We Need a Lift

Community Prevention Partnership of Berks County is a non-profit agency in Reading PA that provides a variety of educational and social service programs to families, youth and adults in Berks County to improve health and development outcomes.  The Partnership provided educational and supportive services to over 2500 children, families, and adults in 2013; including Veterans, first-time parents and their infants; elementary, middle and high school students; grassroots community groups, just to name a few.  All of our programs are grant and/or contract funded and do not allow for major building repairs or renovations.  Our building is in need of significant elevator repairs.  We are housed in a 4-story building (including basement) that has been our home for 14 years.  The building and the elevator are old.  The elevator stopped working in October 2013. Using the stairs is fine for staff when they are just going to their offices, but it is very difficult when we have program supplies or furniture that need to be moved between floors.  Also, our board/conference room is on the second floor.  This poses significant barriers for anyone coming to our offices who has a physical disability or injury and is unable to manage the stairs.  Please help us raise the money we need to replace our elevator. 

Current Programs of the Community Prevention Partnership:

Nurse-Family Partnership  Provides home visits from registered nurses that include partenting skills and child development education for over 350 first-time, low-income moms (mostly teens) from pregnancy through age 2. 

Parents As Teachers  Provides home visits that include parenting skills and child development education for 75 low-income families with a child age 0-5 years.

Parent Partner Program  Provides support to 75 families with a child in one of the child-serving systems, including special education, drug and alcohol, juvenile probation, and mental health/developmental disabilities.  This program helps parents navigate these systems.

Community Centered Healthy Marriage and Relationship Training  Provides healthy relationship education to 1500 students in the Reading School District and 200 students in the I-LEAD Charter School; and provides healthy relationship education, skill-building and job/employment enhancement to 250 adults, including some who are re-entering the community from the prison system.

Celebrating Veterans Families!  Provides 25 families with a 16 session workshop series that focuses on healthy behaviors and maintaining an alcohol and drug-free lifestyle.  The program targets families of Veterans where there is risk for drug and alcohol misuse and where there are children under the age of 18.  The sessions include a family meal, age-appropriate support groups for parents and children, and family reconnection sessions.

Kids Against Pressure  Provides skill building in an after-school program to 100 youth in 5 elementary schools in the Reading School District. 

Grandparents Raising Resilient Youth  Provides support and linkages to services for 15 grandparent-headed families where grandparents are raising their grandchildren, ofted due to drug and alcohol issues of the parents. 

Stay On Track  This is an evidence-based drug and alcohol prevention program for youth in grades 6, 7, and 8 in the Reading School District.  Approximately 1000 students participate in the 13-week curriculum each year.

Drug-Free Communities  Provides support to the grassroots Northeast Community Springboard Coalition to address youth drug and alcohol use in the northeast quadrant of the City of Reading, PA.  The Coalition engages the community in events, activities and efforts such as Town Hall Meetings, Social Norm Campaigns, Peer to Peer education, and informational workshops aimed at reducing the incidence of youth using alochol and marijuana. 

Circle of Friends Drop-in Center  Provides soicalization and support services to over 100 adult consumers of mental health services.  Breakfast, lunch and snacks are provided daily.  Consumers can work on job/employment skills, craft projects, exercise, and social activities. 

Berks TALKLINE  Provides free, confidential, nonjudgmental skilled listening services to callers of all ages and assists them in assessing their options.  On average, 6000 calls are received each year.