Tag: millvale

Hillman Foundation grants Triboro Ecodistrict $250,000 for ongoing work

Posted on by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

Pittsburgh, PA — The Henry L. Hillman Foundation has approved a $250,000 grant to support operations and the continuation of existing programs for the Triboro Ecodistrict through 2021, allowing the partnership to deepen its efforts of serving its residents by creating more equitable and sustainable neighborhoods within Millvale, Etna, and Sharpsburg.

The funds will be used to advance joint undertakings by the three boroughs to include food programs for residents, specific green stormwater management projects, and flood preparation and insurance cost reduction through the Community Rating System.

“The recognition from the Hillman Foundation for the efforts of the Triboro Ecodistrict depicts the hard work of the three communities,” said Millvale Mayor Brian Spoales. “The support that this grant provides to us will help solidify the continuing efforts for completing projects along with providing a jump start on new ideas.”

Additionally, the grant will back continued research around the Triboro Community Library System, the launch of Triboro Solar Co-op with Solar United Neighbors, and more.

 

Contact

Brian Wolovich
Triboro Ecodistrict Director
triboro.ecodistrict@gmail.com

Scott Wolovich
Executive Director, New Sun Rising
scott@newsunrising.org

Brittany Reno
Executive Director, Sharpsburg Neighborhood Organization
brittany@sharpsburgneighborhood.org

Megan Tuñón
Director, Etna Community Organization
etnaeco@gmail.com

 

About Triboro Ecodistrict

The Triboro Ecodistrict promotes coordinated sustainable community development throughout the Boroughs of Millvale, Etna and Sharpsburg. With over 10,000 residents combined, these Allegheny River Towns are building on a strong collaborative history to promote sustainable community development through the shared lenses of: Equity, Food, Water, Energy, Air Quality, and Mobility. This is a partnership between New Sun Rising, Etna Community Organization, and Sharpsburg Neighborhood Organization.

Triboro Ecodistrict businesses adapt under Covid-19

Posted on by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

Above: Outdoor patio seating at Double L bar in Millvale that was added to accommodate COVID-19 restrictions.

Over the last five months, coronavirus cases have fluctuated throughout Pennsylvania and small business owners have had to adapt to changing regulations instituted by the state to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Guidance for retail and businesses in the restaurant industry is provided on Governor Tom Wolf’s website, which has been helpful for many, but the transitions are difficult nonetheless.

“It sucks. I don’t know how else to say it,” said Linsey Marie Thomas, owner of Double L in Millvale. 

Her father bought the bar in 1984, and after his unexpected death, Thomas took over. She lived above the bar from the age of two to 19 and said she is a “born and raised bar brat.” When she began running the business, she wanted the atmosphere to be a step above a dive, but have the nostalgic, hometown bar feeling and she believes she’s achieved that. 

Before the pandemic, Double L closed for renovations and reopened as a non-smoking bar, and they are also a designated Sustainable Pittsburgh Restaurant. 

Since March, Thomas has continued to adjust with the regulations and closed the bar for a short time in July when the virus was spiking. They are currently open for dine-in or takeout options and have indoor and outdoor patio seating.

“It makes a difference to support smaller local places,” Thomas said. “Everyone that works in my bar lives in the neighborhood and the area, so you’re not just supporting me, you’re supporting them, too.”

For businesses opening during the pandemic, like 2 Sisters 2 Sons in Sharpsburg, it hasn’t required as many modifications considering they built their food business around takeout-only. Co-owners Denise Joseph and Marlene Siddo opened the location with their sons Michael Brown and Kwasi Prince on July 6 and have experienced a healthy flow of customers every day since. They were previously located in Wilkinsburg, but closed in 2015 due to building issues and have been mobile until now.

Brown said customers from around the city and county have stopped in for food with some coming as far as Ohio.

“There was at least a minimum of one person a day opening the door to ask if we were open yet and wanting to place an order, so we knew that we were going to get consistent traffic, but we didn’t know it would be like this,” Brown said. 

Joseph and Siddo are the head chefs, while Brown and Prince focus on keeping the daily operations running smoothly. Joseph said she is elated with their new location and that the Sharpsburg community has been very welcoming. Her family is close-knit, and she can tell the borough is, too. 

“I want to say thank you to everyone supporting us, we appreciate the love,” Joseph said. “Keep coming and we will make sure we work with you and that everybody is happy.”

