Community Involvement

Recently, Penn East and Brewster’s Safety Training hosted the Stop the Bleed Program for our community members! Attendees learned how to apply lifesaving techniques, such as tying tourniquets and packing wounds. Thank you to Ken Brewster for providing safety insights and training our members on ways to properly navigate perilous bleeding situations!

Several local schools and pre-schools welcomed Penn East volunteers during their Read Across America week: Lackawanna Trail, Dana Street Elementary, McNichols Plaza Elementary, and Little Visionaries Early Learning Center.  Penn East enjoyed celebrating the gift of reading and informed several grades, Pre-Kindergarten to 3rd grade, the importance of literacy in the workplace! Penn East will always believe in having a positive impact on our communities, and that includes our youngest members!

This past weekend, Penn East took a dive at the annual Polar Plunge, hosted by the Special Olympics Pennsylvania! The Northeast PA Region raised over $100,000 in support of programming for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities in our communities. Thank you to everyone who participated and donated to such an incredible cause.

Penn East and Brewster’s Safety Training held an interactive and informative CPR and Safety Class for our community!

Together, attendees learned valuable dos and don’ts of proper CPR application and AED protocols through practical hands-on training, and how to react in a future medical crisis. Also, we want to give a round of applause for our dedicated educator and guest, Ken Brewster!

Our 2025 year ended wonderfully with commitment, cheer, and community!

The results of our 5th Annual Holiday Food Drive were astounding. Penn East CU members and staff collected over 500 pounds of nonperishable food items to donate to CEO Weinberg Food Pantry. Furthermore, this drive accumulated roughly $700 in monetary donations for the receiving organization.

Thank you to our participants! You illustrate the core value of people helping people.

Penn East partnered with Allied Skilled Nursing and Outreach to spread some joy this holiday season! 

Penn East adopted 25 Allied Residents and 7 Angels from the Giving Tree Program and Adopt an Angel program, respectively. All in all, Penn East fulfilled 35 Christmas wishes before jolly season ended. With these collaborations, Penn East provided a little bit of the jolly Christmas spirit to several families while enjoying the act of gift giving. 

In light of The Milinda Project, Penn East donated $5,000 to no-kill shelters and organizations that advocate for animals, pets, or pet owners. Each organization received $1,000 each for their dedication to our four legged friends; Penn East is beyond grateful to recognize the impact of Mureille’s Place, PAWsitively for the Animals, Indraloka Animal Sanctuary, Pattie’s Waggin’ Tails Sanctuary, and Dessin Animal Shelter. It is just another way Penn East demonstrates our motto of people helping people… and that extends to animals, too!

Penn East welcomed the surrounding communities to our annual Trunk-or-Treat on October 29th, 2025! Between entertainment from the Prospector from Rock 107, a fiery performance by Black Magic Circus, spine-chilling wandering characters, and even the famous stilt-walker, Dani Long Legs, Circus Arts, and Penn East’s amazing staff members who’ve either manned the gates or designed one-of-a-kind trunks, roughly 600 kids were able to enjoy a frightfully fun evening filled with gathering candy showing off their thrilling costumes! With the help of our attendees, Penn East determined the “Best Trunk” for this year’s event: Crayola Crayons!

Thank you to all of our volunteers and outside vendors who came to celebrate Halloween!