“ I wanted to see the world,” said Thomas, a former jet mechanic when asked why he joined the Air Force. His travels started with a school in Illinois and then he was stationed at Travis Air Force base in California. He honed his skills working on 141 and C5 planes....
Category: Development Team
Donor Spotlight: Berks Bulls
Recently we received a major gift from a local club that’s been around for over two decades. What made the Berks Bulls reach out this year? We asked member Brad Hall to fill us in. What is Berks Bulls? It’s an investment club. Currently, we have 21 members. I would...
Volunteer Spotlight: Carolyn Holleran
Carolyn Holleran brought warmth to our House this past blizzard-y season, dropping off 35 hand-knitted hats for the men, women and children who shelter here. Taught to knit by her grandmother, the local philanthropist has nearly always had needles and a skein handy....
Good Job!
Thanks to local employers who give a hand up, 75% of our shelter residents are earning a regular paycheck. In February 2018, Phillip Iraola passed a urine drug screen, the second step towards his new life. He’d aced Step One the day before: he’d passed his Commercial...
Client Success Story: Sgt. Corrin Mack
During April 2020, as the first wave of the pandemic hit, Corrin Mack was stuck. Bad. The Army veteran had deployed to Afghanistan and Kandahar Province. She’d earned a Bronze Star Medal and been promoted to sergeant on the battlefield. She was smart and resourceful...
Donor Spotlight: Roy and Eleanor Klock
Roy and Eleanor have always lived a life of service to others. Married 64 years, with two children, the couple has donated their time and treasure to Opportunity House for 27 years! Roy, a retired teacher, learned about us when he began to drive veterans from...
Volunteer Spotlight: Marge Vath, our “Pillow Lady”
Back in 2012, Marge Vath bought a sleep number bed. The store wanted to sell her pillows, and gave her a bunch to try. “What do you do with the pillows people don’t like?” she asked the store managers. “They’re thrown out,” they replied. Marge is a big recycler—“If it...
Opportunity House in Reading wins grant for food pantry
Berks County Community Foundation announced Thursday that it has awarded a $26,200 grant to Opportunity House to renovate a loading dock to create a food pantry at the shelter at 430 N. Second St. The project will provide much-needed fresh produce, dairy, and meat to...
Virtual School Plan for the Second Street Learning Center
SECOND STREET LEARNING CENTER PLAN TO SUPPORT VIRTUAL LEARNING BEGINNING AUGUST 31, 2020 FOR THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEARThe Second Street Learning Center has created a preliminary school plan for virtual learning for the children enrolled in our child care center. Our...
Opportunity House response to the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic
Effective Monday March 31, 2020, these are the policies Opportunity House will enforce during the Coronavirus COVID-19 Outbreak. Please recognize that the situation is fluid and these policies may be modified as needed. Thank you for your thoughts and support as...