They are working on getting multiple phone lines to take more orders over the phone, which take about about 15-25 minutes to cook, because as Joseph said, “you don’t want to rush good food.”

Similarly, it’s best not to rush quality fashion. Kiya Tomlin’s retail business in Etna produces everything in-house, which she said gives her and her staff control over clothing quality and the ability to personally manage inventory, so they aren’t producing items “that nobody wants or having to meet other factories production minimums.”

“It allows us to be more resourceful with our fabric waste so we’re not just throwing it out and can use it towards other things, whether it’s making samples or donating or creating other things with it,” Tomlin said.

For now, the space is open by appointment only, but when the shut down order was enacted in March and Tomlin closed up the shop, she was committed to keeping her team paid and employed. After the first week of the shelter-at-home order, Tomlin said she received a text message from a friend about a hospital system in Indiana asking for home sewers to make masks because they were experiencing a shortage.

“That hadn’t been on the radar in Pittsburgh yet, but it was starting to come about in other areas so when I saw that I thought that is something we can do,” Tomlin said. 

She was connected to Allegheny Health Network and began producing 400 masks a day to donate to support staff individuals and those not in direct contact with COVID-19 patients. Tomlin said they kept this up “for a good month or two” until masks became more available. 

Tomlin said those masks were also donated to Triboro police, firefighters, and neighboring businesses, and she is thankful for how proactive the borough has been in releasing information helpful for small businesses.

“I think we normally intentionally support each other, but there was even more of an incentive to make sure we supported one another through this, all being small businesses, to stay afloat,” Tomlin said.

Due to Tomlin’s donated mask production, she was contacted by Highmark and her team is one of several other businesses contributing to Highmark’s initiative of donating 1 million cloth face masks to the Highmark community.

Honoring Triboro Ecodistrict Essential Workers

Posted on by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

To honor some of its most caring and hardworking community members, the Triboro Ecodistrict asked residents to nominate someone they saw within Millvale-Etna-Sharpsburg going above and beyond to provide essential services to their communities during this pandemic.

From volunteer firefighters and postal workers, to restaurant owners and professional distillers, these are the individuals working and living in the Triboro Ecodistrict, and chosen by their community, to be recognized for their continued commitment to helping others.

 

Millvale

Aisha Al-Zahrani, Registered Nurse

Aisha Al-Zahrani chose to become a Labor and Delivery Nurse because she wanted to advocate for women’s health and “support patients during one of the most vulnerable times in their lives.”

“It has been a scary and unsettling time for parents to be bringing life into the world during a pandemic,” Al-Zahrani said. “Just taking the time to make them feel safe and comfortable while also taking extra precautions that the hospital has set in place has been helpful in reducing their anxiety.”

Al-Zahrani lives in Millvale and said the borough has been amazing and has given residents some kind of stability during uncertain times. Specifically, the Millvale Community Share Table, New Sun Rising’s free produce box distributions through Farmers to Families, and the collaboration between Sprezzatura and Tupelo Honey Teas has been “incredible” to see.

“You can tell the sense of community we have here. Everyone has come together and supported each other.”

 

Jacqlyn Boggs, Outreach Manager at North Hills Community Outreach, Millvale Satellite 

For Jacqlyn Boggs, being able to make a difference in someone’s life, whether that be tangible help, providing resources, or just an ear to listen, was her inspiration to become involved in community outreach.

The person who nominated Boggs to be honored as a Triboro Ecodistrict Essential Worker said Boggs “and her team have gone above and beyond to make sure the citizens of Millvale area have access to food, emergency assistance, etc. You won’t find a harder working individual serving Millvale right now.” 

When Boggs looks around the Millvale community, she applauds and is in awe of others who stepped up to take care of their neighbors.

“I watched Boys & Girls Club with Shaler School District work together to provide lunches for students, local businesses donating to make sure anyone hungry could get a meal, local churches provide gift cards/bags of food to those in need, residence stepping  up to be buddies to each other, [New Sun Rising] setting up produce distributions, and Shaler High School Seniors holding a food drive to support local food pantries. It makes me proud to be working in Millvale,” Boggs said.

 

Gabe Cetra, Letter Carrier for the United States Postal Service

Gabe Cetra said he was never meant to sit behind a desk, and his decision to work as a letter carrier for the USPS was one of the best decisions he’s ever made. 

