From Monroe County’s Jewish Resource Center to Lackawanna’s NAACP chapter, grassroots groups combat bias and promote understanding

NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA — While Pennsylvania grapples with record levels of hate crimes statewide, a network of community organizations across the Pocono region is working quietly but persistently to combat bias, promote inclusivity, and support vulnerable populations in Monroe, Pike, Wayne, Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Schuylkill counties.

These groups—ranging from religious community centers to civil rights organizations—received a significant boost in 2022 when Pennsylvania secured over $4.2 million in federal funding through the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to protect communities targeted by hate crimes. In Monroe County alone, five organizations received $150,000 each for security enhancements: Camp Dina, Camp Dora Golding, Congregation Bais Menachem, the Jewish Resource Center of the Poconos, and Rose Garden Retreats.

Jewish Resource Center Leads Monroe County Efforts

The Jewish Resource Center of the Poconos, headquartered in Stroudsburg, stands as Monroe County’s primary organization dedicated to cultivating thriving Jewish life across Monroe, Pike, and Wayne counties. The nonprofit, which earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator with a 97% score, provides educational, religious, cultural, and social programming designed to connect Jewish residents and foster community identity throughout the region.

Led by Rabbi Yehuda Salkow, the JRC offers everything from Talmud study sessions and Hebrew school classes to Shabbat hospitality programs and senior citizen activities. The organization’s mission focuses not just on religious services but on building networks of support and connection that combat the isolation that can make communities vulnerable to hate and misunderstanding.

The $150,000 federal security grant the JRC received allows the organization to harden its facilities against potential attacks—a sobering necessity in an era when antisemitic violence has reached record levels nationally and statewide. Pennsylvania has seen multiple prosecutions for vandalism of Jewish properties and threats against synagogues, including ongoing cases stemming from Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life massacre.

Lackawanna County’s Civil Rights Infrastructure

In Scranton, the Lackawanna County NAACP chapter provides advocacy and support for victims of racial discrimination and prejudice. Established after organizers recognized a void in civil rights representation for the area’s Black community, the chapter grew from incidents of racial profiling and discrimination that motivated local residents to action.

“Several recent incidents motivated and accelerated those efforts,” organizers said when forming the chapter. Residents reported having racial slurs shouted at them, being racially profiled by police while walking in their own neighborhoods, and experiencing discrimination in housing, employment, and education—all situations where an NAACP chapter could provide advocacy and support.

The Lackawanna County chapter joins the established Wilkes-Barre NAACP branch in Luzerne County, creating a regional network dedicated to ensuring “the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons” and combating racial discrimination throughout northeastern Pennsylvania.

Beyond the NAACP, Lackawanna County hosts several organizations fighting for civil rights and social justice. North Penn Legal Services provides free civil legal aid to low-income residents facing discrimination in housing, employment, and other areas. The Greater Scranton Martin Luther King Commission leads educational initiatives on racism and social justice, partnering with local universities including Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Johnson College, Lackawanna College, Marywood University, Penn State Scranton, and the University of Scranton.

The Black Scranton Project, founded by local historian and advocate Glynis Johns, works to archive and celebrate African American history in Scranton and northeastern Pennsylvania, building awareness of Black contributions to the region and fostering pride in the community’s heritage.

Statewide Resources Available Locally

The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission’s Civil Rights Outreach Division, created in 2024, serves all seven Pocono counties through regional offices. The division proactively educates the public about the dangers of bias and hate while providing resources for communities facing discrimination. While the PHRC cannot prosecute criminal hate crimes, it investigates civil discrimination complaints and can determine whether incidents violate the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.

The Pennsylvania State Police Heritage Affairs Section assists local law enforcement throughout Monroe, Pike, Wayne, Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Schuylkill counties in preventing, monitoring, responding to, and investigating hate crimes. This specialized unit provides expertise that smaller municipal police departments may lack when handling bias-motivated incidents.

Why It Matters

These organizations exist because the need is real. Pennsylvania’s 2024 “No Hate in Our State” report confirms that antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Asian hate, and LGBTQ+ bias incidents have all reached record levels statewide. Federal prosecutors have pursued multiple Pennsylvania cases involving brutal attacks on disabled victims, antisemitic threats and vandalism, and online content calling for genocide.

“The only thing we can do to end discrimination and hate is to open a seat at the table of our Beloved Community to everyone,” said PHRC Executive Director Chad Dion Lassiter. “When we can see a person’s humanity, see what truly ails them, we can begin a process of healing and work to build a culture of peace and understanding despite our differences.”

That philosophy drives the work of organizations across the Pocono region—from the Jewish Resource Center’s efforts to build inclusive Jewish communities in Monroe, Pike, and Wayne counties, to the NAACP’s advocacy for racial justice in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties, to the educational initiatives led by universities and community groups throughout the region.

The $4.2 million in federal security funding distributed in 2022 underscores both the vulnerability of targeted communities and the commitment to protecting them. In Luzerne County, Cheder Menachem received $150,000. In Lackawanna County, Chabad of the Abingtons and Yeshivath Beth Moshe both received $150,000 grants for security enhancements.

These investments in physical security complement the longer-term work of building understanding, combating prejudice through education, and creating support networks for those targeted by hate. Together, they represent the Pocono region’s multi-faceted response to a crisis that shows no signs of abating.

For residents who experience discrimination or hate crimes, resources are available. The PHRC can be reached at 717-787-4410. Emergency hate crimes should be reported to 911, while non-emergency incidents can be reported to local police departments throughout the region. The FBI also accepts hate crime reports and can prosecute cases under federal law when bias involves categories not covered by state law.