Category: Resources

Triboro Ecodistrict’s Free Little Libraries, Pantries, and Art Gallery

Posted on by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

Above: One of the Free Little Libraries in Etna, located at 19 High St. Photo courtesy of Megan Tuñón.

It’s the little things that can put a spring in our step, the tiny stuff that can make life less gruff. 

Little libraries, and pantries, and art, are some of those things, that when you see them it feels like your heart has grown wings.

For this feature, the Triboro Ecodistrict would like to recognize the Free Little Libraries + Pantries + Art Gallery throughout the three boroughs. They provide residents of all ages with access to books, food, and artwork, and can let people know that their community is looking out for them.

To view all of the locations, click here. Did we miss a library or pantry, or do you have more information you’d like to add to the map? Email alyse@newsunrising.org.

 

Millvale

Outside of Tupelo Honey Teas, 211 Grant Ave., sits a Free Little Pantry that is stocked by shop owner Danielle Spinola and generous volunteers like Mary Miller, who focus on providing neighbors with easy meals like canned pastas, soups, and vegetables.

“Every time [Mary] walks by, she looks inside the pantry to see if it needs to be filled. She collects a lot of food from the Holy Spirit [Parish] and she will bring boxes and boxes of food,” Spinola said. “If someone wants something, Aunt Mary makes sure they get it.”

Spinola said when stocking the pantry it’s important to think about the accessibility of the items, like if the food can be cooked without a stove, or the price of ingredients required to make something like mac and cheese with powdered cheese, because milk and butter is needed. (Easy Mac with cheese sauce is preferred.)

She’s also run into the issue that some residents don’t have can openers, or she receives food items that are well past their expiration date. Spinola said someone once donated an item that expired in 1999.

Over the winter, Spinola partnered with Pure Grub 412 to have a cooler outside the shop as well where people could grab prepared meals and dried goods. The cooler wasn’t fully insulated, so as the weather has gotten warmer, Tupelo and Pure Grub have paused the prepared meals.

This is where Millvale Community Library enters the scene. Nora Peters, executive director at MCL, said the library received grant funding to purchase and install a Free Community Fridge in the back of the library. The fridge should be up and running by mid-June.

“The fridge will be available to the community 24/7, and will be stocked with fresh produce prepared meals, frozen meals, and meal kits, prepared by local restaurants and food partners,” Peters said.

There is also a Free Little Pantry located at the Gardens of Millvale.

The gardens, Tupelo, and Pure Grub 412 are three of seven Free Fridge project partners. The others include 412 Food Rescue, Christ Lutheran Church, Sprezzatura, and Duncan Street Sandwich Shop.

If you would like to volunteer to be a Fridge Steward for the Free Fridge project, contact petersn@einetwork.net. If you’d like to help stock the Little Pantry at Tupelo, contact danielle@tupelohoneyteas.com about what items are needed.

 

Etna

Spooky Free Little Library in Etna. The book selection at this location changes with the seasons. Photo courtesy of Megan Tuñón.

Megan Tuñón, executive director of Etna Community Organization, put up the first Free Little Library in her borough in August 2019, located at 19 High St. 

“It’s a central point where people can meet,” Tuñón said. “I love looking out my window and seeing little kids peeking in [the library], and I talk to them and their parents. Meeting neighbors that way is really nice.”

The library is made out of an old china cabinet that someone in the neighborhood had put out to the curb, and the glass etching on the front was done by a local artist. It reads: 

“Etna Little Library
Free Community Resource
Take a Book, Return a Book”

Tuñón said she has a basement full of books that people have donated, and sometimes she comes home to find a bag of them left at the library. She likes to sort the books into three sections: children, young adult, and adult, and she’ll curate the selection to fit the season.

When the pandemic hit last year and food insecurity was exacerbated, Tuñón said she converted the library into a food pantry and was filling it a couple times a week with nonperishable items like canned beans and rice.

“I didn’t always see people [using the pantry], but I would fill it up a couple times a week, and it would be almost empty the next day,” Tuñón said. “Neighbors really stepped up and donated a lot to help keep it full.”

The pantry was recently converted back into a little library, and Etna residents should keep an eye out for a new Little Library and a Little Pantry at ECO Park on the corner of Wilson Street and Grant Avenue.

Etna also has a Free Little Pantry at Etna Community Garden, and several Free Little Libraries. Click here for the map.

 

Sharpsburg

The Free Little Art Gallery in Sharpsburg. Photo courtesy of Nanci Goldberg.

A Free Little Art Gallery made its debut in Sharpsburg on May 22 this year during the Sharpsburg Art Adventure. Housed next to Gino Brothers, 713 Main St., it was built out of repurposed and recycled materials by a local handyman who goes by the name of “Scrappy.”

Inside the little gallery, residents can leave art they’ve made and art supplies, or they can take art home with them, or both. No even exchange is required. Follow @FLAGsharpsburg on Instagram to see what people are adding to the gallery.

Nanci Goldberg, owner of Ketchup City Creative, said the Free Little Art Gallery is co-founded and run by Susan Adams and her son Caleb of O’Hara Township. Caleb was really keen on starting a Little Art Gallery, so he reached out to Goldberg via zoom and the rest is art history.

“We were very fortunate to have a supportive member of the community, Ferdi Baylassin, owner of Gino Brothers Pizza, who was willing to give us space for this fun and creative adventure,” Goldberg said. “The arts really need a supportive community for them to grow and thrive. We see that starting to happen in Sharpsburg and it’s very exciting. We feel like art can be very placemaking and give people a sense of community pride. So far, we can’t keep up with the amount of art that’s coming in and going out, and it’s really exciting!”

The Free Little Pantry outside of Sharpsburg Community Library. Photo courtesy of Sara Mariacher.

