WRC / Women's Resource Center
Domestic violence and safety support listing reviewed from public website sources. Call directly for current hotline, service, and confidentiality information.
View listingFind Help. Find Hope.
Find local help without knowing who to call first.
Find Help. Find Hope. Start with what is happening, and Bootstraps PA will help point you toward the next step.
Bootstraps PA helps people find local resources for food, housing, utilities, legal help, mental health, recovery, pregnancy support, safety, and more.
Search by need, browse by category, or start with a Life Path when life is messy and you are not sure where to begin.
I don't know where to start Browse all resources
1
Start with the problem.
Choose a Life Path or search plain words.
Choose a Life Path or search plain words.
2
Check the listing.
Look for contact details, intake notes, and status labels.
Look for contact details, intake notes, and status labels.
3
Call before relying.
Hours, funding, eligibility, and openings can change quickly.
Hours, funding, eligibility, and openings can change quickly.
Need immediate help?
If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. If you or someone else is in emotional distress or considering self-harm, call or text 988. Bootstraps PA is not an emergency service.
If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. If you or someone else is in emotional distress or considering self-harm, call or text 988. Bootstraps PA is not an emergency service.
Seasonal public notice
Cooling centers may be available during extreme heat.
Lackawanna County and the Area Agency on Aging have posted that free cooling centers are available during hot weather. Because cooling-center locations and hours can change quickly, check the latest County/AAA notice or call before going.
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Recently reviewed listings
These listings have had at least some website/source review during partner beta. They are not promises that services are open, available, or guaranteed.
Saint Joseph's Center
Pregnancy, family, disability, and housing-related listings are being reviewed from public source material and grouped for clearer navigation.
View listingUnited Neighborhood Centers
Community services and housing-related information has been flagged for priority review because it may help users with multiple overlapping needs.
View listingNorth Penn Legal Services - Scranton Office
Priority civil legal aid resource reviewed from the NPLS website and founder-confirmed as locally important. Users should still apply directly and confirm eligibility.
View listingLackawanna Pro Bono
Priority pro bono civil legal resource reviewed from public legal-aid source material and founder-confirmed as locally important. Confirm current intake before relying on services.
View listingCourts, MDJ offices, and county offices
Public offices can be included from official court, county, or government sources. Users should still confirm current hours, filing rules, fees, and procedures directly with the office.
Search public officesLackawanna County Cooling Centers
Seasonal heat-safety notice added from Lackawanna County / Area Agency on Aging public information. Confirm current dates, locations, hours, and eligibility before going.
View noticeOurFamilyWizard + AppClose
Co-parenting apps were added as digital tools for shared calendars, communication, expenses, and parenting-plan organization.
See co-parenting toolsDirect organization-confirmed listings are still at 0. Founder review and website review show progress. Non-government resources remain subject to verification, while government/public offices are checked against official sources. None of these labels guarantees availability, eligibility, or outcome.
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Local resources to know first
Spotlight cards help users find major starting points quickly. Being spotlighted does not mean Bootstraps PA endorses an agency or guarantees eligibility, funding, appointments, or outcomes.
Safety & crisis
WRC / Women's Resource Center
Confidential support for people experiencing domestic violence, abuse, or safety concerns.
Family support
Saint Joseph's Center
Programs connected to pregnancy, family support, disability services, housing, and baby/children's pantry access.
Start here
Lackawanna County Library System
Libraries are useful non-crisis starting points for internet access, forms, information, and connection to community services.
Heat safety
Cooling Centers — Seasonal Notice
During heat events, Lackawanna County/AAA may publish free cooling-center information. Confirm same-day details before going.
Legal help
North Penn Legal Services + Lackawanna Pro Bono
Two major civil legal help starting points for eligible Lackawanna County residents facing housing, family, benefits, consumer, or other civil legal problems.
Find Help. Find Hope.
Choose the situation that sounds closest.
Life Paths are grouped by what is happening, not by agency name.
I have nowhere to sleep tonight
Emergency shelter, homelessness, safe housing, crisis support
I am leaving an abusive relationship
Safety planning, confidential help, PFA, crisis contacts
I am being evicted
Legal aid, court papers, rental assistance, housing stability
I need food today
Food pantry, community meals, SNAP, WIC, senior meals
My utilities are shut off or about to be
LIHEAP, CAP, utility assistance, shutoff prevention
I need mental health help
Crisis, counseling, therapy, psychiatry, peer support
I need addiction treatment or recovery support
Detox, MAT, outpatient treatment, recovery groups
I am pregnant or have a new baby
Pregnancy support, WIC, baby supplies, mother/infant housing
Directory Update
500 more searchable resource leads added
These new listings are included so people can search by county, category, and need while Bootstraps PA continues verification. They are clearly marked as Not Yet Verified and should be confirmed before relying on contact information, eligibility, hours, or services.
Searchable now
The new leads are part of the main resource data so they can appear in browse and search results.
Clearly labeled
Each new lead says “Not Yet Verified — Searchable Lead” so users understand the status.
Ready for review
Each lead includes fields for contact, website, eligibility, service area, and verification notes.
Find Help. Find Hope.
Making Ends Meet
Help is not only for people in a crisis. Many working people, lower-middle-class families, and middle-income households are doing everything right and still have a hard time keeping up with everyday bills.
For people who work hard but still feel stretched
Rent, groceries, utilities, child care, transportation, medical costs, debt payments, insurance, and unexpected emergencies can make it difficult to stay financially stable. Some families earn too much to qualify for certain public assistance programs, but not enough to comfortably absorb a car repair, job loss, rent increase, medical bill, or utility shutoff notice.
Bootstraps PA is built for those moments too. The goal is to connect people with practical community resources before a temporary setback becomes a deeper crisis.
Bills and utilities
Find help with utility bills, shutoff prevention, heating costs, budgeting, and emergency financial assistance.
Food and household needs
Find food pantries, community meals, diaper banks, clothing closets, and other basic-needs support.
Work, family, and transportation
Find job training, child care resources, transportation help, legal aid, healthcare support, and local programs.
How this beta works
Clear, cautious, and easy to update.
Plain-language search
People can search for what they need instead of already knowing the right organization.
Visible review labels
Listings show practical status labels like Organization Confirmed, Website Reviewed, Official Public Office, Starter Listing, or Needs Update.
Community corrections
Organizations and users can suggest corrections so the guide can improve over time.