Community Collaboratives

Working Together for a Healthier, More Resilient Region

Pottstown Regional Community Foundation (PRCF) brings together nonprofit leaders, local governments, schools, health systems, and grassroots advocates to solve regional challenges through collaboration. From food access and early childhood development to school wellness and public planning, these partnerships are built to achieve long-term, measurable results across western Montgomery, northern Chester, and eastern Berks Counties.

Learn how our collaboratives align community voices, share resources, and implement strategies that improve health, education, and economic opportunity.

What Are Community Collaboratives?

Community Collaboratives are cross-sector partnerships supported or convened by PRCF to address complex, interconnected challenges. These groups:

Align shared goals across sectors and municipalities
Leverage pooled resources for greater impact
Improve communication, planning, and accountability
Advance equity through inclusive design and implementation

Explore our equity-driven strategy with What We Do.

Why Collaboratives Matter

Collective Leadership: Aligns diverse voices under common goals
Strategic Coordination: Builds efficiency and avoids duplication
Long-Term Impact: Creates sustained systems change
Equity Focused: Centers historically marginalized communities

Active Collaboratives

Pottstown Area Food Collaborative (PAFC)

Formed in 2019, PAFC brings together cross-sector leaders with a vision for a localized food system that is healthy, affordable, culturally relevant, and sustainable. The collaborative champions food as both a human right and an economic driver, supporting local food production, equitable distribution, and education around food access and preparation.

Goals:

Increase access to healthy food in underserved neighborhoods
Support food literacy and cooking education
Reduce food waste through coordination
Regenerate local economic activity through food systems

Key Strategies:

Community gardens and urban farming initiatives
Mobile markets and food pantries
Nutrition education and cooking workshops
Collaboration with schools for healthy meals

Pottstown Area Regional Recreation Committee (PARRC)

PARRC is a regional planning and coordination group that includes eight municipalities committed to improving parks, trails, and recreational access. With technical assistance and funding from PRCF and DCNR, the committee coordinates more than 50 projects and meets monthly to share updates, co-author grants, and ensure regional connectivity.

Key Achievements:

Design and implementation of regional trail signage
Recreation master plans tailored to each township
Expansion of park amenities to support multi-generational use

Focus Areas:

ADA accessibility and inclusive design
Trail expansion and greenway connectivity
Open space preservation and ecological planning
Safe, engaging, and well-maintained recreation areas

Pottstown Metropolitan Regional Planning Commission (PMRPC)

This commission unites eight municipalities around shared goals for smart growth, economic revitalization, and infrastructure planning. PRCF supports the commission’s recreation committee, which oversees capital improvements funded by DCNR and other agencies.

Regional Goals:

Smart growth and mixed-use development
Historic and environmental preservation
Walkability and multimodal transit
Inclusive housing and economic revitalization

Initiatives:

Trail connections to commercial and residential zones
Green infrastructure and stormwater management plans
Joint grant applications for capital improvements

Pottstown Play Streets

Led by the Borough of Pottstown with support from PRCF and community partners, Play Streets closes local roads for one-day block parties that encourage outdoor activity, social connection, and public health. Each pop-up event features games, fitness activities, wellness vendors, and healthy food.

Program Features:

Mobile sports equipment and activity stations
Community resource tables and wellness outreach
Partnerships with schools and nonprofits for staffing and promotion

Impact Highlights:

Reduced barriers to recreation access
Strengthened neighborhood networks
Increased visibility for youth development programs

School Collaborative

This informal professional learning community connects school faculty and administrators around shared wellness goals. Meetings center on physical education, mental health, nutrition, and policy strategies to create supportive learning environments.

Sample Topics:

Implementation of School Wellness Checklist
Trauma-informed teaching practices
Staff wellness and burnout prevention

Tri-County Community Network (TCN)

TCN convenes more than 85 partners for training, working groups, and community action on regional issues. Key program areas include:

Youth development
Caregiver and elder support
Homelessness and housing access
Environmental safety
Workforce and economic mobility

Services Provided:

Monthly networking meetings and knowledge exchanges
Advocacy campaigns on social determinants of health
Annual resource guides and community service directories