Student Philanthropy Council

Through the generous gift of Charles A. Frank, III '59 P'89 '90 and his wife, Elizabeth, Hill School students now have the opportunity to learn about the value and processes of philanthropy – and to provide funds to Pottstown organizations with missions that range from educating children to greening community parks. 

On Thursday, October 2, 2008, Mr. and Mrs. Frank visited campus to officially launch a new program – the “Student Philanthropy Council” (SPC). The Franks met with Caitlin Klein '09, the first president of the SPC; Tyler Gofus '09 the first vice-president; and the 12 young men and women who were selected from nearly 50 student applicants eager to serve their School and the Pottstown community through this distinctive experience (pictured on right). 

“We do not know of any other high schools in the nation that offer something like this, and there are only a few universities that claim a similar program,” said Klein, adding that Cornell, Davidson, and Colgate are a few of the colleges known to have created such endeavors. 

The Franks’ desire to establish a philanthropy program at The Hill was tied to their wide-ranging involvement with civic endeavors and to their passionate, shared belief that young people should volunteer their time and efforts to benefit their communities – and that, through such efforts, students will develop life-long philanthropic habits and interests. 

After much thought as well as some preliminary research, the Franks decided to make a generous gift of $35,000 to The Hill in 2008 for the purpose of establishing the SPC. To get the program started, Klein and Caitlin Manak '08 conducted research and created a “manual” regarding the operation of philanthropic organizations in the summer of 2008.

The 12 SPC representatives were selected by the SPC student leaders based on the quality of their written applications, interviews, and their sincere interest in committing considerable time to the group. The SPC met once a week to study the history and processes of philanthropy and – by Hill’s winter term – created and distributed Requests for Proposals to Pottstown area nonprofits. The students, with support from the group's first faculty advisers also visited the sites of the various organizations and spoke with each organization's respective administrators.  A dinner was held in the Center For The Arts on April 27, 2009 to honor the work of the SPC grant recipient organizations, and the first grants were awarded two days later.

The $20,000 remaining from the Frank’s initial gift was distributed by the SPC to the Pottstown community in 2010 and 2011. The funds for 2012 grants were generously donated by Dr. and Mrs. Clement C. Alpert, grandparents of a member of The Hill's class of 2011. In 2012, through the Franks' leadership and the generosity of several other donors, The Student Philanthropy Council became an endowed program at the School with the establishment of The Student Philanthropy Council Endowment in honor of Kay and David Dougherty.

2023 Grant Recipients 

Berks Connections Pretrial Services (Mothers’ and Fathers’ Voices Program)

This program allows incarcerated parents to create videos showing them reading children’s books. Recordings then are shared with their children. In this way parents and children can maintain and enhance their connections and ease their transitions upon the inmates’ returns to their families.

Foundation for Pottstown Education

Students in each of the Pottstown School District’s six buildings – from the elementary schools through the high school -- will work together with their teachers to create grant proposals for projects that will benefit their school. Eligible projects can be anything that enhance their school environment, touch as many children as possible; and fund items typically NOT funded by the school district.

Montgomery Child Advocacy Project

MCAP’s mission is to prevent and end child abuse.  The SPC grant will support the organization’s recent purchase of a therapy dog named Nutmeg, who helps witnesses – especially traumatized children – remain composed and calm during often overwhelming court experiences. The funding will help provide food and veterinary services for Nutmeg so she can do her best work.

Mother Goose Read to Me

This relatively new program is dedicated to promoting early literacy among parents and their babies among socioeconomically disadvantaged families in the Pottstown area.  Mother Goose partners with other agencies to give free age-appropriate books to parents and encourage them to read to their infants and toddlers. As the Mother Goose representative noted, the families who benefit from this program simply do not have extra money to spare for books as they are worried about being able to pay rent, buy food, and meet other day-to-day needs.

Pottstown FARM

Pottstown FARM, our local seasonal farmer’s market, will use this grant to encourage good nutrition and help underserved families stretch their food budgets.  Our funds will allow FARM to fill bags with fresh, sustainable foods such as tomato sauces, jams, and honey, as well as some fresh vegetables and healthy recipes.  Approximately 20 of these bags will be distributed to underserved families every other Saturday from May through October when the FARM market is held in downtown Pottstown.

Pottstown Historical Society

The SPC grant will allow Historical Society volunteers to rebind directories that date back more than 100 years.  In addition, the Society will purchase archival-quality materials to protect other irreplaceable documents. As more people dive into family genealogy and new investment occurs in Pottstown, the value of well-preserved local history has never been greater. 

Project Purpose

Project Purpose strives to provide low-income students with quality extra-curricular activities, with an emphasis on serving the students and families of Rolling Hills. Specifically, the SPC grant will help a STEAM curriculum club called Ignite, inspiring K through eighth grade students throughout the year with hands-on, scientific inquiry enrichment projects and field trips. Fifteen children will benefit through participation in Ignite with assistance from this SPC-funded grant. 

Schuylkill River Greenways

Receiving a partial grant, the SPC is helping to fund the Youth Watershed Education Program – a free program for youths ages 10-14.  Participants from the Pottstown area will learn about environmental issues, conduct water quality-related testing, and enjoy guided paddling experiences on the Schuylkill River. 

