Patricia Shepherd
Executive Director
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities Announces Patricia Shepherd as Executive Director, Signaling New Era of Growth and Community Impact

POTTSTOWN, PA, April 22, 2026 — The Board of Directors of the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities announces the appointment of Patricia Shepherd, former Food Service Director as Executive Director, marking a step forward as the organization expands its reach, strengthens partnerships, and deepens its impact across the greater Pottstown community and Montgomery County. Shepherd has served as Interim Executive Director since November 2025.

“Patricia brings not only operational expertise but a clear vision for how we can grow our partnerships and broaden our impact,” said Board President Carla Clanagan.

Shepherd’s appointment follows her tenure as a key contributor to the organization’s food service operations and as a member of the management team. During this time, she helped lead food service and operational initiatives amongst increasing demand for services. Her leadership has already contributed to improved efficiency, expanded outreach, and stronger collaboration with local partners.

“I am honored to step into this role at such an important time for the organization and the community we serve,” said Shepherd. “Every day, we see both the challenges and the possibilities in our community. The Pottstown Cluster is uniquely positioned to bring people together to create lasting solutions. My focus is on strengthening those connections, growing our programs, and ensuring we continue to meet evolving community needs with compassion and innovation.”

For more than 50 years, the Pottstown Cluster has supported individuals and families facing food insecurity, housing instability, and other basic needs, and continues to advance their work through collaboration, strategic growth, and community-driven solutions.

In 2025, the Pottstown Cluster served 14,515 households through its Pottstown-based food pantry, distributed more than 594,812 pounds of food through pantry services, community meals, and support for smaller local food pantries across Montgomery County. In addition to these efforts, the organization also helped 70 low-income older adults remain in or transition into safe, affordable housing.

Looking ahead, the Pottstown Cluster plans to expand partnerships, strengthen programs, and increase access to essential services so more people can achieve stability and thrive. To learn more, explore partnership opportunities, or to support the mission, visit pottstowncluster.org or contact Patricia Shepherd at pshepherd@pottstowncluster.org.

About the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities

The Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities is a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing food insecurity, housing instability, and basic needs in the greater Pottstown area. Through collaboration with local partners, the Pottstown Cluster works to build a stronger, healthier, and more resilient community.

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A Toast to Table Security: Wine Tasting & Food Pairing Fundraiser

Women’s History Month is both a celebration and a call to action. It honors the extraordinary contributions women have made to our communities, culture, and history.

The 2026 theme, “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future,” challenges us to invest in women so they can lead, thrive, and build stronger communities for all of us.

This month, the Pottstown Cluster is raising awareness and support to ensure the women in our greater Pottstown area community have reliable access to nutritious food. Food not just to survive, but to thrive. Because when women have food security, families are stronger, children are healthier, and communities are more resilient.

Throughout the month, we will also spotlight some of the many remarkable women who power our mission. These will be our volunteers, partners, and advocates whose strength and leadership make our work possible. Each of these women will also be honored at:

A Toast to Table Security: Wine Tasting & Food Sampling Fundraiser Benefiting Local Food Security on Thursday, April 16, 2026. Please save the date. You are invited!

Did You Know?
In Montgomery County, PA, the largest demographic living in poverty is women ages 25–34, followed by women ages 18–24, and then women 75 and older.

Many of these women are primary caregivers. For them, buying groceries often competes with paying rent, utilities, childcare, or medication. No one should have to ask:

Do I feed my children or pay my rent?
Do I feed myself or fill my prescription?
In 2025 alone, we served 2,476 women-led households. That means 2,476 women and the families who depend on them had consistent access to nutritious food when they needed it most.

You can securely and conveniently make a donation online below. Your support makes this possible.  And together, we can do even more.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 25, 2025

Pottstown Cluster Coordinates Thanksgiving Meal Kit Distribution to Support Local Families

Pottstown, PA — In a collective effort to address food insecurity and provide accessible Thanksgiving meals to Montgomery County, Pa residents in need, the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities partnered with the Pottstown Area Food Collaborative and seven local organizations to distribute Thanksgiving meal kits throughout the Pottstown community. This initiative, which included pre-packed meal kits with turkey or chicken and all the necessary side items for a full Thanksgiving dinner, ensured local families would enjoy a Thanksgiving meal regardless of financial barriers.

To manage this large-scale effort, the Pottstown Cluster led the coordination of food sourcing, packing, and distribution logistics. Through a combination of community donations, partnerships with regional food distributors, and strategic purchasing, the Pottstown Cluster secured all necessary items for the meal kits. Staff and volunteers worked together to inventory, sort, and prepare items ahead of the distribution event. The Pottstown Cluster also oversaw the full packing operation—organizing assembly lines, supervising volunteers, and confirming that each box contained the appropriate components for a complete Thanksgiving meal. Once assembled, the Pottstown Cluster transported and delivered the meal kits to community site locations, ensuring timely and efficient distribution across the region.

Thanksgiving meal kits were assembled on Monday, November 24, 2025, at the Pottstown Cluster Outreach Center. Volunteers from community groups, including First Presbyterian Church, Hobarts Run, Leadership TriCounty, and others, helped to sort, pack, and distribute the kits to seven designated community pick-up locations, where community distribution occurred later that day from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Patricia Shepherd, Food Services Director at the Pottstown Cluster, shared, “Streamlining our efforts not only strengthens our collective impact but also helps eliminate duplicated services, allowing us to reach more people more efficiently. It’s about ensuring that every person, no matter where they live, has the opportunity to sit down with their family and enjoy a Thanksgiving meal.”

Community partner pick-up locations included First Presbyterian Church, The Pottstown Salvation Army, YWCA, Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities (PCRC), Mission First, Pottstown Hospital/Tower Health, TRAAC (TriCounty Active Adult Center), and My Mobile Market. These sites ensured that meals were available to residents across Pottstown, including areas with limited access to food resources.

For over 50 years, the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities has been dedicated to providing vital services to individuals and families in the Greater Pottstown area. As a nonprofit organization, the Cluster works to address food insecurity, housing instability, and other basic needs, while fostering collaboration with community partners to create a stronger, more resilient region. Learn more at pottstowncluster.org.

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