The Ruach Bicycle Club focuses on science, technology, engineering, art, math and bikes. Club members will learn about bike science, health and bike mechanics. Our goal is to build confidence and help nurture problem solving skills along with making science and math relevant for today’s youth.
Art in the Garden has year-round programming that supports participants in growing in connection to self, others, and the Earth. Based out of Borland Garden in East Liberty, we are LGBTQ+ led, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, liberatory, and joy-centered.
Our programming engages arts, ecology, and mindfulness as vehicles to address the impacts of childhood adversity and trauma.
Participants develop self-awareness and reduce stress by identifying and honoring their emotions; they engage restorative practices that empower confidence, strengthen relationships, teamwork, and conflict transformation skills; solutions-based projects strengthen their ability to see themselves as creators of positive change, all the while deepening their capacity for compassion.
Trauma-Informed Care Trainings Support a Compassionate Approach
One of the visions central to our work is supporting Pittsburgh in becoming a model for best practices in trauma-informed care. In order to support this vision, we hold trauma-informed care trainings for Art the Garden teachers, families, and community members. Prior sessions include, “Why Trauma-Informed Care Must be Explicitly Anti-Racist,” “Supporting Transgender Youth,” and “Concrete Strategies for Joy-Centered, Trauma-Informed Interventions with Youth.” For a program to be trauma-informed it must intentionally create communities of belonging. Participants in our trainings gain concrete tools for caring for themselves and others as well as a board perspective on why trauma informed care is both an individual healing practice and a systemic intervention into creating a more just and supportive world for all.
At Art in the Garden, we strive to support each participant feel seen and valued. For, we know that when we are deeply seen, it is easier for us to touch our own innate goodness, the truth of who we are. When we know this truth about ourselves, we can act from love, feel confident in who we are, make centered and kind choices, and stay in touch with our inner wisdom.
Community Partners
Since Art in the Garden began in 2009, we have been a community that welcomes the whole of each person and values our interconnection. Over the years we have created lasting partnerships with collaborating artists, ecologists and other local organizations including: Afro-Latin Drumming and Dance with Miguel Sague III; The Andy Warhol Museum; Bird Lab; DJing with Tim Guthrie; The Mural Art Project led by Max “Gems” Gonzalez, Jerome “Chu” Charles, and Shane Pilster in collaboration with Hemispheric Conversations: Urban Art Project (HCUAP) and Rivers of Steel Arts (ROSA); Latino Community Center (LCC); Pittsburgh Forest Garden; Pittsburgh Community Science Workshop; Reading is Fundamental (RIF); Sankofa Village for the Arts; Sensory Super Powers; Tree Pittsburgh; Youth Enrichment Services (YES); and ZART. We also welcomed a licensed social worker to our summer team to further support social and emotional well-being of our community.
We are also grateful to partners who provided indoor space during inclement weather: East Liberty Presbyterian Church, Eastminster Presbyterian Church, The Kingsley Association, and North Way Church and to Earthen Vessels Outreach for, each summer for many summers, providing over 2,000 free breakfasts and lunches to Art in the Garden campers.
Consider Supporting Art in the Garden
We believe in systems powered by love and justice. We know that racism, sexism, and anti- LGBTQIA+ stigma harm economic security. We actively work against these systemic failures and persistent disparities and refuse the idea that only those who can afford programming can participate. We know that together we can create a better world for all.
In the interest of equity, at least half of the spots for our programs are reserved for students who identify as low-income and/or are of Black, Indigenous, and Latinx heritage. In order to promote economic justice, AITG uses a sliding scale fee.
Your support makes programming possible.
The Climate Crisis as Teacher
Art in the Garden’s approach to ecology identifies climate change as both the crisis that it is and as an opportunity to learn from and connect with the earth. How can we engage our attention and our imagination to the task of regenerating the health of local ecosystems? When we look deeply into the devastating headlines about the effects of global warming, we see that the climate crisis reflects our distance from and difficulty being with the living world, including being with ourselves. To this end, students engage with activities that ask them to take an active role, however small, in regenerating the health of the planet. They have planted seeds and watched them grow, inoculated logs with mushroom spawn, harvested basil and made delicious pesto, foraged for medicinal plants and made a healing salve. Throughout, they discussed the regenerative power of plants to heal our bodies and the planet. Students wonder at how each seed contains the blueprints for a living plant that, given the proper care, will sprout and grow, providing food, medicine, habitat, and oxygen to others for generations to come. This sort of ecological imagination—students’ capacity to envision a 70 foot tree unfurling from a seed the size of their fingernails—is essential to Art in the Garden’s philosophy. Because we see daily the devastating effects that fossil fuel industries and chemical agriculture have on the planet, it can be hard to imagine a world where we meet core human needs while also regenerating the health of ecosystems. And yet, for most of human history, humans did. Art in the Garden helps campers relearn that it is possible—and fun!—to live in this way.
