Families staying at Hope Rescue Mission’s LightHouse Women & Children’s Center have a new place to play, connect and unwind.
The center opened a new playground adjacent to the facility that serves women and children in transition.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday afternoon drew donors, staff and community partners to the Hope Rescue Mission campus on North Sixth Street.
The playground, funded entirely by private donations, includes accessible play equipment and soft rubber surfacing for children of all ages and abilities. It also features a community art project called Sanctuary in Color, led by Alvernia University’s Total Experience Learning Institute, or TExpL, and sponsored by the Berks County Community Foundation.
Kate Alley, executive director of the LightHouse Women and Children’s Center at the Hope Rescue Mission, helps children cut the ribbon to the new playground in the 600 block of North Sixth Street on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
Hope Rescue Mission Director Robert Turchi opened the event by commending LightHouse Executive Director Kate Alley for her commitment to the families the center serves.
Alley has dedicated herself to providing safety, security, love, support, hope and a brighter future to every guest, Turchi said, calling the new play space the next step in her desire to see their many smiles and laughs.
The playground represents more than a recreation area, Alley said.
“This is more than a play space,” she said. “It’s a testimony that God rebuilds, God restores and God brings beauty out of broken places, one child at a time.”
The playground will give children moments of joy, moments of laughter and the opportunity to just be children, she said.
Alley thanked the donors who contributed to the project and the LightHouse staff and board for their support.
Turning to the center’s young residents, she offered one simple instruction: “Take turns, help each other and no superhero moves on the zip line.”
Michael Miller, TExpL’s artist in residence, said the Sanctuary in Color installation includes about 75 metal butterflies painted by volunteers, students and residents.
The pieces line the playground fence, symbolizing community collaboration.
The ceremony ended with a prayer of dedication led by Hope Rescue Mission board member Jean Heinly, who asked for safety and joy for everyone who uses the new space.
LightHouse Women & Children’s Center, which opened in 2023, is part of Hope Rescue Mission’s efforts to serve families experiencing homelessness in Berks County. The center provides housing, case management and support services for women and their children as they work toward stability and independence.