The council helps clients improve reading skills and language proficiency, prepares them for employment, helps students achieve high school equivalency certification, provides workforce development, and works with permanent residents seeking U.S. citizenship.<\/p>\n
Suddenly, however, the future of the organization appears uncertain as it anticipates federal funding cuts for its next fiscal year, which begins July 1.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never thought we\u2019d be in this position,\u201d said\u00a0Ryan Breisch, executive director<\/a>.\u00a0\u201cWe\u2019ve relied on federal funding since it was authorized in 1987.\u201d<\/p>\n Specifically, the Literacy Council of Reading-Berks depends on federal funds made available through the\u00a0Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)<\/a>, which was signed into law in 2014.<\/p>\n WIOA funds account for about 20% of the literacy council\u2019s total budget of $760,000, with other funding coming from the\u00a0United Way of Berks County<\/a>, the state, private donations, fee-for-service work with area businesses, and an annual fundraising event.<\/p>\n According to the U.S. Department of Labor, WIOA funds<\/a> are intended to improve the nation\u2019s workforce system by helping people attain high-quality jobs and careers while also assisting employers in hiring and retaining skilled workers.<\/p>\n And that, said Breisch, is exactly what the funding accomplishes.<\/p>\n \u201cThat funding pays for classes for students working to improve English proficiency skills so they can obtain employment or advance to higher-paying jobs,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd it helps us to keep the lights on in our classrooms and pay our staff members so we can continue to meet the needs of our community.\u201d<\/p>\n Clients Are Seeking Better Lives<\/p>\n Breisch, who has been employed by the literacy council for 30 years and has served as executive director since 2010, said people who find their way to the organization are self-motivated and prepared to work hard to advance.<\/p>\n \u201cThey want to make a better life for themselves,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd that ultimately results in better circumstances for our entire community.\u201d<\/p>\n Breisch spoke of Gabi, who moved from Brazil and, with help from the literacy council, was able to graduate from nursing school and obtain employment in the health care field.<\/p>\n He related the story of Juan Pablo, an industrial engineer who, with his American wife and children, moved to Berks County from Mexico in 2002 to care for his ailing father-in-law. Able to speak only Spanish, Juan Pablo sought help from the council, became proficient in speaking and writing English, and landed a meaningful job that he\u2019s held for 17 years.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have thousands of success stories,\u201d Breisch said. \u201cAnd when people are successful, they can contribute to the success of others.\u201d<\/p>\n Uncertainty Makes Planning Nearly Impossible<\/p>\n Ongoing uncertainty about its budget for next year has made planning for 2026 nearly impossible, according to Breisch.<\/p>\n On top of not knowing what will happen with its federal funding, Literacy Council staff worry that\u00a0Pennsylvania\u2019s ongoing state budget impasse<\/a>\u00a0could eventually result in adverse financial consequences.<\/p>\n And, explained Breisch, if federal funding does come through for 2026, which at this point is by no means guaranteed, it\u2019s unclear what conditions may be attached to it.<\/p>\n \u201cWe aren\u2019t giving out student handbooks at this point because we don\u2019t know what classes we can include in them,\u201d Breisch said. \u201cAnd we\u2019re planning on only doing a half-year budget for 2026 for now because we have no clue what will happen after June 30.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Ryan-Breisch-Ex.-Dir.-LCRB-rotated-1-768x1024.jpg\"\/)
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Ryan-Breisch-Ex.-Dir.-LCRB-rotated-1-768x1024.jpg\")
Ryan Breisch, Executive Director of The Literacy Council of Reading-Berks.<\/p>\n