BCPS is now accepting nominations for the
Paul J. Hoh Life Improvement Award
This award recognizes "an individual, group or business that has furthered the mission of BCPS by improving the lives of offenders and returning citizens or their children or families, thus having a positive impact on them and the community as a whole".
If you would like to nominate an individual, group or business for this award, simply fill out the form below. Please submit your nomination by January 31st. For questions, email Michelle Tomczak at mtomczak@countyofberks.com.
Improving lives in our community by:
Building HOPE
Creating OPPORTUNITIES
Providing SECOND CHANCES
Strengthening CONNECTIONS
Award recipients will be chosen from the pool of nominees by the
BCPS Event Committee; recipients will be honored at our
Life Improvement Awards Breakfast on April 24th.
Past Paul J. Hoh Life Improvement Award Recipients
Pennsylvania Credit Union Foundation
BIG Vision Foundation
Millwood, Inc.
Marc J. Goldstein
George J. Vogel, Jr.
BCPS Mentors
Sydney Malick
Mary Lee Davis
City Light Ministries
Linda S. McCrea
S&S Structures, Inc.
Cougle’s Recycling, Inc.
Monterey Mushrooms, Inc. –Temple, PA
Cheri Burkert
Gary Hawkins
Hope Rescue Mission
YMCA of Reading & Berks County
PA Family Support Alliance
Thank you for supporting our Life Improvement Business!
Join us at this important event which recognizes those who have helped further our mission as a Life Improvement Business. We are happy to present the following individuals, organizations and employers as this year's recipients.
BCPS/Berks Connections is a nonprofit organization that provides pretrial services and reentry programming for individuals involved in the justice system, as well as services for their children and loved ones. Our reentry workforce development, housing, and mentoring programs equip returning citizens with the tools and support necessary to become productive members of our community. Our Family Connections programs serve to lessen the negative impact on children and families affected by parental incarceration.
Additionally, BCPS serves as the court appointed County Pretrial Services agency with services focused on interviewing and assessing defendants’ risk and providing the information to the Court, supervising defendants on pretrial release, and providing staffing and assistance to the county’s diversionary programs.
Berks Connections/Pretrial Services is proud to be certified by the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO) through their Standards for Excellence certification program. BCPS was one of the first organizations to be certified under the Standards program that began in 2002.
Holiday Gift Project
Our annual Care and Share Holiday party was held at West Lawn United Methodist Church on Saturday, December 8th. This special event is provided for all the families served through our Holiday Gift Project, which....
To learn more about this event and see pictures
$1,000
- Fund a Family Connections Event for 15 inmates
and their families
- Outfit 10 new workers with footwear, clothing and
bus passes
$2,500
- Fund Family Connections events for the year
- Help 50 returning citizens secure valid ID,
needed for employment
$1,000
- Fund a Family Connections Event for 15 inmates
and their families
- Outfit 10 new workers with footwear, clothing and
bus passes
$2,500
- Fund Family Connections events for the year
- Help 50 returning citizens secure valid ID,
needed for employment
$1,000
- Fund a Family Connections Event for 15 inmates
and their families
- Outfit 10 new workers with footwear, clothing and
bus passes
$2,500
- Fund Family Connections events for the year
- Help 50 returning citizens secure valid ID,
needed for employment
BCPS Family Connections programs and a portion of our reentry services are supported solely by community contributions, including event sponsorships. The support of sponsors allows BCPS to improve more lives every day!
Returning Citizens Career Fair
February 25, 2019 - 10am- 2pm
DoubleTree by Hilton, Reading, PA 19601
$5,000
- Fund a Career Fair for 250 returning citizens
- Help 100 returning citizens secure valid ID, needed for employment
$5,000
- Fund a Career Fair for 250 returning citizens
- Help 100 returning citizens secure valid ID, needed for employment
$5,000
- Fund a Career Fair for 250 returning citizens
- Help 100 returning citizens secure valid ID, needed for employment
To learn more about sponsorship and benefits please click on the PDF below.
$5,000
$2,500
$2,000
$1,500
$1,000
Career Fair Title Sponsor
Build HOPE
Create OPPORTUNITIES
Provide SECOND CHANCES
Strengthen CONNECTIONS
Volunteer Shift Times
10AM - 12PM
12PM - 2PM
If you are interested in volunteering or learning how you can support and assist job seekers, please contact Tiffany at tmiller@countyofberks.com or
610-478-6920 X 3933
Employers
Host a booth at no cost and interview job seekers.