Outside the Sharpsburg Community Library, visitors will find a Free Little Pantry that was installed this past February. Sara Mariacher, SCL director, said earlier this year the library received a sizable donation in honor of a patron’s 50th birthday to help those experiencing food insecurity. 

“We typically fill it three days per week,” Mariacher said. “One day per week we put out toiletry products. Otherwise, the pantry is for food. [It] usually empties within several hours of us filling it, but we cannot sustain daily fillings based on our donation intake.”

If you’d like to make a donation to this Free Little Pantry, Mariacher asked that items be dropped off with library staff during library hours.

Sharpsburg also has a Free Little Library located at Marion Gerardi Memorial Park.

Second Harvest thrift restores community cornerstone

Posted on by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

It’s said that good things come in threes, and for this story that happens to be true, except for the first thing: the Sharpsburg St. Vincent de Paul thrift store closing in 2018.

When it shuttered, the lack of its presence created a ripple effect in the community.

“All of the organizations that I had been working with, like Roots of Faith Food Pantry and Youth Empowerment, they all said what a void was left when it closed,” said Bonnie DeMotte, executive director at Second Harvest.

DeMotte is a retired chemist who wanted to build more relationships in Sharpsburg, which became the key to her position with Second Harvest today. That, and a serendipitous conversation she had with Pastor Chris Taylor of Fox Chapel Presbyterian. The two had been talking about their dreams; she shared hers about Sharpsburg, and Pastor Taylor said he wanted to open a community thrift store. 

“And that was kind of the beginning for me,” Demotte said.

Second Harvest Community Thrift Store, 624 Clay St.

Next, around the same time of DeMotte and Pastor Taylor’s conversation, a woman who attended Fox Chapel Presbyterian passed away and left $300,000 to the church to be used “for the care and support of the local indigents,” Demotte said.

As a church, they considered how they could use this generous gift to benefit their neighbors, and those conversations led back to the desire to open a thrift store. They knew that if done properly, it could be a community asset for decades by not only providing affordable necessities to the community, but also building relationships.

“All of the proceeds stay [in Sharpsburg], and over time, our generous benefactor’s gift will generate many times more than its $300,000 value as proceeds from operations are continuously reinvested.” Demotte said.

Once a consensus was reached around the need to replace and improve upon the important pillar that was the thrift store, DeMotte and her collaborators set about finding the right space. This is where the third good thing came in. Through the strong network of dedicated do-gooders in the Fox Chapel School District Area, and perhaps a little kismet, an excellent space was identified before it had ever even been listed. From there it was an easy decision to use the bequest as a down payment for this very appropriate structure. 

It sits on the foundation of a home from the 1800s and was once the BGI Club where many local’s parents got married or where people had their first alcoholic drink. For the last 30 years it was Colortech Photographic Imaging, a printmaking company owned by Eric Palmer that started with 18 different rooms for processing and printing. When everything went digital, Palmer was down to one printer that occupied one small room and he was ready to downsize his location.

“The building was never on the market. We heard about it through channels that he might be interested in selling it and it was perfect for our purposes,” Demotte said. “The funny part is that we bought a building that wasn’t for sale and we didn’t have any money.”

The Community Corner inside Second Harvest.

In January 2020 the building was purchased, but Covid-19 halted and stunted demolition and construction. While initially frustrating, Demotte said the silver lining to the delays was the fundraising aspect, which gave them more time to reach their goal of $2 million. On March 16, Second Harvest opened its door debt free with a cushion for projected operating deficits over the first few years.

The store contains clothing, shoes, books, home furnishings, electronics, and more. DeMotte said she has seen some unbelievable treasures come through, like Versace pillows and a vintage Ferragamo bag.

“Someone dropped off these Native American kachina dolls that are hand signed, they’re just incredible. You never know what you’re going to find, and it’s just as exciting to see what comes through the door everyday,” she said.

Prices are 75 to 90 percent off of what an item would sell for in retail and nothing will be on the sales floor longer than five weeks. This system is maintained by color coding each item when it comes in. For the first two weeks of its life it’s full price, the second two weeks it’s half price, and the fifth week it’s 90 percent off. Second Harvest has created a good relationship with the St. Vincent de Paul locations that still exist around the area, and items that don’t sell at Second Harvest will be picked up by St. Vincent de Paul to be sold by them or recycled.

Jill Chiu (left) and Bonnie DeMotte (right)

Jill Chiu is a Second Harvest board member and was the head of the operating committee, which created the pricing system and the structure of the store.

“We did some research and we knew that Bonnie had the vision of a community space, and that is unique in a thrift store,” Chiu said. “So in addition to the general layout and knowing we wanted to have a community space, we wanted to maximize how much we could fit on the sales floor and make it flow nicely and ADA compliant.” 

Chiu and DeMotte said the store benefited greatly from the collapse of traditional retail and they were able to purchase fixtures, shelves, and shopping carts second hand from places like JCPenney and SteinMart.

In everything Second Harvest does, they try to live by their mission of reduce, reuse, recycle, and not buying new if they can help it. DeMotte said she meticulously referenced the Sharpsburg Community Vision Plan when creating the space to ensure Second Harvest was in alignment with what the community wanted to accomplish.

“The development of the property has been done exclusively with the six lenses [of the Triboro Ecodistrict] in mind,” DeMotte said. “There are some stormwater management and energy pieces, the green space, and kind of going along the lines of the living streets that were talked about in the vision plan.”

The building has solar panels on the roof that were installed by EIS Solar, and the Triboro Ecodistrict granted money to Second Harvest to insulate the walls. In the future, they will have a permeable paver system out front that will help with stormwater management but will “still be accessible on top so our neighbors who use walkers and wheelchairs, including some of our friends at the towers, are able to cross the surface safely,” she said.

