About Us
Prospectus Berco is a private, non-profit corporation established in 1977 to
provide services to men, women, and children with disabilities and to the
elderly in Berks County. A volunteer Board of Directors
comprised of family members, business leaders, and other community
representatives governs the agency.
In March of 1977, Joseph Gousie and Jim Arnold, with a group of volunteers
from the Berks County Chapter of the Association for Retarded Citizens,
known as the ARC, founded Prospectus Associates, Inc.
When deciding on a name for the corporation, Joe and Jim looked for a name
that would be meaningful, but at the same time would not bring attention to
the disabilities of the individuals, but rather their abilities. The word
prospectus was found in an unabridged dictionary in Joe’s office. In
addition to its normal use within the business community and stock market,
it had an additional meaning of being able to see the potential in any
circumstance. Berco Industries was chosen as the name for the corporation’s
day program.
Prospectus Associates, Inc., Berco Industries became a provider of
innovative services for people with intellectual disabilities. The
organization grew and reached into five other counties besides Berks.
Eventually, it became apparent that people are best served in a county-based
system, so the services were turned over to local providers in all counties
with Prospectus Berco.
Today, Prospectus Berco, under the leadership of Jody H. Wagner, Executive
Director, provides many different programs and services for individuals with
intellectual disabilities or other special needs, and the elderly in Berks
County.
Prospectus Berco is located at 840 William Lane, Reading, Pa, home to our
Vocational, Senior Day, and Adult Day Services Programs, as well as our
corporate offices.
FAQ
: Frequently Asked Questions of Prospectus Berco:
How many people do your serve?
·
More than 500 Berks County men, women, and children with disabilities and
their families benefit from our services annually.
How many employees work for the agency?
·
Approximately 300 full and part-time professionals are employed to provide
services offered by Prospectus Berco.
How is Prospectus Berco funded?
·
The major portion of our funding comes from state and federal dollars
through PA Office of Developmental Programs (ODP), Berks County MH/MR, and
SAM, Inc. (Service Access Management). Additional funding is provided
through Pennsylvania Department of Aging, Children and Youth, fees for room
and board, transportation fees, and workshop contract income.
Does Prospectus Berco receive funds from the United Way?
·
No. When Prospectus Berco was founded as a spin-off of the ARC (Association
for Retarded Citizens), a United Way funded agency, the ARC retained United
Way funds for their advocacy work. Prospectus Berco chose to rely on
governmental funding available for the programs we operated.
Why does the agency need donations if the cost of services is met?
·
Prospectus Berco operates its programs and services within the budgeted
resources to meet programmatic needs. However, funds are needed for new
programmatic initiatives, physical site renovations, and upgraded equipment
to enable us to provide expanded or enhanced services.
How does Prospectus Berco measure the success of its programs?
·
The success of this organization is measured by the satisfaction of our
program participants and their families.
How does Prospectus Berco differ from other local agencies that provide
services to individuals with disabilities?
·
There are several ways that Prospectus Berco differs from other local
agencies. We provide individualized services and supports designed in
response to the varied needs and interests of each person involved with the
organization. Prospectus Berco is the primary provider in Berks County of
day program services for people with severe mental and physical challenges.
In addition to our varied array of services for people with disabilities,
Prospectus Berco is highly regarded for the programs we operate for Berks
County’s senior citizens. Celebrating more than 33 years as a service
provider makes us one of the oldest Berks County organizations specializing
in residential, day services, family support services, and foster care for
children. Proudly, we have professionals who have been employed at
Prospectus Berco since it was founded years ago, and 30% of our staff has
been employed for 10 or more years at Prospectus Berco. This kind of
experience and dedications says a lot about our organization.
Does Prospectus Berco have a constant source of contracts to provide work?
·
We are always looking for more contracts appropriate for individuals with
limited skills, and contracts that allow our workers to earn better wages
and develop greater production capabilities. Prospectus Berco currently
works with more than 30 companies nationwide providing them with quality
hand and mechanized assembler and packaging processes.
|