Meals & Composting
To support the health of our community and the earth, all of the meals we serve are vegetarian/vegan and we compost all food scraps. Campers experience the importance of composting firsthand, witnessing the transformation of food waste into fertile soil. Thanks to the Refresh Fund and Grounded for support in purchasing a new compost tumbler. We also work to connect Art in the Garden families with free food through partnerships with local organizations.
My daughter loved her time at camp, coming home with beautiful art, including the brilliant mulberry stains on her face. I loved the week as well, as I felt completely confident that I was leaving my child with a truly kind staff who welcomed her and cared for her particular needs. It felt a bit as if I were also leaving her in the care of the garden itself, which is a splendid, magical space where children can dig and play and learn. -Parent
My child’s curiosity and interest in the natural world increased. -Parent
The Art in the Garden program has been a wonderful and transformative experience for me. Teaching and learning outdoors in nature has been a healing journey. The curriculum pedagogy and the lifestyle practices of the community makes the program influential for adults and children. As a PA Certified K-12 Art Teacher and Lead Teacher of Art in the Garden, I believe this has been a deep and meaningful professional development opportunity for me as an educator and community partner. Because of Art in the Garden, I now plan to facilitate a community garden in my neighborhood. More neighborhoods would benefit from programs similar to Art in the Garden.” -Teacher
Camp offered a safe, calm place for my daughter to do the kinds of basic things she does not get a chance to do at school and that bring her joy. She could sit, think, get dirty, pick fruit. Her teacher was soft spoken and had an even, calm energy that helped my daughter be more receptive to hearing about emotions and strategies for self-regulation. -Parent
Art in the Garden is the only job I’ve ever had where I can be myself and I am genuinely seen and celebrated, as are the other teachers and all the campers. The culture of community, care, and joy is magical to be a part of. Teaching this curriculum is meaningful to me because it provides crucial yet accessible life skills for anyone existing on the planet. This is the summer camp we all wish we had gone to as kids! -Teacher
What I find very special about Art in the Garden is that amidst all of the amazing and enriching activities that the campers are engaging in, the emotional experience of campers is always central. That means that supporting a camper to navigate a moment of worry, anger, or sadness might be the most important learning. Sometimes we throw a lesson plan out the window because what we really need is a restorative circle to help mediate a conflict, or a quiet moment to draw about our big feelings. That’s what it means to me to be trauma-informed—we are always there for the campers as human beings first. -Molly Zacharias, Camp Therapist
I believe that the use of the skills taught by AITG helps to normalize the ways in which my child experiences the world. Through exposure and through practice and shared language, he is more receptive to using the skills and tools he has learned to help him navigate conflicts, bring self-awareness to a given situation. -Parent
I think that it is wonderful to have a sliding scale, we were able to attend because of it. -Parent
Borland Garden is a truly magical place. My daughter loves Art in the Garden’s summer camp and brings the creativity and positivity home with her. I’m using one of the wands she made to dispel negative self-talk and limiting thoughts. So grateful for AITG! -Parent
Reflections from Our Teen Leaders
Working at Art in the Garden really taught me to be more gentle with myself and to love myself more.
I liked when they taught us about the different ways to work with kids. I learned how to be a leader and how to calmly handle situations.
I learned a lot about composting and how that affects the planet and about a lot of edible plants.
I learned how to be patient with the kids even when it wasn’t easy. I learned how to calm campers down by doing deep breaths, talking in a calm voice, and taking a walk. Then you want to try and slowly redirect the camper (once calm) to the rest of the group.
Art in the Garden is a very calm and relaxing place. It has impacted me and my brother so much.
Being a Teen Leader helped me better my relationship with kids and understand how to work a garden better.
Working here betters you as a person.
Questions? Please Reach Out to Us!
Exploring Identity: Teen Voices brings diverse adolescent peers together where each can celebrate their own ethnic – racial identity by learning digital storytelling, connecting with each other in a cross-cultural exchange, and educating the community at large about social acceptance.
