Penn Community Bank recently released findings from its community needs assessment which surveyed dozens of nonprofit organizations across its five-county footprint.

The assessment reveals significant increases in service demands, with over 70 percent of organizations reporting higher needs in 2024 and 42 percent citing “significant” increases — straining budgets and volunteers.

Key findings highlight critical challenges across the region:

• 90 percent of organizations cite funding as their primary challenge.
• 64 percent of organizations identify affordable housing as their top priority.
• Mental health service demands increased for 58 percent of respondents, with youth services cited as a critical gap.
• Food insecurity has risen dramatically, with food banks reporting a 300-400 percent increase in demand.

“This assessment reinforces what we’re hearing from our community partners; the need for support and resources continues to grow while organizations face increasing operational challenges,” said Bernard Tynes, Chief Experience and Impact Officer at Penn Community Bank. “As a community-first organization, we understand that banks have an obligation that extends beyond just financial services. These insights will not only help shape our community impact strategy for 2025 but also highlight the importance of serving as a corporate citizen.”

In response to these findings — and with gratitude to responding nonprofits — the Penn Community Bank Foundation is awarding three Giving Tuesday grants of $2,500 each to the following organizations, selected from survey participants:

• SCORE Bucks County: A nonprofit resource partner of the SBA providing free business mentorship and resources to help launch and grow small businesses. In 2023, SCORE’s national network helped launch over 31,000 new businesses and create more than 152,000 jobs through its volunteer network of 10,000 business mentors.
• MontCo Anti-Hunger Network: Founded in 2014, MAHN coordinates a network of over 70 food pantries and meal providers across Montgomery County, distributing more than 860,000 pounds of food annually through its Food Resource Program while working to reduce barriers to food assistance.
• Laurel House: A comprehensive domestic violence agency serving Montgomery County since 1980, providing critical services including a 24-hour hotline, emergency shelter, transitional housing, counseling, legal advocacy, and preventive education programs to support survivors and their families.

Learn more at Penn Community Bank, its commitment to thriving communities, and how it holds more than $2.9 billion in assets, employs more than 300 people, and offers banking and lending services at financial centers throughout southeastern Pennsylvania.