Penn Community Bank Shares Survey Results, Announces Giving Tuesday Grants
PERKASIE, PA (December 2024) โ Penn Community Bank, the largest independent mutual bank in eastern Pennsylvania, today released findings from its recent 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% of organizations reporting higher needs in 2024 and 42% citing “significant” increases โ straining budgets and volunteers.
Key findings highlight critical challenges across the region:
- 90% of organizations cite funding as their primary challenge
- 64% of organizations identify affordable housing as their top priority
- Mental health service demands increased for 58% of respondents, with youth services cited as a critical gap
- Food insecurity has risen dramatically, with food banks reporting a 300-400% increase in demand
“This assessment reinforces what we’re hearing from our community partners โ the need for support and resources continues to grow while organizations face increasing operational challenges,” said Bernard Tynes, Chief Experience & Impact Officer. “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.โ
In response to these findings โ 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 (www.score.org/buckscounty) – 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 their volunteer network of 10,000 business mentors.
- MontCo Anti-Hunger Network (www.montcoantihunger.org) – 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 their Food Resource Program while working to reduce barriers to food assistance.
- Laurel House (www.laurel-house.org) – 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.
For more information about Penn Community Bank’s commitment to thriving communities, visit https://penncommunitybank.com/thrive
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About Penn Community Bank: Penn Community Bank 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. As an independent, mutual financial institution, Penn Community Bank is not publicly traded and operates with its long-term mission in mind: to help businesses grow and prosper, to provide financial resources to individuals and families throughout their lifetimes, to strengthen the local economy, and to partner with local organizations to act as a catalyst for positive growth in every market it serves.
