Strategy: Opportunity

Birth Your Way

Birth Your Way exists to connect expecting parents to community resources to support and educate expecting parents of their options to having a healthy and successful pregnancy and delivery. 

To further support Black and Minority maternal health, Birth Your Way is fundraising to provide scholarships for Black midwives in Pittsburgh. The scholarship covers tuition fees for Black women to attend Commonsense Childbirth School of Midwifery, a Black midwife college designed to enable students to gain the knowledge and skills needed to become highly competent midwives. We are asking community members, partners, and leaders to invest in the future of Black birth and make this dream a reality.

The 2019 Pittsburgh Gender Equality Report revealed that Black women’s maternal mortality rate is higher in Pittsburgh than in 97% of similar cities. Black birthing women are dying from complications that are 60% preventative compared to white counterparts. Unfortunately, in a city with merits for being medically advanced with superior health care systems, Black birthing women are not reaping the benefit of being residents in the most livable city.  Pittsburgh is rated as one of the worst cities for Black women to give birth. 

Racism, blatant, passive-aggressive, microaggressions, and complicit biases directly correlate between Black women and infants dying or surviving. Since the Gender Equality release, many organizations have attempted to combat these statistics with new doula community programs, town hall meetings, and other services created to address this national health crisis.

#TOYZSTEAM Dah-Varsity Scholars

#TOYZSTEAM Dah-Varsity Scholars is a fiscally sponsored program focused on increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) creator industry.

We also foster entrepreneurship, and improve economic mobility in disadvantaged populations, by empowering people to be the superhero version of themselves, through training and multi-generational mentorship.

We have created a virtual adult workforce training course with the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC), providing students with laptops, internet access, and hardware, along with books and materials.

These students use our Dah-Varsity app, our anti-bullying song created with the music department at Carnegie Mellon University, “Stop The Bullying,” along with our teaching materials, to deliver STEAM programming to middle school and high school students, in an after-school setting.

Our program uses digital storytelling, 3D modeling, game design, coding, audio production, music, and entrepreneurship to teach students how to create, sell, and tell their stories through designing and manufacturing superhero toys.

WIN-Spirations

Our purpose is to reduce poverty and build gender equity by providing networking, professional mentoring, and education to women experiencing economic hardship.

PARTICIPANTS: WIN will connect participants with an individual in the desired field to offer advice and assistance as it relates to personal and professional growth. Participants will receive a minimum of 1-year support and connection to professional experts in the areas of business and career mentoring, resume review and writing services, personal finance education and support, education about homeownership, and assistance in locating relevant resources such as insurance, professional attire, along with services such as career advancement opportunities.

All projects are charitable in nature and fall in line with section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status for our sponsors, donors, and grantors.

Flourish Ed

Flourish Ed is a fiscally sponsored educational outreach program in collaboration with the founders of Strong Ambitious Women, Kind-R-Garden and The Pittsburgh Village Project.

The mission of this program is to develop and implement a framework  for conscious teaching and learning in a post pandemic world. We reimagine the present by nourishing a positive self and community image in support of a flourishing future. Through focusing on soft skills and creative resilience, students grow as meaningful contributors and impactful leaders whose radiance promotes the growth of their communities.

Our goal is to reimagine education to be authentic. We aim to empower learners to be creative contributors through a focus on social and emotional wellness and project-based learning, while nourishing a positive self and community image. By cultivating leadership, learners will be active participants in engaging and empowering their social circles to be positive catalysts for change. 

 

Kate’s Kid Book Bash

Kate’s Kid Book Bash is a children’s book festival featuring a book sale and signing with some of today’s most influential children’s authors and illustrators. The event, which benefits Reading Is FUNdamental Pittsburgh, will be held at the Kingsley Association in East Liberty. A 2021 date is soon to be announced. The festival is made possible with the support of Pittsburgh independent bookseller Riverstone Books.

Kate’s Kid Book Bash is named after beloved Pittsburgh children’s author Kate Dopirak, who lost her life to a neurodegenerative disorder at the age of 43.