Since day one, the mission for DeMotte has been to build relationships with the community, which is why she made sure to include a community space inside the store. She said it’s been “heart warming and gratifying” to see residents’ excitement about Second Harvest opening. 

“I feel like the more you get to know your neighbors, the less divides there are, and you have that common human element to it,” DeMotte said.

Second Harvest serves the Fox Chapel Area School District and a truck is available to pick up donations within this area. Find more information about donating, store hours, and volunteering on Second Harvest’s website.

Ashley Johnson hired as Office Administrator at New Sun Rising

Posted on by Scott Wolovich

New Sun Rising is happy to announce that Ashley Johnson has been hired as Office Administrator for the organization.

As Office Administrator, Ashley is involved in the areas of operations, finance, administration, and capacity building, and is able to implement new methods and processes to help facilitate the back-end office practices more efficiently. 

Ashley said the best part of her job is “connecting with amazing program leaders who are dedicated to bringing about much needed local change.”

“I look forward to providing exceptional, timely support to the programs and leaders connected to NSR. I am excited to hone my organization, coordination and leadership skill sets in the nonprofit sector,” Ashley said. “My hope is to be directly connected to the growth and elevation of the purpose and mission of NSR.

Executive Director Scott Wolovich said Ashley’s cross sector experience brings new perspectives and skillsets which are critical to the adaptive approach that a core value at NSR. 

“Having worked in administrative roles with small creative entrepreneurs, an academic institution, and a large multinational corporation allows Ashley to bring fresh insights as we strive to deliver operational and relationship management excellence,” Wolovich said.

When speaking to Ashley’s references, Wolovich said it was “obvious that she is dedicated to her craft and makes those around her better employees and people,” and is a sentiment that Ashley echoed herself.

“I care about people and I take pride in the fact that the nature of my job positively impacts the lives of others,” Ashley said.

Class sparks environmental activism to Save Girty’s Woods

Posted on by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

Above: students with Shaler Area Middle School teacher Chris Lisowski (center) at a fundraiser for Girty’s Woods hosted by Sprezzatura in September 2020. Photo courtesy of Lauren Powell.

Girty’s Woods has been getting a lot of attention lately.

With Allegheny Land Trust approaching the March 31 acquisition deadline to preserve the 155-acre woodlands, and around $32,000 left to fundraise and secure the deal, the efforts of supporters over the last year will peak this St. Patrick’s Day at the Girty’s Woods Get Down.

The event, hosted by New Sun Rising and Mr. Smalls Theatre, will be an evening of live streamed music, a 50/50 raffle, and more to help raise the remaining funds to garner the $704,626 toal and purchase the land.

The importance of conserving Girty’s Woods from development for not only recreation opportunities and to protect native flora and fauna, but for the lands ability to absorb heavy rains that would otherwise flood Girty’s Run watershed, has inspired many within Millvale, Shaler, and Reserve Township to advocate for the purchase. 

It has also become an elemental part of a new sustainability class being taught by science teacher Abbey Nilson at Shaler Area High School.

“It’s a really cool coincidence that the class started at the same time there is this great need to preserve this forest in our district,” Nilson said.

The year-long class has around 70 Shaler juniors and seniors in the class, with that total being split into three sections. Around 50 of the students are taking the course for college credits through the University of Pittsburgh who partnered with Nilson and helped her create the curriculum for the class.

Nilson said the students in the class are taught to think critically about sustainability issues, like food production and energy consumption, by challenging them to change their lifestyle choices for a short time and document the experience. 

The support around Girty’s Woods, however, was refined over the summer when Nilson connected with Shaler Area Middle School teacher Chris Lisowski.

“He’s very into sustainability, and he told me about this grassroots group that was starting to meet over the summer regarding the preservation of Girty’s Woods,” Nilson said.

It was during these meetings that Nilson began to envision the role students could play in the preservation of the woodlands. In the classes she has taught over the years, it wasn’t uncommon for her to grow plants from seed, and when Nilson learned about logging in Girty’s Woods, she began to think about and research what it would take for her students to germinate and grow trees.

Lauren Powell, senior at SAHS, is in Nilson’s inaugural sustainability class and said the growing process has been “very interesting.”

“We are growing Kentucky Coffee Trees, Black Birch, and several other types [of trees]. The Kentucky Coffee Trees have been the most successful thus far, and germinated well,” Powell said.

After some months passed and it was clear to Nilson that the project was a success, she created a Go Fund Me campaign to sell the trees for a minimum donation of $15 to Allegheny Land Trust and raise money to help Save Girty’s Woods.

“It’s been going really well,” Nilson said. “Some students promoted it over social media and reached out to KDKA; they were interviewed by the local news. They’ve been getting businesses to post about it, and their efforts reaching out to the community have gone really well.”

Nilson said one of the first assignments she gave the class last fall was to visit Girty’s Woods, and she believes that initiated students’ connection to the land and gave them a sense of investment in the issue.

Powell said this class has inspired her to pursue a career in sustainability and she will be attending Point Park University this coming fall with a major in biological and environmental science, as well as interning for the Triboro Ecodistrict this summer.

“Mrs. Nilson has made this class more than anybody could have imagined. I thought I knew a lot about sustainability, and going into this class it has grown dramatically,” Powell said. “Her lessons are so fascinating… and I think she really highlights the importance of sustainability by making it fun for her students to get involved and positively help our climate.”

Initiative launches to strengthen data culture, promote more effective collaboration between organizations, community

Posted on by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

Above: Community leaders gather for the EcoDistricts Incubator at the Millvale Food + Energy Hub in 2019.

There are handfuls of reasons as to why individuals choose careers in the nonprofit sector, but at the basis of them all is the desire to help others.

Whatever sector that may be, to make the greatest impact in the lives of the people they work with, a nonprofit is constantly learning information about the needs of the community and using it to secure resources that improve their conditions.

