Community Assessment: Reading, Pennsylvania

Judith Giorgio

Western Governor’s University

Abstract
This paper is an assessment of the city of Reading, Pennsylvania. It will describe the city with a focus on the population, economic situation, culture, neighborhood and safety factors. It will also look at what the city has in place in case of a disaster. From this data, I will interpret the overall status of the community and formulate a logical community diagnosis.

Community Description and Data Interpretation
Incorporated in 1847, the City of Reading is located 48 miles Northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is surrounded by multiple communities. The major highway Route 422 connects to the …show more content…

Approximately 54% of the population is affiliated with a religious congregation. Catholicism is the predominate religion at 40%, with 26.3% Evangelical Lutheran and 18.2% United Church of Christ being the next highest percentages. (Reading…, 2013)

In summary, the population is young and have many persons able to work. Also, mothers do take care of their children the best they can, and motherhood is seen as a badge of honor. Education is easily available, and the majority have a spiritual support system. Unfortunately a large majority of the population has not graduated High School or attained a higher degree. The family as a unit of father, mother and children, is becoming less common with the majority of families being made up of a single mother and several children. The overall health of the residents is poor and access to health is impeded by language, insurance, and cultural barriers. Whereas the city of Reading has an excellent social services network for those in need, it is not being accessed by many. More interpreters need to be available, more Primary Care Physicians are needed, and a better outreach to illegal immigrants for healthcare needs to be established.

Neighborhood and Community Safety
Because Reading was established so long ago, the majority of homes and infrastructure are old and in need of repair. There are 47 bridges, 20 which were built before 1939, and 23 built between 1950 and 1970. Sidewalks are in poor repair,