Lackawanna County Community Resource Guide
Find Help.
Find Hope.
Search local resources for food, housing, utilities, healthcare, legal help, transportation, family support, and the practical needs that help people move forward.
Bootstraps PA verifies resource information, not eligibility, availability, or outcomes. Confirm details directly before relying on a listing.
Current directory totals
211 real resources people can contact.
Every public listing identifies a real organization or program and includes at least one usable contact method.
Directory updated July 22, 2026. Counts come directly from the current public database. Incomplete research leads are not included.
Free local resource guide
Useful information without a login or paywall.
No account required
Search and open every public resource profile without signing up.
Local focus
Built for Lackawanna County residents and the organizations that serve them.
Corrections welcomed
Organizations and residents can report outdated information through the site.
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.
Find Help. Find Hope.
Start with what you need most
Bootstraps PA organizes Lackawanna County resources around where you are today: urgent needs, monthly stability, and building a stronger future.
Get Through Today
The essentials when you need help right now.
Get Back on Track
Resources that reduce financial pressure and help you regain stability.
Build Your Future
Opportunities to grow, save, and plan ahead.
Find Help. Find Hope.
What's happening today?
Choose the situation that sounds closest. Bootstraps PA is organized around real-life problems, not just program names.
I lost my job
Unemployment, food, health insurance, bills, job search, training, and rent help
I work but cannot keep up with bills
Working-family help with utilities, food, transportation, debt, and child care
I am behind on rent
Rent help, eviction prevention, legal aid, utility assistance, and emergency housing
I need food today
Food pantries, community meals, SNAP, WIC, senior meals, and school meals
My utilities might be shut off
LIHEAP, utility hardship programs, payment plans, and shutoff prevention
My car broke down
Transportation assistance, medical rides, bus passes, and repair help
I need help staying safe
Domestic violence help, shelter, counseling, protection orders, and legal services
I am caring for an older adult
Aging services, meals, transportation, caregiver support, and Medicare counseling
I need help for my kids
Child care, school resources, youth programs, summer meals, and family support
I have a medical problem
Clinics, prescriptions, Medicaid, transportation, dental care, and health navigation
I am struggling mentally
Crisis services, counseling, support groups, peer support, and treatment
I need legal help
Housing, family safety, custody, public benefits, consumer debt, and civil legal aid
I do not know where to start
Start with a few simple questions and get pointed toward the closest Life Path
Directory status
211 actionable Lackawanna County resources.
The public directory now contains only real organizations and programs with at least one usable contact method. Placeholder and incomplete research leads have been removed from public search and preserved internally for future verification.
41 verified
Listings that reached the published Bootstraps Verified level.
170 public listings
Named, contactable resources that remain clearly labeled pending fuller verification.
Internal research queue
Incomplete leads are no longer shown to people looking for help.
Libraries & Digital Access
Free internet, computers, printing, and community information
Lackawanna County libraries are important access points for people applying for jobs, benefits, housing, healthcare, school programs, and other support. Libraries can help residents get online, print documents, use public computers, access digital tools, and connect with community programs.
Internet and computers
Free Wi-Fi, public computers, online applications, email access, and digital tools.
Documents and applications
Printing, copying, scanning, faxing, resumes, job applications, government forms, and benefits paperwork.
Families and learning
Children’s programs, homework help, technology assistance, reading programs, and community events.
Everyday stability
Support before a crisis
Bootstraps PA also helps Lackawanna County residents find practical ways to save money, protect a home, grow a career, improve financial wellness, and manage the rising cost of living.
Everyday Savings
Free and low-cost resources that help lower everyday expenses.
Homeowners
Home repair, weatherization, property tax rebates, foreclosure prevention, and energy savings.
Career Growth
Training, certifications, apprenticeships, resumes, interviews, and better job options.
Financial Wellness
Budgeting, credit, debt, taxes, banking, and financial coaching.
Everything is getting more expensive
Groceries, utilities, gas, child care, medical bills, and ways to stretch income.
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.
For Organizations
Are you an organization?
Claim your profile or request a free review.