Berks Sinfonietta Inc.

• Clay on Main

• Genesius Theatre

• Hamburg Area Historical Society

• Opus One Berks Chamber Choir

• Reading Choral Society

• Reading Theater Project

• Ringgold Band Inc. $2,000

• Boone Area Library

• Exeter Library Association

• Kutztown Community Library

• Mifflin Community Library

• Village Library of Morgantown

• Muhlenberg Community Library

• Oley Valley Community Library

• Schuylkill Valley Community Library

• Spring Township Library Association

• Bernardine Franciscan Sisters

• Hamburg Volunteer Forest Fire Crew Inc.

• The Kidney Foundation of Central Pennsylvania

• The LGBT Center of Greater Reading $1,500

• Leesport Area Historical Society $1,000

• Berks County Genealogical Society

• Berks Military History Museum

• Fleetwood Community Theatre

• Reading Flotilla training base

• The Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead $900

• First Unitarian Universalist Church of Berks County

• Fleetwood Community Bus Inc.

• Million Youth Chess Club