Essentially, data collection turns a person into a number. But if a nonprofit has the tools to take that data, flip it, and reverse it, they can successfully turn that number back into a person.

To increase transparency between organizations and communities, and help them access the information and technology needed to reach their shared goals, New Sun Rising launched the Power in Numbers initiative.

This initiative allows leaders to track and compare their progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through a central technology data management system: the Vibrancy Portal.

“I see this as a way of really bringing the community in to understanding the importance of numbers and why organizations may ask them specific questions,” said Jamie Johnson, Director of Programs at New Sun Rising. “Then there is the opportunity to have that anecdotal and qualitative storytelling happening so it personifies those numbers and connects the community at the same time.”

By assisting organizations in collecting and managing their information, this initiative gives leaders the ability to generate insights across multiple data sets to improve their outcomes, produce better reports, and engage stakeholders through storytelling.  The information also contributes to a shared data resource, which serves to promote collective impact and advocacy.

Brown Mamas Executive Director Muffy Mendoza said utilizing this initiative has been monumental for her small organization.

“Power in Numbers allows me to do the capacity building work that I need to do without hiring an employee or spending funds that my organization doesn’t have,” Mendoza said. “This year, I was able to do some foundational work that I’d been putting off for years through the Power in Numbers initiative. It helped me apply for more funding and develop a strategic plan to guide Brown Mamas in the next 2-5 years.”

Johnson said that a strengthened data culture can allow nonprofit and social enterprise leaders to see the areas where they excel and where they can improve, and then share that information back to the people they serve to ask what can be done differently as well as celebrate the areas where they are doing well.

“My biggest thing is getting away from people being boiled down to a number, but knowing that number represents a life in a community and how do we bring life back to these numbers? I think this is a way we can do that, but it’s going to take community understanding and buy in for that to really happen,” said Johnson.

The Power in Numbers initiative builds upon years of investment by New Sun Rising designed to strengthen the region’s capacity for data collection, collective impact, and the Sustainable Development Goals.  At launch, the initiative will serve nonprofits and social enterprises that have participated in New Sun Rising’s capacity building or intermediary funding programs. 

To learn more about how to bring the power of data and collective impact to your work, register for the upcoming Power in Numbers Workshop on Tuesday, February 23 from 12-1 p.m. Partnership or media inquiries about the initiative can be emailed to info@newsunrising.org. 

Power in Numbers was developed and launched through the grant support of The Pittsburgh Foundation and Google (Tides Foundation). 

New Sun Rising to support newly launched Arts | Equity | Reimagined Fund

Posted on by Scott Wolovich

The Covid-19 Arts Working Group (CAWG), a collaboration of 15 foundations and a private donor in the Pittsburgh metro area, announces the Arts I Equity I Reimagined Fund, in response to the unprecedented and ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the region’s arts and cultural sector. The fund is intended to foster collective action and identify creative solutions to operating challenges as nonprofit arts organizations navigate these uncertain times. While the fund is open to all arts and cultural organizations, in recognition of long-standing disparities in funding, it will prioritize small to medium-sized arts organizations and those that serve or are led by historically marginalized communities in southwestern Pennsylvania, whether they be urban or rural in location. 

New Sun Rising is pleased to support the design and development of the program, as well as implement the Collective Action for Reimagining grant program of the fund.

Details about the Arts I Equity I Reimagined Fund, including eligibility requirements, deadlines, FAQs, the application process and guiding principles can be found at www.artsreimagined.org or by calling (412) 219-6584‬. More information can also be found on the NSR website.

Justice, Race, and Responsibility

Posted on by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

Above: Photo from the NEXTpittsburgh article, “More than 30 Pittsburgh environmental groups stand behind this statement on justice, race, and responsibility,” published on June 18, 2020.

During the COVID-19 crisis, the people of southwestern Pennsylvania have learned much about who we are, who we want to be, and the need for unity and leadership in the face of loss and uncertainty. The pandemic continues to cause great change, even as we navigate what it means to reopen. Recent events in Minneapolis and across the nation are reinforcing the critical need to intentionally address racism and develop systems that work for everyone. 

This turbulent time presents a unique opportunity to rebuild a stronger, more resilient region together. A responsible recovery from COVID-19 and from our legacy of racism begins with addressing the essential challenges before us and planning our best next steps. Now is the time to build a society that is truly founded upon justice for all, and comes from understanding and respecting the interconnectedness of all people, our health, our environment, and our prosperity. 

Tragedy has caused the nation to focus on rectifying discrimination in the criminal justice system that unfairly targets Black and Brown America. This type of discrimination is not the only evidence of structural racism in our society. We must acknowledge that racial justice is interwoven through all conversations, including those about health and the environment. For example, as we have seen from CDC data, COVID-19 is widening existing racial gaps in health equity. Similarly, vulnerable populations are disproportionately impacted by pollution. A responsible path forward, and likewise, a responsible recovery, takes information like this into account, and makes sure that workplace and governmental policies support, not hinder, our ability to be healthy and to fix our systems and communities so they are fair for everyone. Our organizations stand aligned with all who are committed to building on this moment of anguish toward a just future. 

A responsible path forward intentionally strengthens the resilience of our natural world and ensures a healthier region, including clean air, clean water, access to outdoor green spaces, and a stable climate—for all. Reductions in carbon emissions and increases in clean energy usage will help curb the increasing extreme weather impacts already being experienced in Pittsburgh, like flooding and poor air quality—also disproportionately felt. 

A responsible path forward means, too, an investment in a sustainable, equitable economic future. Responsible stimulus investments in infrastructure, transportation, food systems, energy, etc. are tools to simultaneously advance our well-being, environmental performance and economic prosperity. Clean energy jobs are an important driver of regional job growth of which we should take full advantage. However, to realize this promise, it is required that we remove barriers and be deliberate about an effort to ensure that Black and Brown residents, and others who have been excluded from full participation in the economy, are included. 