The most rewarding part of the job? 

“Without a doubt, it’s the people that I serve,” Centra said. “Being able to connect them with each other, and with family and friends all over the world, is kind of mind blowing when you think about it. Birthday cards, letters, holiday greetings, Christmas gifts, and so much more are trusted to me every single day. I’m honored to serve a community like Millvale and grateful for the kindness that they show me day in and day out.”

During this pandemic, Centra said he has been inspired by how Triboro residents have supported one another and he is proud to be contributing to the sustainability of small businesses as they continue to expand “their mail order opportunities.”

 

James Machajewski, Assistant Chief of Millvale Volunteer Fire Department, Emergency Management Coordinator of the Borough of Millvale, Borough of Millvale Council President, Electrophysiology Nurse at UPMC Shadyside Hospital

There are two things that inspired James Machajewski’s professional and volunteer endeavors: the urge to help others and the pride he has for Millvale. He has been with the Millvale Volunteer Fire Department since 1989, a registered nurse since 1994, served as the Borough’s Emergency Management Coordinator since 2007, and he was elected to council in 2009 and has served as president since 2013.

“Knowing that I can make a difference is the most rewarding part of my jobs,” Machajewski said. “Whether it is physically helping out, providing information, or just lending an ear to listen, you know you can make a difference that can mean a lot to someone in need.”

This pandemic has sparked familiar feelings for Machajewski, similar to those felt when Millvale has gone through other difficult times.

“It may sound strange to some, but my experience in Millvale during this pandemic has once again made me feel Humbled, Honored and Proud to be a part of our town. Just like some other unfortunate events that have disrupted our normal daily lives in the past, the residents and businesses in Millvale have found ways to come together to protect and help each other in a time of need.”

 

Millvale Community Share Table

The Community Share Table in Millvale is a partnership between the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania’s Northern Area Clubhouse and Shaler Area School District to provide youths ages 18 and younger grab-and-go meals for breakfast and lunch. With volunteers from Northern Area Boys & Girls Club, Millvale Community Library, and Millvale Youth Dance, the table also holds free food and other items for all ages. These are the four volunteers associated with the Share Table that were nominated as Triboro Ecodistrict Essential Workers.

Roman Benty, Youth Program Director at Millvale Community Library, Millvale Youth Dance Chaperone, Celebrated Talent Show Judge

“I think it was a great way to get to know people I’d always seen around town, but never got the chance to talk to. COVID has forced us all to slow down and reexamine different practices and processes in our lives,” Benty said.

“The share table ended up being a space where folks could come together over food and share their hopes, gripes, fears, and reflections. Millvale is the kind of town where people like to talk, and we saw that in full effect. In some ways, I think people gained as much from the social interactions with neighbors and friends as they did from what was actually on the table. I will forever have a very special place in my heart for my fellow lunch ladies from the Boys & Girls Club and Millvale Youth Dance.”

Kate Davis, Program Manager at Northern Area Boys & Girls Club, Volunteer at Millvale Youth Dance, Borough Christmas Carnival and Bingo at Lloyd McBride Court

“I feel the share table was a great way to bring so many different organizations together to help out the community. I met many amazing people that I call friends now,” Davis said.

“Not only was it the [Millvale Community Library], Northern Area [Boys & Girls Club], and [Millvale] Youth Dance, but we worked with a few of the churches, borough, [Millvale Community Development Corporation], 412 Food Rescue, and many of the local establishments such as Cousins Lounge, Sprezzatura, and Jean Marc Chatellier’s.

It also gave many people a chance to meet people in the community they could go to for outreach if they need help. Sometimes it is hard to make those connections on our own.”

Sue Goetz, Branch Director at Northern Area Boys & Girls Club, Volunteer at events for Millvale Volunteer Fire Department, Millvale Music Fest, Millvale Days, and the VFW

“[The most rewarding part of my job is] how great our community comes together. They always want to help each other in times of need and are very generous. They even made sure, many times, that we were OK and offered to help volunteer if we needed them,” Goetz said.

Jenny Mendak, Director of Family and Youth Development at Millvale Community Development Corporation, Body Piercer at Three River Tattoos, Volunteer at numerous Millvale events

“I believe the share table brought the community closer in ways of allowing us to help each other and also meet [people in] the community we never met before. My experience was rewarding and sometimes I felt guilty for enjoying the Share Table, because it was a thing of [need] for people, but I always tried to make it fun, kind, and as uplifting as possible,” Mendak said.

