Guzman announces nearly $500,000 Grant for Reading Violence Prevention Initiative
Rep. Manuel Guzman April 15, 2026 | 3:57 PM
READING, April 15 – Today, state Rep. Manuel Guzman announced that $499,984 in grant funding will be allocated to launch EMPOWER Resilience, a new violence prevention initiative serving youth in Reading.
Olivet Boys & Girls Club of Reading and Berks County will receive the funding from the FY 2025-26 Violence Intervention and Prevention grant, under the direction of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. More than $60 million in state funding was given toward these grants in FY 25-26 to better address community violence throughout the commonwealth.
The EMPOWER Resilience initiative aims to serve youth ages 5-18 in Reading, particularly those in neighborhoods with elevated risk factors. The program will engage in mentoring and supervision with children across six club sites, operating during high-risk after-school and summer hours. With the funding, the program would be scaled to serve approximately 1,000 youth annually.
“The Boys & Girls Club is a staple in our communities, and I’m ecstatic to see it receive this funding to expand its footprint in Reading,” Guzman said. “After-school and summer programs give our youth structure, community and a place to express themselves in a positive way. I look forward to seeing EMPOWER Resilience make a real difference, and I thank the state for the funding.”
Olivet Boys & Girls Club CEO & President Rick Perez also applauds the investment into his program.
“Olivet is excited for this great opportunity to expand its programming and impact to our youth,” Perez said. “We are thankful for the support of our stakeholders and belief in the upward trend of Olivet. The future is bright!”
More information on VIP grants and other violence prevention initiatives is available on the Commission on Crime and Delinquency website at pa.gov/agencies/pccd.