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Today & OneDay PGH

TodayPGH is a teacher storytelling platform that began in 2020. It seeks to share powerful stories of diverse Pittsburgh educators to inspire future generations, lift up the profession and build bridges of empathy. This project transcends across school districts and grade levels, opening new windows into the field. TodayPGH hopes to recognize teachers who are working to insert humanity back into education, and transform the field in regards to diversity, equity and inclusion. Teachers are continuing to leave the field at an alarming rate, and this organization wishes to recognize the stories that often go unnoticed and encourage future diverse educators into the field.

 

One Day is dedicated to our youth who are our future in creating more equitable school environments. One Day currently targets Middle School students across Southwestern Pennsylvania. The pilot chapter began at Dorseyville Middle School in 2020, and we will continue to plant seeds in neighboring schools. Embedded within student councils, students will begin to identify curricular gaps, deliver social justice lessons to elementary students and work towards creating a culturally affirming school environment. Utilizing a mirror (identity), window (perspectives of others) and bridge (action) framework, students will work to create culturally affirming environments. One Day hopes to encourage diverse educational leaders into the field.

 

Students will also identify curricular gaps and deliver social justice lessons to elementary-age students throughout the year. Through this peer-teaching-peer model, Middle School students will continue to explore topics embedded within a mirror, window, bridge framework focusing on identity, diversity, justice and action as delineated by the Teaching Tolerance Anti-Bias Framework. The hope is to create a network of Middle Schoolers who can learn from each other across schools such that schools begin to work together in transforming education rather than apart. It also hopes to foster a new generation of teacher-leaders who are committed to education, justice, diversity and inclusion.

 

Today & One Day’s goals are twofold. TodayPGH will continue to utilize storytelling as a powerful change-agent. Storytelling segments will be written and a podcast will be created-centered around today’s most critical topics. Our new podcast segment will be entitled: One Year Teaching in a Pandemic: What Has Changed? What Hasn’t? This podcast will be driven by teacher and for teachers. In addition, this storytelling is meant to uplift teachers, celebrate success and practice empathy. We hope to recognize the teachers that are creating sunshine in the darkest places within Pittsburgh. Often times, teachers are working around the clock with little to no recognition. This organization hopes to change this mindset. Prior to COVID-19, states have been experiencing teacher shortages. With the extra stress of the pandemic, teachers are continuing to leave this field at an alarming rate. If we do not begin to focus on uplifting voices and listening to stories, we are going to find ourselves in a devastating predicament.

 

One Day will continue to spread chapters across Southwestern Pennsylvania. The pilot took place at one Middle School this year. Initially, the target will be Middle School students who will continue to plan projects centered around the actionable components of justice. Students will also identify curricular gaps and deliver social justice lessons to elementary-age students throughout the year. Through this peer-teaching-peer model, Middle School students will continue to explore topics embedded within a mirror, window, bridge framework focusing on identity, diversity, justice and action as delineated by the Teaching Tolerance Anti-Bias Framework. The hope is to create a network of Middle Schoolers who can learn from each other across schools such that schools begin to work together in transforming education rather than apart. It also hopes to foster a new generation of teacher-leaders who are committed to education, justice, diversity and inclusion.

Tabitha’s Daughters

the project

“If you empower women, you can change the world.”  Tabitha’s Daughters believes this assertion.

Where women gather to transform an issue or challenge, you will find our stories of strength, resilience, and determination.  We want to change Pittsburgh!  In order to change our city – a city where women, and especially African-American women are living with health, educational, housing, and economic disparities that are ” the worst in the nation,” (based on the Gender Equity Commission Report of 2019), women must be a part of the solutions for change. In a city which claims to be the “most livable city in America,” women must force change in political, social, educational, and economic systems that impede our progress and keep us from participating in the growing prosperity of Pittsburgh.

Our project is a social justice initiative where women of all ages and ethnicities are invited to be a part of the transformational change that needs to happen in Pittsburgh.  Using the Gender Equity Commission Report as the framework, we will gather to analyze and honestly discuss this report, choose an indicator to attack, and build an initiative that will improve, via one of the 5 indicators, the living standard of women in our city.  This project will involve 3-4 mini symposiums where experts will assist us in being a part of what must change in our city.

the steps

Training the Trainers – Interactions that will employ techniques and strategies to train those who will lead the discussion group and build the strategies for affecting the negative indicators affecting women.