 

Lucky Sign Spirits: Matt Brudnok and Christian Kahle, Professional Distillers 

The satisfaction of developing new spirits and perfecting others is one of the reasons Matt Brudnok and Christians Kahle decided to build a business around their love for strong drink.

They said anytimes they’ve needed assistance during the pandemic, someone in the community has been able to lend a helping hand. In return, Brudnok and Kahle used their distillery to create sanitizer for essential workers and keep helping hands clean.

“We both realized during the beginning of the pandemic that we had the technical ability and access to make Hand Sanitizer. Even though it nearly bankrupted us we went ahead as it was more important to help those on the front line,” Kahle said.

Lucky Sign Spirits made and distributed 2,500 bottles of hand sanitizer for free to first responders throughout the region.

 

Etna

Carl Funtal, Retired Shaler Police Officer, Current Chief Pierogi Officer at Cop Out Pierogies

It’s his love for good Polish food, and people, that led Carl Funtal to open Cop Out Pierogies. The joy he’s able to bring his customers by providing a quality product and customer service, as well as giving back to the community, is the most rewarding part of his job.

Funtal said he, along with “many groups and individuals” that helped him with these endeavors, provide meals for Emanuel Lutheran Church and have donated a portion of Cop Out Pierogies Lenten Fish Dinners to the Etna Volunteer Fire Department and Shaler Hampton EMS. Funtal is also a board member of the Etna Economic Development Corporation (EEDC). 

During this pandemic, Funtal said the support he’s received from the Etna community, including the Borough of Etna and organizations like the EEDC and Etna Community Organization “has been outstanding.”

“As well as the love and support of so many loyal customers and friends.”

 

Rev. Jonathan “JJ” Lynn, Pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran Church of Etna

Rev. JJ Lynn said it’s impossible for him to pick out one aspect of his work being more valuable than another, but it is clear to him that all of the work he does is “based on good relationships.”

“The gift to witness the miracle of relationships built on respect and love for one another overcome obstacles and bridge cultural divisions to empower unity; the gift to be a part of the realization of the abundance of life that is around us and see us harness our individual gifts and skills to work for the common good of the community and world; these are probably the top three aspects that bring me the most gratitude,” Rev. JJ said. 

The person who nominated Rev. JJ Lynn to be honored as a Triboro Ecodistrict Essential Worker said from the very beginning, Rev. JJ jumped into action to ensure both children and adults in the community did not go hungry. He opened the doors of Emmanuel Lutheran Church to serve lunches and joined others in the Borough to assure the Bread of Life Food Pantry had enough food and volunteers.

“He made himself and Emmanuel available in whatever capacity was needed.”

 

Tina Olzak, Staffing Manager at Harmar Village Care Center

At the end of the day, Tina Olzak said the most rewarding part of her job is knowing that she has helped care for the residents at Harmar Village Care Center “by providing them with them with the best staff.”

Olzak was nominated as a Triboro Ecodistrict Essential Worker by someone in her community due to her 25 years in the healthcare industry and “risking her life every single day” to take  care of her residents. 

 

Sharpsburg

Scott Bailey, School Police Officer for Fox Chapel Area School District

As a fifth generation Law Enforcement Officer, police work is a family tradition for Scott Bailey. He feels an immense amount of gratification helping others and takes pride in the lessons he learns from his son’s who are both autistic, and he looks to them for inspiration on how to educate the law enforcement community about proper procedures when interacting with autistic citizens. 

Throughout this pandemic, Bailey said it’s been difficult not having contact with some of the students who teachers and other administrators haven’t heard from. “But in Police work, you have to adapt, overcome and re-evaluate the situations. That is exactly what I did,” Bailey said.

Bailey has helped facilitate weekly meal distributions, connected with teachers and staff about students that need to be checked on and if they need food, technology, clothing, etc. For families with unreliable transportation, Bailey has been able to deliver what the students need to their homes and was involved in distributing laptops to students at the start of the shutdown. 

“Working with the students and providing for their needs, to be a mentor and be there to listen without judgment, and to just be that friendly face that any student can depend and count on. To make all students feel safe while obtaining a quality education, these are the most rewarding parts of my job.”

