Patch Picks

This week's Patch Picks ...

The Five Nonprofits Making a Difference

• Impact Thrift Stores, 979 Bethlehem Pike, Route 309, Montgomeryville. (215) 699-4146: In its 10 years in business, this nonprofit surpassed more than $1 million in donations to 16 area charities in November. In 2009, it moved from Lansdale Borough to a much larger, 30,000-square-foot-plus location in Montgomery Township at Stump Road and Route 309. Impact accepts and sells everything and anything, except toys and food.
  It has three locations: the Montgomeryville location; 14 E. Moreland Ave., Hatboro; and 1798 Markley St., Norristown.
• , 514 W. Main St., Lansdale. (215) 855-5454: This nonprofit offers a soup kitchen, food pantry and financial aid services. The kitchen is open every day of the week, and items in the food pantry are available to residents in the North Penn School District area.
• Community Housing Services, 311 N. Broad St., Lansdale. (215) 362-5250: This nonprofit offers a food pantry and long-term housing services for the homeless or near homeless. It also aids in finding housing for single displaced men and victims of domestic violence. It also runs a Holiday Sharing Program where individuals and businesses sponsor a needy family and purchase items for them for the holidays.
• Penn Foundation, 807 Lawn Ave., Sellersville. (215) 257-6551: This nonprofit provides mental health, mental retardation and substance abuse services for children, adolescents, seniors, adults and couples in Montgomery and Bucks counties. It recently received accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities for its Recovery Center's inpatient drug and alcohol programs.
• The Cancer Support Community at the Anne McCouch Center, Lansdale: This nonprofit deserves recognition because it is one that, after years of service to the community, will shut its doors Feb. 28 due to lack of funding. It was started in 1995 by Anne McCouch, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and given only months to live. She passed away in May 2010. The organization provided support group services and classes for more than 200 individuals; some of these people were cancer survivors, and some were affected family members looking for counsel.
  You can read more about the center's closing here.