Michelle Tomczak

Connections Work is proud to recognize Michelle Tomczak as the 2023 Life Improvement Ambassador.

In her 32 years working at BCPS, now Connections Work, Michelle has worn many hats, always rising to the occasion to meet the needs of our clients and our organization. She played a key role in our many successes.

​Most knew her as either the Director of Volunteer Programming or Development Director. In these roles, Michelle cultivated relationships throughout the community, leading people to volunteer with us, some for many years, even decades. Those volunteers have been the lifeblood of our organization.

​Through her leadership, Michelle expanded Connections Work volunteer programs, many of which positively impacted children and families of incarcerated individuals, including the Mother’s / Father’s Voice program at the Berks County Jail, where volunteers record incarcerated mothers and fathers reading a story to their child. This not only provides a sense of closeness between the parent and the child that would otherwise not be possible, but also promotes the importance of reading.

​Michelle coordinated the Holiday Gift Project, where she worked closely with Alice Moyer and the West Lawn United Methodist Church to expand the project from serving a few hundred children a year and grew it to serve almost 1,000 annually.

​In 2020, Michelle stepped into the role of Specialized Case Manager to help develop and launch a new program at Connections Work: WIP (Work In Progress). WIP is a comprehensive program for justice-involved individuals who also have a serious mental illness and are currently receiving case management services with a mental health provider. Through her diligence, WIP has become a successful program at Connections Work, impacting some of our most marginalized clients.

​Those who know Michelle know she is kind, selfless, and devoted to our mission. As Connections Work grew, Michelle rose to meet new challenges, never hesitating to jump in to fill a role or take on a project whenever and wherever needed. We would not be where we are today without her energy, expertise, and commitment.