 

Lauren Broyles, Second Harvest Board Member + Representative to the Triboro Ecodistrict Advisory Council, Roots of Faith, Market Garden, and S. Vincent de Paul Volunteer, Professional Grant Consultant

To allow her more time and energy to get involved within the community, Lauren Broyles made some lifestyle changes several years ago that have enabled her to bridge her hobbies with her professional life. Then in 2019, her “doorway into Sharpsburg” opened when Bonnie DeMotte, executive director of Second Harvest, “reached out looking for folks to help with a new thrift store.”

“The most rewarding aspects of volunteering in Sharpsburg have been making new friendships and the opportunity to connect with other people around growing new things — food, gardens, programs, and a new store and community asset in Second Harvest.”

The time she has spent volunteering during the pandemic has led her to find innovative ways to engage with the community, like her work coordinating the Bloom Where You Are Planted container garden program, which gave Triboro residents a tomato or strawberry plant, soil, and five-gallon bucket to grow their own food over the summer.

“My experience has overwhelmingly been watching people stepping up to the plate, and finding practical and creative ways to help and connect during the economic stresses and isolation,” Broyles said.

 

Bonnie Demott, President and Executive Director of Second Harvest

Bonnie DeMotte said from its inception, Second Harvest’s desire was to make an impact on the community. Therefore, when the shutdown began, it was inevitable that the organization would step in to meet the needs of the borough.

“When we saw that the pandemic was greatly exacerbating the existing food insecurity problem, the Board agreed that we should help in any way that we could. We partnered with Roots of Faith, Fox Families Care, Backpacks For Hunger and The Sharpsburg Neighborhood organization to deliver bags of groceries to seniors and other vulnerable populations within our community. We also created the Dinners For Friends program to support local restaurants and residents with prepared dinners for pick up. Overall, we distributed over $120,000 worth of groceries, and close to $30,000 to local restaurants.”

The gratitude expressed by the people served through these programs has been heartwarming for DeMotte, and she has been grateful for the volunteers that “come out religiously for months every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday” to transport groceries from Butler to Sharpsburg, pack, and deliver the food. She is also thankful for the donations Second Harvest received to support their pandemic work.

“The way everyone rallied in their own way to make sure our neighbors were fed was truly moving. It was a privilege to be a part of it.”

 

Father Michael Decowicz, Senior Parochial Vicar of the Lower Allegheny Valley parish grouping and Director of Addiction Recovery Ministry in Pittsburgh

For 41 years, Father Michael has been a Catholic priest, a profession he was inspired to pursue unsurprisingly by his faith, but also his commitment to serving others.

To bring comfort to individuals during the pandemic, he has been posting weekly video presentations on Facebook and on the Addiction Recovery Ministry Pittsburgh website that cover a variety of topics “to help those in need during this time of isolation” and “to those struggling with the disease of addiction.”

“I have discovered once again a real sense of neighborhood and community in Sharpsburg that makes this town a very special place,” Father Michael said. “Walking through Sharpsburg, I have been able to talk with the wonderful people that live here and hopefully have been a source of comfort and hope.”

 

Rosemarie Haas, Administrative Assistant for Saint Juan Diego Parish of the Lower Allegheny Valley parish grouping and for the Addiction Recovery Ministry

Rosemarie Haas has lived in Sharpsburg all her life, and she considers it “an honor and a privilege” to help those within her community. Whether it be the smiles, tears, or words of thanks from those she assists, she said it fills her “heart with joy.”

When Haas saw how individuals and families were impacted by the pandemic, especially by food insecurity, she knew that she had to step in and help in some way.

“I saw people in Sharpsburg and throughout our nation lining up to receive free food, and after our food pantry donated all they had, I knew I had to help restock their shelves,” Haas said. “Since I am a little familiar with social media, I thought reaching out and asking for donations of food and money was a small way to help restock the shelves. I am so grateful to all those who responded so generously with their donations.”

 

Douglas Lane, Electrician, Volunteer Firefighter for the Sharpsburg Volunteer Fire Department

Douglas Lane’s grandfather was a firefighter and president of the Sharpsburg Volunteer Fire Department from the 1950s to the 1980s. A few years ago, Lane said his brother Dennis joined the department and he decided to follow suit.

