Our Mission
About the Gilmore/Henne Community Fund
The Gilmore/Henne Community Fund of Berks County Community Foundation provides grants to revitalize parks and recreational facilities in Berks County, Pennsylvania. In addition, the fund provides financial support for Berks County students who engage in scholastic sports, who maintain a respectable G.P.A, and who will continue their education at the collegiate level.A Message from John Gilmore, co-founder of the Gilmore/Henne Community Fund and tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This country has experienced one of the biggest economic downturns in U.S. history. There are communities all across this nation that are struggling just like ours. We can complain, we can wait for government to fix the problems, we can continue to feel sorry for ourselves, or we can STAND UP! together in an effort to rebuild OUR town. This will take the support of the entire county. Take a look around you. Whether you're from Reading or Wyomissing or even further out, I'm sure you've seen a change over the past 15 to 20 years that is a little unsettling. You're probably asking yourself "Why parks and rec?"In order to revitalize our community we must start at the ground floor. Berks County parks and recreational facilities are the foundation. They are home for future engineers, accountants, bankers, artists, and community leaders. Everything that is heard or seen at these parks has a direct influence on our young people. It's imperative that these influences promote a healthy lifestyle. We are confident that changing the dynamics of how we maintain parks will create a feeling of accomplishment and self worth within the community, which in turn, will create these positive influences.
The Gilmore/Henne Community Fund is not affiliated with any government agency. This is a fund created for the community. Chad Henne and I are the founders of this fund. There are no personal or hidden agendas. It's our hope that the resources and programs associated with this fund will assist government and local neighborhoods in the renewal of our community and a brighter future for our local children.
Why Parks?
Clean and safe parks and recreation areas are key factors in maintaining healthy communities. Beyond the physical activity that playing in a park provides, well-tended parks are safe havens for young people - places where friends are made, bonds are formed, and the imagination has no limits. Parks exemplify the culture of the particular neighborhood they are located in. Typically, the community determines what a park is going to be.Grants from the Gilmore/Henne Community Fund are aimed at doing more than cleaning up local parks, although they will certainly provide that funding. The big picture is to strengthen neighborhoods by helping the people who live in these neighborhoods reclaim their parks, while maintaining the positive activities that already exist. These parks will be sources of community pride and will be looked after by the neighbors in the area. In turn, this will create community ownership.
Specifically, grants from the Gilmore/Henne Community Fund will:
- assist with graffiti removal, maintenance, and upkeep of community parks
- promote or host park programs
- bring in guest speakers and/or model citizens to interact with children
- keep a direct line of communication with designated Community Leaders who live near the parks
- facilitate communication between local government and the community
- build relationships with local and national companies for financial support
- demand a standard of excellence in and around the community parks
- promote healthy lifestyles
- make the children the primary focus