1st Mini – Symposium – Collaborating with experts on the Gender Equity Commisison Report that can lead the women who gather to understand and unpack the report.

2nd Mini- Symposium – Group “table talks” on what the report means to the women mentioned in the report (African-American, Latina, Asian, & Euro-American women)

3rd Mini- Symposium – Choosing one of the 6 indicators (health mortality, infant mortality, educational, housing, economic) to build a strategy of improvement and impact around.  Building out an initiative that partners with collaborators to continue to work the program and promote change.

why we’re doing it

Tabitha’s Daughters believes the “future is female.”  Women, who occupy more space on the globe than men, must be moved to leadership positions that allow us to be a part of our own solution.  Our project, through the information provided in the Gender Equity Commission report, allows women to take ahold of our own future.  This report gives us the problems and challenges; now, Tabitha’s Daughters wants to build out solutions to create equity within our city for women who live, work, worship, and support their families.

Our project will ultimately be a solution to the statistics housed in the Gender Equity Commission report through concerted action.  Whether educational, health, housing, or economic disparities, we will work one of these indicators to viable solutions and affect change in the city.  We believe that small groups can make a difference and this project is constructed to make that difference.

 

source: https://ioby.org/project/tabithas-daughters-framing-future

STEM Leadership Center

The STEM Leadership Center offers a space and support for youth in grades 6-16 to pursue real-world projects in science and technology.   The Center works with our Odyssey Fellows to partner with leaders around the world seeking to solve the real problems, to make meaningful projects possible, and to stoke the fires of what makes them passionate imagineers of a more beautiful world. Fellows tell the stories of today’s scientific and technological breakthroughs through published books, web resources, electronics prototypes, YouTube videos, games, virtual and augmented realities, and mobile apps.  Odyssey Fellows, with the help of our project managers, take their creations to regional and national STEM competitions, science fairs and maker faires.

We accept donations to support those fellows whose families cannot afford the monthly lab access fees.  Donors may choose which fellowships to direct their monies to: 

Current fellowships include:

  • Heroes of Math: Promoting a new Heroes of Math Medal for school to 3D print and award annually to a student of their choice.  heroesofmath.weebly.com/

  • Charging into the Future: Investigating advances in battery technology of Electric Vehicles. chargingintothefuture.weebly.com/

  • 4 Step Robotics: Prototyping a robotic kitten for use in Alzheimer’s research and treatment.  4steprobotics.weebly.com/

  • River Robots: Programming solutions to Ohio River water pollution riverrobots.weebly.com/

  • Bridge Builders of Tomorrow: Looking at new tech in bridge building and repair. bridgebuildersoftomorrow.weebly.com/

  • Into Words:  Online Workshops and meetings centered around teaching effective communication skills. intowordsclub.weebly.com/

  • Catching RFID Waves: Celebrating RFID Tech and the IoT catchingrfidwaves.weebly.com/

  • Taking Root: Building a text based choose your own adventure Python game centered around the life of 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Awardee Wangari Mathai.

Fellowships continue throughout the year.  Any royalties or profits are donated to charities chosen by each fellowship. 

Contact Information
stemleadershipcenter.com

 

Grow Sto-Rox

The Grow Sto-Rox collaborative exists to improve the quality of life of Sto-Rox residents through programs which are trauma informed, strengths based, and create equitable economic impact.

 

PARTNERS

Communities in Schools of Pittsburgh Allegheny County (CISPAC) – Bridget Clement, Executive Director

Focus on Renewal (FOR) – Cindy Haines, Executive Director, Adrienne Roberts, Dorian Glenn

McKees Rocks Community Development Corporation (MRCDC) – Taris Vrcek, Executive Director

Sto-Rox School District (SRSD) – Frank Dalmas, Superintendent, Samantha Levitzki, School Board

Zellous Hope Project (ZH) – Denise Zellous, Executive Director 

 

BACKGROUND

The Sto-Rox community is composed of the racially-diverse, Pittsburgh rust belt communities of Stowe Township and McKees Rocks Borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. In 2014, an Allegheny County Department of Human Services study ranked Sto-Rox as a “Distressed Community”– the highest designation of rural and suburban poverty based on the number of single-mother households, unemployed males, housing vacancy and transportation scarcity. The Sto-Rox School District (SRSD), serving approximately 1,500 students 100% of whom qualify for free-and-reduced price lunch, has historically been one of the lowest performing school districts in Pennsylvania, known for significant gaps in digital access and struggles with charter school competition.

