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First United Church of Christ Mission Fund awards $36,900 in grants

Jun 20, 2018 • by Berks County Community Foundation
First United Church of Christ

READING, PA – An inaugural round of grants was awarded recently by the First United Church of Christ Mission Fund of Berks County Community Foundation.

The fund awarded 10 grants totaling $36,900 to organizations that supply a variety of services, from feeding those in need to providing summer camps to children who otherwise couldn’t afford the experience.

In 2017, after 264 years at 611 Washington St., the First United Church of Christ historic building was given to Reading City Church. The First United Church of Christ’s endowment was transferred to Berks County Community Foundation so that the church’s mission can continue.

This year’s grants:

$16,253.70 to Reading City Church to pay for organ tuning, carpet cleaning, boiler repair and inspection, and exterior repairs and painting.$6,000 to Little Acts of Love for its Blessing Berks: Little Acts of Love Summer Service Camp, which is a week for local youth who cannot otherwise afford camp to serve in the community by day and participate in camping experiences in the evening.$2,750 to First Senior Center of St. Peter’s United Church of Christ to provide seniors with interesting programs, warm meals, and fellowship.$2,948.15 to the Salvation Army of Reading for its Summer Day Camp program.$2,948.15 to New Journey Community Outreach Inc. for its Fighting Poverty, Feeding Hope program, which feeds, clothes and supports those in need.$2,000 to St. Peter’s United Church of Christ for its Opportunity House Service Group, which provides hot, nutritious meals to the homeless residents of Opportunity House in Reading.$1,000 to Bethany Children’s Home for summer incentive trips. Youth will plan, budget, pack, and coordinate meals for trips to Ocean City, Md.$1,000 to YMCA of Reading and Berks County for its summer safety initiative that will promote a safety-conscious attitude among children as they engage in aquatic and outdoor activities.$1,000 to the LGBT Center of Greater Reading to start a Brown Bag Lunch program for seniors that will help them become more connected with each other and the overall community. Expenses include material for writing, art, and film discussion classes.$1,000 to support programs at Berks Youth Chorus.

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