Unaddressed trauma perpetuates cycles of harm in our communities, influencing the music and media we create and consume. While popular music and media often normalize trauma-responsive behavior, they can also empower individuals, foster economic liberation, and advance professional growth.
The Creative Apprenticeship Program (C.A.P.) is a three-month to yearlong initiative offering resources, mentorship, and opportunities for collaboration, and creative growth. Participants gain access to specialized creative clubs, 1 on 1 support sessions, and tri-annual showcase opportunities. CAP creatives join a broader network of artists and business owners, creating opportunities for teaching, service, and vendor roles in community initiatives. C.A.P. participants also receive mental health mentorship, and networking opportunities, preparing them for greater personal and professional advancement.
Pittsburgh Family Liberation seeks to foster a community of mutual aid, family empowerment, self-advocacy, and community-based participatory defense for families dealing with the Allegheny County Office of Children, Youth, and Families. We empower families to advocate for themselves through political and systems-navigation training, peer-to-peer support networks, and systems accompaniment and advocacy. We look to disrupt the historically racist and classist tenants of the family policing system while building thriving, interconnected communities in which families are supported, children are given autonomy, and accountability can be fostered. The goal of our project is to build a network of people creating a system of mutual aid and fighting against all systems causing oppression.
We create a space where families affected by CYF can: meet and discuss their cases; help each other better understand the systems they are navigating and the language of those systems; help each other address resource needs that are hindering case resolution; offer practical help, like transportation to visitation, accompaniment to medical appointments, or even help moving from one home to another; accompany each other to court, meeting with lawyers, social workers, and other systems professionals, in order to document and help navigate these often fraught interactions; provide emotional support and debriefing during what is an extremely painful and stressful experience for families; and create a deep community of care and resistance that not only advocates for each other but celebrates each other in our victories, both small and large.
What is Drone Soccer?
Drone soccer is a thrilling indoor team sport played with radio-controlled quadcopters in protective
exoskeletons designed for collisions. Five-player teams face off in a netted arena where they ram and
block the opposing team to prevent them from scoring. Before pilots can compete, they must first learn
to build, code, fly, and repair high-performance drones, gaining engineering skills towards exciting
careers in aviation.
Drone soccer is the only educational robotics competition that is also an internationally sanctioned team
sport. U.S. Drone Soccer products and training services help schools adopt aerospace career pathways
with classroom enrichment programs as well as after-school teams. U.S. Drone Soccer is headquartered
in the “Olympic City, USA” of Colorado Springs, Colorado, along with more than 60 national and
international sporting agencies. Drone soccer continues to grow in the US and is now officially
recognized as a STEM.org accredited educational experience.
Our Plan
We plan to augment existing STEM programs at Pittsburgh area schools by introducing drone soccer,
which allows for additional programming for students to participate in a team-oriented sport,
potentially engaging youth who have not found traditional robotics or esports programs appealing.
Drone Soccer is an equal opportunity activity for all and can increase enrollment of underrepresented
populations, including minorities, girls, and individuals within the disability population, in aviation and
STEM.
Drone piloting requires the following skills: the ability to think in 3D, strong concentration skills, the
ability to remain calm under pressure, IT skills, math skills, the ability to make quick decisions in
emergencies, give accurate instructions, and accept considerable responsibility. The skills developed in a
program incorporating drone operation are transferable to various settings in the fast-changing future
workforce.
Drone soccer is being used as a fun way to get students involved in a STEM activity while gaining all of
the benefits and skills that come from a team sport and environment. The program includes building,
coding, and flying the drone – all aspects are covered, and when in competition, whether at a club or
league level, the students will need to troubleshoot and repair their drones to get back into the
competition.
The Future
The program will eventually provide a path of learning for students to apply and test for their FAA 107
drone piloting license. This opportunity will open many potential employment options, from
photography and videography to infrastructure inspection services, first responder drone systems, and
many other industries that could benefit from the use of drones. We have a vision to impact and change
the life trajectory of students and families within western Pennsylvania and beyond!
The Awakening is a poignant reflection of a condition deeply ingrained in African American families, where young men, swayed by peer influence, veer into violence. Written by local playwright Lorenzo Boone, The Awakening delves into the life of Jason, a young man caught in the grip of gang influence and struggling to find a way out. Set against the backdrop of an African American community, the play explores Jason’s intense pressures and choices as he battles between loyalty to his gang and the love of his family through a journey of self-discovery and redemption, offering a powerful message of hope and the possibility of change.
