From Reading Area Community College
The Foundation for Reading Area Community College (RACC) proudly announces the launch of the public phase of its bold fundraising effort to support the construction of the Weitz Healthcare Pavilion. This transformational $19 million project will expand and elevate healthcare education in Berks County.
To date, the Foundation has raised more than $15 million through a powerful combination of public and private investment. The campaign will now enter an 18-month public phase aimed at closing the final gap — and ensuring this essential facility opens fully funded and ready to train the next generation of healthcare professionals.
“We are extremely grateful to those leaders who have enabled us to surpass all of our goals for the first two years of the Campaign,” said Executive Director of the Foundation for RACC, Anthony DeMarco. “Now, we turn to the Berks County community to help us complete this vital project. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a facility that will directly address the healthcare worker shortage in Berks County. We are building not just a structure, but a pipeline of skilled, local healthcare professionals who will care for our families, our neighbors, and our community.”
An argument can be made that the Weitz Healthcare Pavilion is the most important nonprofit project in recent history for our region. Berks County’s hospitals, senior communities, and healthcare systems are facing an unprecedented workforce shortage — and RACC is uniquely positioned to help. More than 90% of RACC healthcare graduates remain in Berks County, serving as nurses, medical lab technicians, respiratory therapists, and nurse aides in local institutions.
The new Pavilion will expand RACC’s current 15 healthcare programs and accommodate seven new offerings slated for the coming years. The Pavilion will house state-of-the-art classrooms, simulation labs, and clinical spaces to better prepare students for real-world care.
The Foundation is proud to recognize major public partners who have made this progress possible:
- $5 million in Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) funding, one of the most significant RACP grants ever awarded to a community college in Pennsylvania, thanks to the advocacy of Senator Judy Schwank and dedicated state legislators.
- $4 million from Berks County’s CBGB allocation, approved by the Berks County Commissioners, led by Chair Christian Leinbach.
- $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding from the City of Reading, with support from Mayor Eddie Moran, City Council President Donna Reed, and Past City Council President Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz.
“We are so appreciative of the lawmakers who represent Berks County. Their advocacy was vital in RACC receiving these incredible grants. I extend my sincere thanks to all of the legislators who represent Reading and Berks County on the state, county, and local levels,” noted RACC President, Dr. Susan Looney.
Berks County businesses, foundations, and philanthropists are an essential part of the success of the Weitz Healthcare Pavilion Campaign. A powerful array of Berks County leaders has already made commitments to this essential project. The Neag Foundation, the Breidlegam Foundation, the Wyomissing Foundation, the Janssen Foundation, Marlin and Ginger Miller, Jerry and Carolyn Holleran, Penske, Connors Investor Services, and Craig and Sue Perrotty have all made meaningful gifts to the Weitz Healthcare Pavilion Campaign. Dr Jerry Marcus made a particularly impactful gift by honoring award-winning faculty member Alayne Fessler with the “Alayne Fessler Center for Laboratory Science.”
“We are excited to reach the public phase of our campaign,” DeMarco added. “Everyone we speak to in our region understands the importance of the Weitz Healthcare Pavilion. There are currently 15 healthcare programs at RACC with plans to continue expanding our offerings. Over 90% of our graduates stay in Berks County after graduation. We are directly addressing the critical workforce shortage by providing highly skilled professionals to hospitals and healthcare facilities.”
Naming opportunities are still available for classrooms, labs, and offices within the Pavilion. Every gift will be recognized on a large plaque at the entrance of the Weitz Healthcare Pavilion. To learn more about the Campaign for the Weitz Healthcare Pavilion or to make a gift, please contact Anthony “Tony” DeMarco at ademarco@racc.edu.
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Source: bctv