Despite these challenges the Sto-Rox community has many resources: over 10 Early Childhood Educational facilities, 5 Out-of-School (OST) providers, an active Community Development Corporation (MRCDC), revitalizing business and manufacturing bases, and a strong anchor human services organization (FOR) which runs a Community Resource Center and a powerhouse community arts center.

In 2014, when faced with budget and capacity constraints, SRSD called on local organizations to support critical youth and family programming. In response, the McKees Rocks CDC (MRCDC), Focus on Renewal (FOR) and over 15 other local organizations convened to form the “Sto-Rox Youth Partnership,” (SRYP) aimed at improving outcomes for youth and families. The SRSD and community partnered with Communities In Schools Pittsburgh – Allegheny County (CISPAC) to help guide the vision and resources. In 2017, the MRCDC, FOR, SRSD and CISPAC strengthened the efforts of the SRYP by forming an executive level steering committee and identifying key focus areas to support the work happening on the ground.

Concurrently, the McKees Rocks CDC (MRCDC) and Focus on Renewal (FOR) partnered with New Sun Rising (NSR) in 2016 to lead the development of a revisioning and activation plan while more deeply engaging the Sto-Rox community. The plan emphasized the voices and empowerment of stakeholders throughout the process, with special attention to underrepresented citizens. Building upon this research and feedback on the community’s development priorities, NSR, MRCDC, and FOR facilitated the Ignite Sto-Rox startup workshop in 2017 to identify local social entrepreneurs and provided ongoing intensive development support to 10 organizations through the Launch Sto-Rox incubator in 2018. 

Building upon this period of increased collaboration throughout the community, New Sun Rising (NSR) began to meet with stakeholders to identify opportunities for transformational collective impact.  Existing workforce and economic development assets were numerous but disconnected, including: Youth Workforce programs (Studio Sto-Rox Career Readiness, STEAM, Project Future and Learn & Earn), Adult Workforce programs (Pre-Apprenticeship Academy, Career Placement Services, and Asset Building), plans to establish a “Learning Campus” where Sto-Rox H.S. serves as a hub for learners of all ages, a “Maker & Co-Working Facility (The Joinery) that would include establishing a light manufacturing space, and most importantly a commitment to prioritize community outreach and engagement to vulnerable residents in all decisions through programs like “Voices of the Community” and related support from The Zellous Hope Project.

In August 2019, the Grow Sto-Rox founding partners (listed above) first met as a collaborative and committed  to increase their efficacy by fully embracing the tenants of collective impact planning as it works to improve the quality of life of Sto-Rox residents through trauma informed, strength-based programs that improve the equitable economic future of the community. The founding partners acknowledge that this work is not possible without building trust, engaging the community, eliminating locally defined disparities, developing a culture of continuous improvement, and leveraging existing assets.

In acknowledgement of this shared vision and commitment, the Grow Sto-Rox collaborative was accepted into the inaugural year of The Forbes Funds C3 (Catalyst Community Cohort) program in late 2019.  The C3 program provides funding and mentorship that will serve to advance the collaborative’s planning and capacity building efforts as they move towards implementation.

 

GOALS

Grow Sto-Rox creates pathways to the middle class for multi-generational residents by achieving the following goals, which are informed by local research presented in “Recommendations for an Equity, Justice, and Inclusion Agenda for Pittsburgh” from Urban Kind and based upon “The Path to an All In Pittsburgh” from Policy Link.