Our organizations will use the wealth of knowledge and the resources we have to make connections, listen to community voices and priorities, and help create a responsible recovery from COVID-19 and from the terror of racism. This is a critical moment for the region, one where our moral path forward and practical measures for rebuilding align. As organizations dedicated to promoting the conservation of this region’s natural assets and protecting the future of the people living in it, we urge other leaders in the region to be proactive in their planning. We have the tools to meet the challenges before us. Together, we will rebuild a more resilient, even greater Pittsburgh region, for all. 

Signed by: 

Allegheny CleanWays, Myrna Newman, Executive Director 

Allegheny Land Trust, Chris Beichner, President & CEO 

Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, Jim Bonner, Executive Director 

BikePGH, Scott Bricker, Executive Director 

Breathe Project, Matthew Mehalik, Executive Director 

Center of Life, Tim Smith, Executive Director 

Communitopia, Katie Modic, Executive Director 

Conservation Consultants, Inc., Jeaneen A. Zappa, Executive Director 

Construction Junction, Mike Gable, Executive Director 

Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services, Emily A. Collins, Executive Director and Managing Attorney 

Friends of the Riverfront, Kelsey Ripper, Executive Director 

Group Against Smog and Pollution, Rachel Filippini, Executive Director 

Green Building Alliance, Jenna Cramer, Executive Director 

Grounded Strategies, Ariam Ford-Graver, Executive Director 

Grow Pittsburgh, Jake Seltman, Executive Director 

Homewood Children’s Village, Walter Lewis, President & CEO 

Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance, Matt Elliott, Executive Director 

Landforce, Ilyssa Manspeizer, Executive Director 

New Sun Rising, Scott Wolovich, Executive Director 

Nine Mile Run Watershed Association, Brenda Lynn Smith, Executive Director 

PennFuture, Jacquelyn Bonomo, President and CEO 

Pennsylvania Resources Council, Justin Stockdale, Managing Director 

Pennsylvania Solar Center, Sharon (Pillar) Grace, Founder and Director 

Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, Richard V. Piacentini, President and CEO 

Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Catherine Qureshi, Acting Chief Operating Officer 

Plant Five for Life, Christine Graziano, President 

Riverlife, Matthew Galluzzo, President & CEO 

RiverWise, Daniel Rossi-Keen, Executive Director 

Student Conservation Association, Jennifer Meccariello Layman, Regional Vice President 

Sustainable Pittsburgh, Joylette Portlock, Executive Director 

The Forbes Funds, Fred Brown, President and CEO 

Tree Pittsburgh, Danielle Crumrine, Executive Director 

Triboro Ecodistrict, Brian Wolovich, Director 

UrbanKind Institute, Jamil Bey, President 

Venture Outdoors, Valerie Beichner, President & CEO 

Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Thomas D. Saunders, President and CEO 

Women for a Healthy Environment, Michelle Naccarati- Chapkis, Executive Director 

Creating food equity through action in the Triboro Ecodistrict

Posted on by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

The Triboro Ecodistrict has had its fair share of challenges in its mission to increase sustainable community development; with six shared lenses of promoting equity, food, water, energy, air quality, and mobility, the initiative has made significant strides improving Millvale, Etna, and Sharpsburg’s quality of life. 

But the COVID-19 crisis has brought new, and amplified existing, difficulties for the three boroughs, the foremost of each being access to food. Therefore, these communities are leveraging years of collaboration to create equity through action.

When Pennsylvania’s first shelter-at-home order was put into place by Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine on March 23, seven counties, including Allegheny, were forced to close nonessential businesses. All 67 counties were under the order by April 1.

In the last five weeks, 1.5 million Pennsylvanians have filed for unemployment. 

Physical distancing is the only proven way to slow the spread of COVID-19 and “decrease the anticipated spike,” which would overwhelm hospitals and significantly weaken healthcare workers ability to provide adequate medical care to individuals, according to the American Medical Association.

Sheltering at home is saving lives, but an afflictive side effect for nonessential workers is that most are not receiving steady income.

“A lot of people will say to me, ‘My neighbor just lost their job,’ and I tell them to come up to the food bank. They don’t need to be registered with us right now. Just come in and we will feed you, that’s what we’re here for,” said Alexis Weber, Pantry Manager at Bread of Life Food Pantry in Etna.

Weber said during a regular month the food pantry will serve 105 families. During April they served 134 including 37 new families. In an effort to reduce exposure, grocery items are prepackaged and brought out to the car. Each box is assembled with the intention to create a well rounded selection for families including canned food but also fresh fruits, eggs, meats and cheeses.

The Boys & Girls Club in Millvale has been catering to a younger audience and has a bit of a different set up for individuals, but Youth Development Coordinator Kate Davis said it is working out well.

Seven days a week from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. the Boys & Girls Club has a share table setup with groceries and other items that anyone in need can take, and breakfast and lunch grab bags are available for any child under 18. 

“Shaler [Area School District] has been bringing 125 meals a day and all of them are being taken,” Davis said. ‘These lunch ladies [making these meals] don’t get credit because they’re not in the public eye, but they are amazing.”

The Boys & Girls Club have received donations for local businesses regularly in the past, and some have been able to give more in recent weeks, like Sprezzatura, Jean-Marc’s Bakery, and 412 Food Rescue. Davis said those donations are added to the share table or the kids meal bags.

“Businesses have been reaching out every few days to check in,” Davis said. “Millvale is a very strong community, and you notice that from all of the floods and how it just seems to come together [in a time of need].”

Bonnie DeMotte, Executive Director of Second Harvest in Sharpsburg, said the strength of the Triboro communities, individually and together, has been a silver lining during the response to the pandemic. 