For more information or to register, please contact BCPS Employment Development Specialist, Kathleen Stone, at kstone@bcpsreentry.org
or
484-260-3860
Many volunteers will be needed to help in the following areas:
Registration, job application
assistance, and general job
readiness coaching and support.
All volunteers and employers receive coffee and lunch.
Directions
Parking at the DoubleTree is free. Enter the hotel parking garage through the Penn Street entrance.
Help BCPS improve more lives by providing
Hope, Opportunity & Second Chances
An Important Message from BCPS...
Berks Connections/Pretrial Services is committed to justice in every sense of the term.
In the course of carrying out our mission, we are reminded on a daily basis of the effects of systemic racism and inequality on the lives of people of color. It is inextricably intertwined with higher unemployment rates, homelessness, and a myriad of issues that those we serve face on a daily basis.
As the nation reels over the death of George Floyd, systemic injustice, and the subsequent violence, we want to take a moment to reach out to our black and brown team members, volunteers, colleagues, friends, and those we serve to acknowledge your pain and anguish, to acknowledge that black lives matter and to let you know that BCPS is committed to continuing our work with you to be a positive force in the community - together we can move forward towards justice for all, equality, and a better world.
We stand together for change.ea
BCPS Annual
Life Improvement Awards Breakfast
September 9, 2020
7:30AM-9:30AM
DoubleTree by Hilton
Our thoughts remain with everyone as we go through this challenging time together.
Stay safe and healthy. We look forward to gathering together at this later date.
For Registration information and list of our Award Recipients....
Life Improvement Achievement Awards
Become a Sponsor
Please click below for information on sponsorship opportunities.
In celebration of our 45th Anniversary, we will be sharing the successes of former BCPS clients who are now making a difference in our community.
Join us to celebrate their achievements!
Reserve your seat - $45/ person Reserve your Table - $400/table of 10
Sponsor a table - $400
Donation to cover the cost for our clients and their family members to attend
$1,000
- Fund a Family Connections Event for 15 inmates
and their families
- Outfit 10 new workers with footwear, clothing and
bus passes
$2,500
- Fund Family Connections events for the year
- Help 50 returning citizens secure valid ID,
needed for employment
$5,000
- Fund a Career Fair for 250 returning citizens
- Help 100 returning citizens secure valid ID, needed for employment
2019 Life Improvement Awards Breakfast
Paul J. Hoh
Life Improvement Award Recipients
More than 300 community members joined us for our Life Improvement Awards Breakfast held at the DoubleTree Reading on April 24th. Together we celebrated the power of hope, opportunity and second chances. Congratulations to our 2019 Paul J. Hoh Life Improvement Award recipients: Linda A. Bell, Mary Thomas, Richard Durina, Walter R. Gensemer, Boscov’s, Champion Personnel, Empire Group of Reading, PA, Magisterial District Judges of Berks County, and University of Cincinnati Corrections Institute.
Special congratulations to our 2019 Life Improvement Ambassador, Megan Huesgen. Your inspiring message challenges all of us to find and see the good in others, lend a helping hand and strive to make a difference. Together we can go further….
Improving lives in our community by:
Building HOPE
Creating OPPORTUNITIES
Providing SECOND CHANCES
Strengthening CONNECTIONS
BCPS/Berks Connections is a nonprofit organization that provides pretrial services and reentry programming for individuals involved in the justice system, as well as services for their children and loved ones. Our reentry workforce development, housing, and mentoring programs equip returning citizens with the tools and support necessary to become productive members of our community. Our Family Connections programs serve to lessen the negative impact on children and families affected by parental incarceration.
Additionally, BCPS serves as the court appointed County Pretrial Services agency with services focused on interviewing and assessing defendants’ risk and providing the information to the Court, supervising defendants on pretrial release, and providing staffing and assistance to the county’s diversionary programs.
Berks Connections/Pretrial Services is proud to be certified by the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO) through their Standards for Excellence certification program. BCPS was one of the first organizations to be certified under the Standards program that began in 2002.