Steel River Playhouse

Steel River depends on donations to help it create professional-grade entertainment that contributes to our region’s cultural life.  Additionally, Steel River is committed to making arts education affordable to as many students as possible, regardless of their ability to pay.  The Playhouse will use this SPC grant to provide youth scholarships to Summer Camp and Summer Intensive Production programs.

Family Services of Montgomery County - $2,000

Family Services is a multi-service, nonprofit organization that has been serving residents of Montgomery County since 1900. They serve more than 12,000 residents annually through a variety of programs for children, families, and seniors. This year the SPC granted $2,000 for their Project HEARTH program, which has had an increase of service requests, yet a decline in donations. Project HEARTH offers five key services including professional in-home counseling, errand/transportation service, telephone reassurance, handyman chore service, and friendly visiting for the elderly. They also have employed a clinical social worker recently to help with the mental health of the elderly due to increases in counseling requests. 

Laurel House - $1,000 

Dedicated to the vision to end domestic violence, the Laurel House serves families in Montgomery County providing crisis intervention, counseling service, and preventative programs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Laurel House had to close their walk-in offices and thrift shops to their clients, while still providing virtual assistance and giving supplies like personal care items and clothing to clients who needed them. The SPC granted $1,000 for sanitizing stations to be placed at their office in Pottstown and thrift shop in King of Prussia when they reopen. These are the primary locations that support residents of Pottstown. 

Central Cultural Latinos Unidos (CCLU) - $1,775

Central Cultural Latinos Unidos (CCLU) is a bilingual bridge-building organization that is dedicated to enriching the lives of Latino youth and others by providing cultural, educational, and recreational programs along with social services to the greater Pottstown area. The SPC granted $1,775 to help fund their Ready for Life program. Obesity rates among Latino children are high in Pottstown, and the Ready for Life program aims to teach these children about how to make healthy life choices related to nutrition. The grant money will be used to purchase exercise equipment and a Zoom account. CCLU has enough space to conduct this program safely in person, with some overflow tuning into the class virtually via Zoom. 

Pottstown FARM - $2,000

The Pottstown Farm and Artisan Regional Market (FARM) is a grassroots initiative whose mission is to provide fresh, locally grown, agricultural products and hand-made artisan goods to the Pottstown area. The SPC granted $2,000 to support the Pottstown FARM's program that further aids low-income individuals who qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by providing them with additional money to spend at the market. Pottstown FARM gives SNAP recipients $5 in market coins that can be used to purchase essential/healthy foods. The grant will be used to increase this match to $10 per family, which will incentivize more visitors to the market and make healthy and organic foods more accessible to low-income families.

Steel River Playhouse - $4,246

Steel River Playhouse is a local, performing arts center whose mission is to strengthen the community, inspire creative exploration, educate, and entertain, through the presentation of quality performing arts events and education for diverse audiences. The SPC granted $4,246 to help fund scholarships for their summer programs: the Summer Intensive Production and the Summer Camp, each which runs for two weeks and ends with a culminating performance. Steel River has been hit dramatically due to the COVID-19 pandemic and has not had any income for the past 15 months. The award will impact many children in the Pottstown area as well as help revive the Steel River Playhouse.

Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities - $2,000

The Pottstown Cluster is an organization that seeks to meet basic needs and transform the Pottstown community through food security and personal care items. They also have a housing stability program that provides rental and fuel assistance. The SPC granted $2,000 to support the Cluster's Food Services/Security program, specifically to deliver staple foods to those individuals who can longer shop in person. Partnering with Smart Choice, an online and offline inventory system, the Cluster has created an organized and accessible client shopping experience.

Bon Homie Better Days Foundation - $3,000

Bon Homie Better Days Foundation is an organization whose focus is to provide opportunities for adults with special needs that result from aging, injuries, or disabilities. Its mission is to establish a sense of community within its members, giving clients the means of finding purpose, pride, and friendship through therapy, arts and crafts, and educational activities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the center closed and shifted to online activities so clients could still participate in their program. The SPC granted Bon Homie $3,000 to help provide virtual entertainment and educational programs for clients, including music therapy, musical groups, cooking, reading, games, and gardening. These activities provide a means of socializing and building relationships for clients, which helps better their overall wellbeing.  

Montgomery County Child Advocacy Project (MCAP) - $2,000

Montgomery Child Advocacy Project (MCAP) is an organization that provides legal services, education, and advocacy to help end and prevent child abuse. More than 140 thoroughly trained and background-checked volunteer attorney-advocates represent children to ensure their voices are heard in the courts and social service agencies. The SPC granted $2,000 to support training, operational fees, and background checks. The mission of MCAP has remained significant, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic as there has been a drastic increase in domestic violence.  

Good Samaritan Services - $1,400 

Good Samaritan Services gives immediate help to individuals who are currently homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. They serve around 400 people each year by granting them access to an emergency shelter, residential housing, and other housing support services. The SPC granted Good Samaritan $1,400 to fund two power generators for two houses in Phoenixville. An increase in major storms has led to the growing problem of power loss in the shelters; the generators will enhance the quality of life for the residents in these housing communities.

Foundation for Pottstown Education - $579

The Foundation for Pottstown Education supports, promotes, sponsors and carries out educational, scientific or charitable activities and objectives within or related to the Pottstown School District. The SPC granted $579 to help the Foundation fund a middle school Makerspace, giving students a creative and collaborative outlet to create and learn, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.