Sponsors enable us to provide free tickets to at-risk youth and their parents, build community partnerships, and offer sustainable models where playwriting is a catalyst for social change. Please consider one of the sponsorship packages in the document linked below:
If you have any questions about the sponsorship packages, please contact Lorenzo Boone, CEO, at 724-624-2527, or lorenzoboone@gmail.com.
Gold Pyramid recognizes the importance of low-income and at-risk youth to attend arts and cultural events and believes that our work is crucial to shifting the narrative without our communities. Through your generosity, we will have a profound impact on our youth by providing an option for them to attend for free. It is our hope that their experience at one of our productions will change lives and save lives.
Founded in 2016, Gold Pyramid Screen and Stage LLC works to produce screenplays, stage plays and teleplays that will instill pride in African American ancestry, motivate real change, and provide insights that will deeply move an audience.
Gold Pyramid also provides training and employment opportunities that would not otherwise exist or be available for our community including opportunities for African American writers, actors, and technicians.
Since 2016, Gold Pyramid has been supported out of pocket and the occasional generosity of private donors. Please consider making a recurring or one-time charitable donation through our recent partnership with New Sun Rising by clicking the link below.
Our mission is to support women and caregivers in the Greater Pittsburgh area who have experienced trauma or loss around childbirth, and foster a culture of love and connection through collaborative songwriting.
We host group and individual songwriting workshops and community concerts, where we explore the hopes, fears, dreams, and challenges of parenthood through song.
Our goal is for these musical experiences to serve as a grounding point for families, one that improves the mental health of the parent and the linguistic, social, and emotional development of the child, thereby improving the health of the entire family.
Since our beginning in 2022, we have worked closely with Dr. Tracey Vogel, an obstetric anesthesiologist at Allegheny Health Network, and have developed additional partnerships with the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas, the MAYA Organization, Maddie’s GEMs, and other local nonprofits. We are a program of Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute.
You can watch a video overview of our project here.
To learn more about Lullaby Project Pittsburgh, you can visit us at lullabypgh.com. If your organization is interested in partnering with us, please email Claire at lullabypgh@gmail.com.
2024-2025 Sponsorship PacketA gift of $50 will provide lunch at one of our workshops, so our participants can have the time they need to create, reflect, and recharge during a songwriting session.
A gift of $150 allows a family to create their own personal lullaby. A lullaby is worth a thousand moments of love and safety for a child, and helps parent and child bond for a lifetime.
A gift of $250 will make one group songwriting session possible! These playful workshops are an abbreviated take on our traditional sessions where up to six families explore music and create one song all together.
A gift of $500 will make an entire month of our educational outreach programs possible! These programs are opportunities for young children to explore and play with music in a warm environment, developing crucial emotional and social skills.
A gift of $1,000 will make our traditional songwriting session experience possible for six families in the Pittsburgh area. The songwriting workshop allows participants to not only create their own personalized lullabies, but to bond with other parents by sharing stories with one another.
A gift of any amount is greatly appreciated. No gift is too small! Thank you for supporting new mothers and families in Pittsburgh.
Arts Excursions Unlimited is a grassroots community arts project in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Hazelwood. Approximately, 150 community members of all ages collaborate on the planning and implementation of arts and cultural excursions in the region and beyond, creative activities for community events and festivals throughout the city, and temporary public art projects. We’ve been going strong since 2015.
Established in 2022, the West View Urban Farm is the first of its kind in the borough. Led by a group of community volunteers, the farm is an opportunity to grow fresh, healthy food, build community, and provide for those in need. The farm is the site of the Casper Reel cabin, which was completed in 1794. The property is the ancestral lands of the Iroquois, as well as the Shawnee and Lenape. We acknowledge their forcible removable from their ancestral home and work to honor the ancestral stewards of this land as we farm and create community on this site.
Maude’s is creating community space for LGBTQIA+ folx in Millvale and beyond! Our goal is to support members of the LGBTQIA+ community on their individual journeys of healing and growth while also fostering community connection. Through events like Queer Coven, Found Family, Queer Prom, and Sober Sundays, we hold space for individuals who crave connection and haven’t yet been able to find a support system that fits their needs and wants. We support the trans and nonbinary community specifically by offering space for exploring gender in a safe and uplifting environment. We want our community to thrive and are honored to be able to create space for them to do so.