“Before this, I don’t think all the different leaders of these groups knew each other as well and certainly we are now all more aware of each [organization].” DeMotte said. “Now we can really help each other in these unprecedented times.”

DeMotte has partnered with Roots of Faith Director Kathleen Stanley to assist in food distribution to those in need and it is the only site currently in the borough. The extension of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank in Sharpsburg is connected to St. Vincent DePaul, which is part of the Catholic Diocese and closed indefinitely due to COVID-19.

Second Harvest and Roots of Faith are also working with Sharpsburg Neighborhood Organization Executive Director Brittany Reno who has been writing grant applications in order to get more resources to the program.

Every week, DeMotte said they have been providing over 100 bags of food for individuals who are able attend the walk up distribution. They have also been delivering 300 bags to seniors and at-risk residents, as have Bread of Life Food Pantry and the Boys & Girls Club.

“It’s people helping people, you know?” said Weber. “You just don’t know how strong and caring you are until you get in a crisis like this and everyone comes out. It’s like both sides of the coin. The people who can give, give. The people who need to receive, receive.”

“We’re all praying for this virus to be over, but it’s going to be a long haul.”

Each organization is in need of food or monetary donations to keep up with demand. If you are able, please send checks or drop off donations to the locations below. If you are in need of food, there are resources below for meal distribution dates. If you are in immediate need of food, please call Alexis Weber at (412) 721-3343.

 

Bread of Life Food Pantry in Etna

Food donations:

Monday’s from 2-4 p.m.
Wednesday’s from 6-8 p.m.
Friday’s from 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

All Saints Activities Building
Church Alley between Wilson Street and Dewey Street
Follow Dewey St from Grant Ave, making a right on Wendlin Street, a Right on Wilson Street, and a Right on Church Alley.

Monetary donations:

94 Locust St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15223

 

Boys & Girls Club in Millvale

Food and monetary donations:

100 Howard St.
Millvale, PA 15209

 

Second Harvest + Roots of Faith in Sharpsburg

Food donations:

(Anytime)
101 Cabin Lane
Pittsburgh, PA 15215

(Wednesday’s only from 10 a.m.-12 p.m.)
800 Main St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15215

Monetary donations:

800 Main St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15215

 

Christ Lutheran Church in Millvale 

Monetary: 

Online or sent to 917 Evergreen Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15209


North Hill Community Outreach

Food donations: 

Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
1975 Ferguson Road, Allison Park, PA 15101

Monetary donations:

Online or call Lin Kostura at (412) 487-6316, opt. 1 x 3131

 

Resources for residents in need:


Dinners for Neighbors

Wednesday
5-6 p.m.
Fugh Hall
27 Crescent Ave.
Etna, PA 15223

Dinners for Friends

Tuesday
5:30-6:30 p.m.
Blawnox Fire Department
376 Freeport Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15238

Wednesday
5:30-6:30 p.m.
The Sharpsburg Family Worship Center
200 8th St., Sharpsburg, PA 15215


Bread of Life Food Pantry Etna

Wednesday, May 13
10 a.m.- 12 p.m.

Wednesday, May 20
1-3 p.m.

Wednesday, May 27
6-8 p.m.

94 Locust St. Etna, PA 15223 


Boys & Girls Club

Meals for children under 18

Share table with groceries and other items for anyone in need

Monday-Sunday
11 a.m.-1 p.m.

100 Howard St. Millvale, PA 15209


Second Harvest & Roots of Faith

Every Wednesday
Delivery to seniors and at-risk residents (email kathleen.stanley@faithfoxchapel.org)

Every Thursday
10 a.m.-1 p.m.
800 Main St. Pittsburgh, PA 15215

Christ Lutheran Church 

917 Evergreen Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15209
Call 412-821-4300 or email Christlutheran917@gmail.com for mask and food distribution information

North Hill Community Outreach

Wednesday, May 20
10 a.m.-1 p.m.
416 Lincoln Ave. Millvale, PA 15209
(Serves the 15209 zip code)

New Sun Rising deploys Crisis Mitigation Relief Fund

Posted on by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

New Sun Rising (NSR) is providing up to $5,000 to small businesses and nonprofits who demonstrated critical economic needs due to the COVID-19 crisis, thanks to $100,000 in seed funding from the Hillman Foundation.

Successful applicants are receiving immediate funding and technical assistance taken as a loan repayment (0% interest, 3 year term, 6 month no payments) or Vibrancy Corps option, which provides full loan forgiveness. The Vibrancy Corps requires organizations to make a one to three month commitment to use funds to implement projects that address urgent community needs.

“We know how hard people work in our nonprofit and small business community. While COVID-19 has pushed many of us to our limits, it is inspiring to see how hard people are willing to fight to sustain their organization and community. The goal of the Crisis Mitigation Relief Fund is to help as many leaders as possible to endure this crisis, and mobilize them to build vibrant  communities together,” said Scott Wolovich, Executive Director of New Sun Rising. 

Although similar funds have been launched in Pittsburgh, there are several things that make NSR’s Crisis Mitigation Fund unique. Due to an innovative loan structure, nonprofits, small businesses, social enterprises, and cooperatives in Allegheny and Beaver County all were eligible to apply. In order to prioritize inclusion and data-informed decisions, the Fund Committee used information from NSR’s Vibrancy Index Dashboard to evaluate community impact, aligned values, and financial need. 

New Sun Rising recognizes that complex problems require complex solutions, therefore funding decisions also considered a Crisis Response Priority score and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The wide range of supported organizations is a reflection of NSR’s triple bottom line community development methodology based on culture, sustainability, and opportunity.

