Mission Endowment Spotlight: The Westview Hub
The West View HUB opened in June 2019, three months after receiving a grant from the Ethel L. Verney Foundation. Dedicated volunteers from Berkeley Hills Lutheran renovated an old bank in West View—accomplishing what would have cost over $120,000—for roughly $10,000.
Beyond library and computer access, the HUB enables collaborations with the community, schools, businesses, spiritual centers, and local leadership.
The first five months:
400 Library Cards issued: The HUB fills a gap for a community that previously had limited access to library services.
150 Summer Children’s Programs: Daily trips on the “airplane” for movies, paired with crafts, and books filled children‘s “passports.” Others came for chess club, computer classes, and reading programs. Free cones were awarded by the new ice cream shop for every 10 books read.
As students returned to school, programming refocused on serving the entire community. Many groups are offering creative ideas for a very active schedule.
After-School Tutoring: One of the greatest indicators of the challenges facing West View is academic performance. Local schools perform significantly lower than neighboring communities within the same school district. Partnering with the North Hills District, tutoring is offered by National Honor Society students.
Mindfulness Tuesdays: Meditation classes followed by yoga at the Borough Building (the HUB is out of space!).
1000 Books Before Kindergarten: At the HUB, preschool children participate in this national program with daily reading, crafts, and snacks.
Girl Scouts and Daisy Scouts: Local troops with nowhere to meet now use the HUB.
Field Trips: West View Elementary is only 1 block away. The HUB has become an ancillary resource for the school.
First Friday Oil Change: West View Express Lube donates $5 for every oil change. The HUB invites support from local businesses through donations, programs, and event sponsorship.
International Walk to School Day: HUB “DJ at the Door” greeted children and parents.
Other Programs: Flu Shots, Knitting Club, Dungeons and Dragons, Girls who Code, Music and Movement, Book Review Club, Medicare Planning, Tax Preparation.
Management: In addition to start-up costs, the Verney Grant provides rent, utilities, and two part-time employees who manage the facilities, programs, and hundreds of volunteers. A church board manages the grant.
A community board will coordinate programs and partnerships that reflect the needs of the community. Being a 501c3 entity enables the HUB to seek other grants and funding streams.
The HUB began with a simple question – “What could we do with a grant?” Listening to the needs of our community and the passion for ministry of our members, the HUB was born.
Pastor Heather Lubold
Co-Pastor, Berkeley Hills Lutheran Church