The largest and most ubiquitous community organizations are related to the relig
The largest and most ubiquitous community organizations are related to the religious congregations situated within the Northwest Reading section (J. Slifko, personal communication, March 18, 2017; T. McMahon, personal communication, March 13, 2017). According to Father Garcia of St. Margaret’s Catholic Church, many informal groups, such as youth groups and charity groups, have been directly and indirectly operated by churches, while others utilize the church as a networking hub in order to mobilize the community. Garcia spoke of his church’s current efforts to have an official youth group, but they are having trouble, as most of the people interested in running it are adults. (A. Garcia, personal communication, March 13, 2017).
Similarly, former city mayor Tom McMahon states that City Council and the local city government are increasingly working with churches to mobilize various communities, as they are valuable resources in efforts to reach out to local residents (Personal communication, March 13, 2017).
Historically, a major institution in the neighborhood had been the Reading Railroad YMCA on 6th Street, which had been a staple of the community from 1896 until its closing in 1969, moving to Washington Street in downtown Reading. The former YMCA building is now the Hope Rescue Mission, a homeless shelter (Kelly, 2016).
Here are some notable examples of current formal institutions:
Berks History Center
The Berks History Center was founded in December 1869 when local Reading residents and community leaders saw a need to collect historical documents and objects for reminiscence and education. Meetings were held on 6th street outside of the neighborhood, and the Historical Society did not have a dedicated building until 1904 at 519 Court Street in downtown Reading. With all the objects and documents being collected by the Historical Society, they grew out of their building. Construction for a new Berks History Center building began in 1928 on Centre Ave, and was completed in October 1929, where the Center stands to this day. Requiring more space in 2008, the Historical Society purchased and renovated the former M&T bank building located directly behind the Center, turning it into the Henry Janssen Library (“About Us”, n.d.).
GoggleWorks Center for the Arts
The GoggleWorks is located in the building that was once Thomas A. Willson and Co., the world’s first manufacturing facility for optical glasses. The business became famous for patenting the process for creating shatterproof glass in 1876. Keeping with their reputation for having impeccable safety standards, T.A. Willson and Co. began making safety glasses, and through the 1900s, a variety of safety equipment, such as ear protectors and gas masks. By 1939, T.A. Willson and Co. became Willson Products, and was developing aviator goggles and oxygen masks for fighter pilots during World War II.
When the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) was passed in 1970, which required employers to provid