G1: Grow good accessible jobs that provide pathways to the middle class

G2:  Increase the economic security and mobility of vulnerable families and workers

G3: Cultivate homegrown talent through a strong cradle-to-career pipeline

G4:  Create a healthy, opportunity-rich neighborhood for all

 

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The founding partners of the Grow Sto-Rox collaborative fully believe that our goals can only be achieved by implementing solutions which are Trauma informed and Strengths-based.  Initial activities include training and community engagement on developing these two competencies – as well as systemic racism education.

Trauma informed is realizing that every individual’s experience results in varying levels of trauma that plays a big role in how they respond to everyday interactions.  People develop masks to hide the fact that they are traumatized. In community, these masks manifest in real ways, such as mental health with addiction, indifference in hyper masculinity, and false confidence hiding fear in educators. Trauma-informed approaches allow you to take your own mask off and engage with the real person. Being vulnerable and recognizing that trauma is manifesting in another human being provides people with a different experience, avoiding the reinforcement of their current mental model. Providers must be aware of our own triggers, levels of chronic stress, and ability to avoid escalation by reframing conversations. Dealing with trauma has been relatively absent in our community and is critical for people to move into strengths-based approaches and ultimately, equitable economic growth.

Strengths-based means genuinely getting to know the people that you are working with and valuing that their knowledge and experience can be used to help them reach their goals. Providers, leaders, and peers must develop the ability to truly meet people where they are at – sometimes that can mean admiring people for just showing up. People who are caught in generational poverty are made to feel less important than others. In order to break this cycle we must understand what success looks like to each individual, help them to see their strengths, and build upon them.  People who feel powerless need to be given options and have the opportunity to share how they feel. By facilitating a greater understanding and practice of strengths-based approaches throughout the broader community, Grow Sto-Rox will help to lift the power of individuals in poverty to participate in their own growth. Not by leading, but by following their lead.

Pittsburgh Restaurant Workers Aid

Pittsburgh Restaurant Workers Aid provides resources and community support to low-wage restaurant and hospitality workers who have lost financial, housing, food, and healthcare security. Built as a coalition of service industry workers in response to the economic distress caused by COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, our goal is to create a mutual aid network that can address immediate needs, through this crisis and beyond, by distributing food, baby necessities, pet care items, cleaning and hygiene products, and small emergency cash grants.

In response to the closure of dine-in facilities in Allegheny County on March 15th, we partnered with the Irma Freeman Center in Garfield to set up the Pittsburgh Restaurant Workers Aid Food Distribution Center. Since then, we have delivered close to 400 care packages to the front doors of low-wage restaurant workers in the region, from our next door neighbors to folks in neighboring counties. Our Food Distribution Center acts as a hub to collect donations from community members and partner organizations, assemble care packages, serve meals, allow neighbors to pick up groceries, and send out volunteer drivers with deliveries. These resources will aid low-wage neighbors to maintain food security for themselves and their families during times of need.

Through reaching out to our greater community for support, the folks who eat at our tables and celebrate at our bars, the communities around us that benefit from the vibrant culture created in our dining rooms and on our stages, we will be able to better recover from these hard times and welcome our guests back with open arms.

The Partnership Network (TPN)

The Partnership Network (TPN) is a group of intermediary funders and/or capacity building organizations working to mobilize the community and economic development sectors in the Pittsburgh region. TPN creates the conditions for change by solving complex community challenges at the macro, meso, and micro levels of our communities. Partner organizations include Allegheny Conference, Grounded Strategies, Neighborhood Allies, NeighborWorks Western Pennsylvania, and New Sun Rising.

Collectively, TPN is focused on capacity building for the Community Development System to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). TPN members, and as a collective group, work at both the organization and resident-level with a commitment to being people-centered in their work. In order to achieve this goal the members have agreed to the implement the following practices which are critical to how they will manage their intra-network relationships and expectations:

  • Aligning resources
  • Creating transparency
  • Articulating shared outcomes

Read more from TPN members:

NSR Crisis Mitigation Relief Fund

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Crisis Mitigation Relief Fund (the “Fund”) provides up to $5,000 to small businesses and nonprofits who demonstrate critical economic needs as a result of unemployment or underemployment due to the COVID-19 crisis. 

