NEW! Watch Albert Boscov Discuss His Hopes for Downtown Reading's Revitalization and the Foundation's Building

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Mr. Boscov Video (4 mb, smaller file)
Mr. Boscov Video (7 mb, larger file)

Berks County Community Foundation is a civic leader for our region.  By connecting people, resources and ideas, the Community Foundation has helped improve the quality of life for the residents of the county.

In just thirteen years, The Community Foundation has become one of the most important forces for progress in the community.  Its work to coordinate economic development planning, support the relief of poverty, enhance law enforcement and provide independent data on the community’s health and vitality has positively affected the quality of life in virtually every corner of the county.

A Permanent Place

As the Community Foundation enters a new era of service to our community, it needs a permanent home. As the only organization in Berks County that is permanently endowed solely for the betterment of the community, the board of directors has mandated that the foundation embody its permanence not only in its policies, but also in its physical manifestation.

Like most community foundations, Berks County Community Foundation’s impact on the community vastly exceeds its visibility. The primary reason to create a permanent headquarters building is to increase the Community Foundation’s visibility. While you can’t typically “see” a grant, residents of the community will be able to see the building, a constant reminder of the Community Foundation’s work.

Closely related to this is a desire to demonstrate our permanence and stability to the community. Many charitable organizations exist to fill needs that are (at least hopefully) temporary. All of us look forward to the day when we won’t need AIDS-related organizations, for instance, because the disease has been eradicated.

Community Foundations, on the other hand, were created specifically to exist in perpetuity as solid, well-established and successful supporters of their regions. The Community Foundation’s building will convey that message through its design and its use.

Click on a link below to learn more:

A Permanent Place
A Good Location
One Building: Three Unique Spaces
A Living Building
Frequently Asked Questions
The Design Team
What Makes it "Green"?
What Can I Do At Home?