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...
Volunteer Spotlight Jennifer Dinatally
When did you start to volunteer at OppHouse? I started to think about doing “something” in the community 6 or 7 years ago. Because I love to cook, and food is love to me, I really felt pulled to serve meals here. I finally stopped procrastinating and signed up for my...
Spotlight on a Long Time Donor: Quaker Maid Meats
“We live here, we give here.” —Serge Szortyka, President, Quaker Maid Meats How and when did Quaker Maid get involved with Opportunity House? We’ve been donors since 1995, when your organization was still The Reading Berks Emergency Shelter. We wanted to help a local...
From Homelessness to Homeowners
Several years ago, their eyes locked across the garden area where our clients relax. Kevin had arrived at the shelter first; Monica, a month later. It was love at first sight, and their feelings were definitely not encouraged. “You’re not supposed to date here,”...
What Opportunity House Does for Vets
The world had seemingly given up on Scott, a Navy veteran. But with your help, Scott built a new life from scratch: a rewarding job, his own little place, and a meaningful, productive life. After a normal life and 20 years of full-time employment in warehouse work,...
Second Street Learning Center at Opportunity House Attains 4th Star
Second Street Learning Center at Opportunity House Attains 4th StarOpportunity House Second Street Learning Center has been awarded 4 STARS (highest honor) by the Keystone STARS program. Established by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Keystone STARS...
Client Spotlight: Maria Torres
Drugs didn’t break her. Nor did a tumultuous relationship or a health scare. Smart and articulate, Maria is a survivor. It just took her a minute to find her stride. Maria, 43, grew up in Reading with her mother and two sisters. When she was 26, her...
President’s Letter
Dear Friends, This year we have much to be thankful for and many people to thank. We had a high school group called Berks Youth in Action raise $19,000 through their Rave Dance that 500 students attended. Steve Moyer Subaru raised $21,155 for us through their Share...
Using Healthcare to Give Back to Community
Using Healthcare to Give Back to Community By: Travis Hoshauer In July of 2016, the Berks Community Health Center opened its doors to the community on the second floor of Opportunity House. Lisa Gooch, a Nurse Manager at Berks Community Health Center, oversees the...
Client Success Profile
Success Story: Timmica Alexander Timmica Alexander, mother of five, currently works at the Warehouse for OppShop. Alexander currently resides in a transitional housing unit across the street from Opportunity House. Alexander said, "[Opportunity House] helped me get...