NSR is committed to increasing data sharing and transparency. Please click the Fund Overview image to learn more about applicants, funded organizations, and community needs supported. Special thanks to the generous and timely support of the Hillman Foundation for providing $100,000 in seed funding. Applications are currently closed due to depletion of funds. If you are interested to contribute or partner, please email vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org or consider making a donation.

Successful applicants receive funds and technical assistance by selecting between two options:

  1. Loan Repayment. Organizations who do not elect the Loan Forgiveness option will enter into a standard loan agreement (0% interest, 3 year term, 6 month no payments)
  2. Vibrancy Corps (Loan Forgiveness). Organizations that elect to participate in the Vibrancy Corps are eligible for full loan forgiveness.  The Vibrancy Corps requires organizations to make a 1-3 month commitment to use funds to implement projects which address community needs. Failure to complete a final report of Vibrancy Corps activity will result in a default to the Loan Repayment option. 
    • Create Impact. Use your organization’s products, services, or staff to address a validated community need, improve public health and safety, or help other organizations to improve their operations or generate income during COVID-19 recovery.  Positive community impacts of your work should be reasonably expected within 30 days. Note: Vibrancy Corps activity will be reported as 1099 activity for individuals and for-profit businesses, and as an award to non-profits.
    • Connect. Attend a 1-hour phone or online weekly support meeting with other Corps members. Provide photos of you and your team doing this work so we can amplify your organization through our media channels.
    • Be Flexible.  We encourage flexibility, creativity, and adaptiveness when proposing Vibrancy Corps projects. Organizations will have the opportunity to share high level details in the program application.  

Fund availability is contingent upon available financial resources. New Sun Rising reserves the right to adapt Fund goals at any time to reflect the emerging nature of community needs.

 

ELIGIBILITY, APPLICATION, + DETERMINATION

Nonprofits, for profit businesses, social enterprises, and cooperatives in Allegheny and Beaver County, are all eligible to apply. New Sun Rising reserves the right to prioritize support for organizations who have previously participated in our programs. Organizations are not eligible if they have received Crisis Mitigation Relief Funds in the last 12 months, are seeking support for candidate campaigns or other partisan activity, leadership transitions, or start up costs.

Applications to the Fund are to be completed online or, if technology creates a barrier, through an application interview scheduled by emailing vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org. All applicants are vetted by a diverse Fund Committee, composed of New Sun Rising staff and community representatives, following the Selection Criteria.  

Initial application deadline has passed on April 3rd.  Applications received by 11:59PM on the deadline dates will receive a notification of their status within one week. Additional dates will be communicated through the New Sun Rising website (newsunrising.org) and social media accounts as determined by fund availability.

 

SUPPORT

As part of the Crisis Mitigation Relief Fund, New Sun Rising and program partners will also provide recipients with support services and educational opportunities.  This could include topics such as operations, human resources, finances, and leadership resilience to support organizations through the crisis. Peer support will occur through weekly Vibrancy Corps check ins.

 

SELECTION CRITERIA

Due to the rapid response nature of this Fund and evolving community conditions, the following criteria will be used to guide due diligence.  All decisions will be made by a diverse Fund Committee, including New Sun Rising staff and community representatives, according to the NSR Vibrancy Score Rubric and prioritized using the following criteria:

  1. Values: Organizations who demonstrate a commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion throughout their staff, the people they serve, and community partners that are most impacted by racial and economic inequities will be prioritized. (e.g. communities of color, immigrants, refugees, formerly incarcerated residents, youth, low-wage workers, people with disabilities, low-income residents, LGBTQ community members, etc.)
  2. Need: Organizations who demonstrate a critical need for funds due to unemployment or underemployment since the COVID-19 breakout will be prioritized. 
  3. Impact: Organizations who have products or services that serve basic human needs, public health and safety, or help other organizations to operate virtually or generate income will be prioritized.  Operations must occur within publicly accepted and government mandated public health and safety standards.

 

Applications Currently Closed

 

The Crisis Mitigation Relief Fund is made possible through the responsive and extraordinary support of the Henry L. Hillman Foundation. Please consider a donation to help us support more organizations and leaders through this crisis.