The majority of organizations are receiving funds to help meet basic human needs by providing food, shelter, and mental health support, mitigating further losses for vulnerable populations such as immigrants and youth, and ensuring an equitable response to the pandemic. A total of 24 extraordinary organizations received funds, including: Barrels to Beethoven, Coraopolis Youth Creations, Hello Neighbor, Hill District Consensus Group, Kitchen of Grace, Inside Our Minds, Latino Community Center, Love Rocks Cafe, Protohaven, Revival Relief, Zellous Hope Project, Triboro Ecodistrict Food Relief projects in Millvale, Etna, and Sharpsburg, and more. A full list of awardees along with information on the organization’s Vibrancy Index Dashboard and Crisis Response Priority score can be found on the New Sun Rising website.

Neashia Johnson of the Hill District Consensus Group notes that “as existing food insecurity challenges are exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, having the support of NSR’s Crisis Relief Fund is invaluable as we respond to the direct needs of our community.”

New Sun Rising will continue to support projects addressing community challenges on the front lines, but is not currently accepting new applications due to depletion of funds. If you are interested in partnering to financially support the Crisis Mitigation Relief Fund, please email vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org or visit newsunrising.org/ways-to-give.

 

About New Sun Rising

New Sun Rising supports nonprofits and small businesses to build vibrant communities through culture, sustainability, and opportunity. NSR believes that all people and communities hold the knowledge and power to make positive change. We envision a future where regenerative community development practices create the conditions for true social, environmental, and economic justice.

Food businesses endure difficult transitions during pandemic

Posted on by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

When Governor Tom Wolf began implementing social restrictions in mid March to suppress the spread of COVID-19, it became a test of true grit for businesses and organizations in Allegheny County. 

Nonessential businesses were forced to close and those deemed essential, including food and drink establishments, were pushed to provide takeout and curbside pickup meals to reduce human interaction. 

Jen Saffron, owner of Sprezzatura in Millvale, said it’s been a difficult transition financially and culturally. 

“The first thing I told my staff is that we cannot hug customers,” Saffron said. “People love us, and that’s the kind of business we’ve always wanted. They come for comfort.” 

Founded on authentic Italian and Italian American cuisine, the cafe is built on community. Saffron said people who come in for dinner or a special occasion tend to sit and socialize for hours.

“That’s the kind of place we are, but now those things aren’t happening,” Saffron said. “The main thing for us is that the [neighborhood] still needs to be served.”

Since they opened in November 2019, Sprezzatura has partnered with The Northern Area Boys and Girls Club in Millvale to provide healthy meals for the kids and continue to do so while schools, which support food insecure students, are closed indefinitely.

Tupelo Honey Teas in Millvale made the decision to close the shop on March 21 to allow employees and owner Danielle Spinola to shelter-in-place. Sprinola has been in the store a few times since closing to mix tea blends for online orders, which have been higher than usual, and she is grateful for it.

“I told my employees that I would continue to pay them during this time,” Spinola said. “Nobody asked for this. It’s not like any of us threw up our hands and said we don’t want to work anymore.”

Spinola plans on opening the shop up soon and staggering employee shifts so they can continue to serve the community with takeout meals. Recently she has been thinking of ways to restructure her Pay It Forward program; how it has worked in the past is that customers would purchase a drink and meal card, like a gift card, to donate to the program and Tupelo would give those cards to a different nonprofit each month who would then distribute the cards to those in need of a free drink or meal. Spinola said it will work similarly, but will focus on benefitting borough residents specifically.

“I want to put these cards towards immediate needs in the community as we get back at it,” Spinola said. 

Essential small businesses like these are central in maintaining community vibrancy during a crisis and providing access to food, but the unexpected financial hardships have taken a toll on how these businesses can respond. Event and ticket management companies have added another layer of stress, especially for Spinola. She received a check in the mail from Brown Paper Tickets as payment for an event she already held, but the check bounced. Spinola said BPT told her, and other customers, that they “had to refund future event tickets because of COVID” and reneged payment for previous events.

For Jackie Page-Heidelberg, owner of Love Rocks Cafe in McKees Rocks, she’s just trying to keep her “head above water.” She recently changed her operating hours in response to COVID-19 and will be reopening after the Easter holiday.

Located in the Father Ryan Arts Center, Page-Heidelberg said she had been working six days a week to keep the doors open and make enough money to pay the bills. She received a lot of information on loan options available for small businesses, but said she’s been very overwhelmed by it all.

“I can’t even think about borrowing anything right now,” Page-Heidelberg said. “I’m just trying to make it work with what I’ve got.”

She said her focus is on keeping herself, her family, and her community fed. Partnering with the Allegheny County Housing Authority, Page-Heidelberg said she’ll be providing 100 meals to Hays Manor residents and she’s been thinking about other ways to help food insecure McKees Rocks residents that may be struggling. 

“Never in my life would I have expected something like this to happen,” Page-Heidelberg said.

All three women-owned food businesses were part of New Sun Rising’s Launch Incubator program. Having the experience of participating in a business development cohort provided them with a peer and community network, which can make a critical difference during challenging times.

Saffron said she has been activating that network recently, encouraging people to promote their local food establishments and support them in other ways if individuals are able to do so.

“It doesn’t take much. It could mean once a week you order a quart of soup from somebody and that’s helpful,” Saffron said. 

“What happens during times like this is there is a rise in gun sales and the grip of fear and take hold. That’s when people forget the real power isn’t just protecting your own home, it’s thinking about your neighbors and looking out for others.” 

During this shelter in place, individuals and organizations have sponsored Sprezzatura to prepare over 600 meals for those in need, helping the cafe stay open to serve Millvale and surrounding communities.

Sprezzatura gave thanks to: Connie & Ron Robinson, Mrs. Bova, Lisel Virkel, Kirsten Ervin, Peggy Outon, Joe Saffron, Merceda & Joe Saffron, Diana & Eddie Martucci, Bonnie DeMotte and Second Harvest, and New Sun Rising.

The meals were given to the Women’s Center and Shelter, the nurses at Western Psych, social workers at Resolve Crisis Network, staff and members of the Millvale Boys and Girls Club, Sharpsburg residents, and the Millvale Police.

Vibrancy Under Siege in COVID-19 America

Posted on by Scott Wolovich

Photo detail at Randyland

What a week.
In a matter of days, the rapid spread and quarantine response to cornonavirus disrupted our physical and mental routines like nothing we have seen since 9/11. The economic fallout has been swift, especially for employees, 1099 gig economy workers, and small business owners. As many as 1 million people filed for their first week of unemployment benefits this week. Businesses and their employees who cannot go virtual, like healthcare, construction, food, transportation, and hospitality, face a tough decision between paycheck and potential exposure. Many of them have now been deemed non-essential and forced to shut down.

What’s needed.
In the short term, resources should prioritize the critical human service and economic needs of our most vulnerable neighbors. This crisis has shed further light on the cruel nature of a system that promotes centralized wealth but keeps people in poverty, the health and well being of older adults and youth in the shadows, and our small businesses disadvantaged. Help us to better understand urgent needs in your community and advocate for the just use of recovery resources by completing this brief COVID-19 Crisis Mitigation Needs Assessment.

Some of you have grant funds, skills, and resources which can be mobilized immediately. Leaders should consider collaborating with other organizations, reallocating funds, and shifting short-term programmatic strategies to help mitigate negative impacts on those they serve. Many grant makers are supporting the flexible use of funds. Locally and Nationally, a growing number of foundations are pledging no ‘business as usual’. This unexpected move to a virtual environment has also left many nonprofits and small businesses scrambling to adapt. Help us to best support you via this Technical Needs Assessment.

New Sun Rising and our Board of Directors have always valued innovation and the associated risks, the power of integrated solutions, and continuous adaptive learning into the delivery of our capacity building and accessible funding efforts. In this spirit, NSR is announcing two new rapid response programs:

  1. Fiscal Sponsorship – Critical Projects allows for accelerated due diligence, approval, and onboarding processes for charitable initiatives that directly support human services, health and basic needs, or access to life sustaining funds. Applicants are encouraged to apply online in order to determine eligibility.
  2. Crisis Mitigation Relief Fund will provide $1,000 to $2,500 and technical support for small businesses and nonprofits who demonstrate critical economic needs as a result of unemployment or underemployment during the COVID-19 crisis. Follow NSR social media and website for program eligibility and application details as they become available. Make a contribution to this fund and help us to support the urgent needs of more people. Special thanks to the Hillman Foundation for your early support.

Where we’re going.
Government leaders are deploying a war time approach to mobilize manufacturing and economic stimulus that will total billions of dollars. One reality of war is this significant flow of financial resources, both in the short term mitigation phase but also during the longer term recovery. While we agree that immediate concerns are top priority, we encourage citizens, businesses, nonprofits, and elected leaders to consider your role in advocacy and use your power to guide accountability towards a just and human centered crisis response. As billions or more are about to pour into our communities, we must signal to systemic gatekeepers that we are willing, able, and necessary to lead an effective and equitable recovery.

Lastly, please know that New Sun Rising and our partners are here to listen and to consider any collaborative approaches to promote and protect community vibrancy. We remain committed to taking action through triple bottom line community development (culture, sustainability, and opportunity). Our core values of inclusion, adaptation, and place-based solutions will continue to guide our work. On behalf of the NSR team, we would also like to extend our gratitude to the front line healthcare, social service, and other workers who are taking on personal risk while providing essential support.

Take care of yourself and family. Check on your friends and neighbors. Be well.

Scott Wolovich, Executive Director

Next One Northside Mini-Grant deadline October 31, 2019

Posted on by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

Pittsburgh, PA — The upcoming One Northside (ONS) Mini-Grant application deadline on October 31, 2019 is the last for this calendar year. The following deadline is January 30, 2020. 

Project applications submitted to New Sun Rising (NSR) by Oct. 31 will receive a decision in November 2019. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but those submitted after the Oct. 31 deadline will not receive a decision until February 2020.

The mini-grant program awards Northsider’s up to $1,000 to support small scale community projects that demonstrate pledged support of their neighbors, help strengthen connections, increase accessibility to resources, and/or activate significant places in their community. 

NSR encourages prospective applicants to attend the next Open Office Hours to learn more about the mini-grant process in advance of preparing their application, which will be Monday, Oct. 21 from 1-2:30 p.m. at Woods Run Library, 1201 Woods Run Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15212.

Contact

For mini-grant applicants, the preferred method for submitting your application is to use the online form accessible at: www.newsunrising.org/project/ignite-northside/

Printed applications are accepted by postal mail. You may also submit your applications as attachments to vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org. Postal mail submissions should be addressed to New Sun Rising, Attn. One Northside Mini-Grant, P.O. Box 58005, Pittsburgh, PA 15209 and must be received by the grant deadline. All projects must be completed by August 1, 2020.

In pre-approved circumstances, project leaders may submit for additional mini-grants. Only one mini-grant per project leader may be active at one time. Please contact vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org for additional information. 

About New Sun Rising

New Sun Rising supports nonprofits and small businesses to build vibrant communities through culture, sustainability, and opportunity. NSR believes that people and communities hold the knowledge and power to make positive change. We envision a future where regenerative community development practices create the conditions for true social, environmental, and economic justice. 

About One Northside

One  Northside is a community-driven initiative to improve the quality of life in all 18 neighborhoods of the Northside. Since early 2014, hundreds of Northside residents have engaged with local leaders and stakeholders in community-wide conversations to create a shared agenda for the revitalization of this vital component of the greater Pittsburgh region.