“Being a part of the solution to any problems that arise [is the most rewarding part of volunteering],” Lane said. “I’ve volunteered in the past in a few capacities for a few different Sharpsburg organizations. I like helping people and serving the community. 

Since the pandemic began, Lane said there have been a lot of new regulations that keep first responder safe, which he has been following closely to keep himself, his family, and his community safe from spreading the virus.

Lane said it’s been difficult to see Sharpsburg businesses closing their doors due to the pandemic, but he knows it’s a temporary setback.

“The Borough has shown strong leadership and I’m proud to be able to continue to serve the community despite everything.”

 

Kathleen Stanley, Director of Outreach at Faith United Methodist Church/Roots of Faith

Kathleen Stanley said Sharpsburg feels like her second home and getting to know the people and their stories, anad be part of the great things happening in the borough, is part of what keeps her coming back day after day.

“It sounds silly, but I get great joy when I’m out in the community and someone recognizes me and they say, ‘Hey Kathleen, how are ya, how’s the kids?” It makes me feel like part of the community.”

When asked about her experience working in Sharpsburg during the pandemic, community was also the first word that came to her mind.

“People from all walks of life pulled together to help each other, no one cared about race, ethnicity, religion, social status, or our economic differences. For a brief moment in time, we were all united, we each brought our unique gifts to the project and we got it done.”

Stanley said Roots of Faith created a project called “Sharing the Harvest” where they and about 30 volunteers gathered, cleaned, packaged and delivered or handed out almost 500 bags of groceries every week for three months. Roots of Faith also kept its social services open to assist people with paying utilities, filing for unemployment, connecting to medical professionals, and provided COVID-19 resources. 

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 announces 2020 Vibrancy Awardees

Posted on by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

This year, New Sun Rising’s (NSR) Vibrancy Awards will honor Brown Mamas, Triboro Ecodistrict, and South Hilltop Men’s Group/Hilltop Rising LLC for cultivating Culture, Sustainability, and Opportunity in their communities. 

Each will receive $5,000 in unrestricted funds to be used to support their continual work and create stability within their communities as they cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Our administrators are brainstorming some ways to help Black mothers in the wake of COVID-19. Right now, we’d really like to focus on first responders and moms who’ve lost employment,” said Muffy Mendoza, Executive Director for Brown Mamas.

Honorees were selected from a list of nominees by a committee of NSR staff and board. Having begun in 2019, the awards support the exceptional work of organizations evaluated by the criteria of New Sun Rising’s Vibrant Communities strategies. This year’s awardees were also chosen based upon their history of meeting critical needs of vulnerable populations.

“The three awardees are nothing short of community heroes. They fearlessly take on risk and put in the work, time and ingenuity to inspire lives and places that have faced marginalization. By relating their own lived experience and talents to their respective causes, they are champions and leaders of their communities that will have a lasting impact,” said Katie Grimm, Board of Directors Vice Chair of New Sun Rising.

Last year, over 170 nonprofit and small business leaders benefited through the capacity building support of NSR’s Ignite workshops, Launch incubators, and Grow residency programs. NSR also made $1.9 million of critical, early stage funding more accessible through fiscal sponsorship, grant, loan, and award programs. 

Recently, NSR provided up to $5,000 to 24 small businesses and nonprofits that demonstrated critical economic needs due to COVID-19 through the Crisis Mitigation Relief Fund, thanks to $100,000 in seed funding from the Hillman Foundation.

Due to social distancing precautions, NSR is evaluating options for the annual celebration and fundraiser, which was originally scheduled for the summer solstice on June 20 this year. The 2020 Vibrancy Awards are made possible through the support of our Impact Award Sponsors: UPMC Center for Engagement and Inclusion, BNY Mellon Foundation of Southwestern PA, and Jack Buncher Foundation.

 

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 Brown Mamas

Brown Mamas is a brand, a blog and a community that reaches over 5,000 women in the Pittsburgh region and more than 10,000 women nationally. It was created by Muffy Mendoza in 2012 to provide positive socialization opportunities to Black mothers and connect moms with resources and information that helps them raise happy, healthy adults.

About Triboro Ecodistrict

A partnership between New Sun Rising, Etna Economic Development Corporation, and Sharpsburg Neighborhood Organization, the Triboro Ecodistrict promotes coordinated sustainable community development throughout the Boroughs of Millvale, Etna and Sharpsburg. With over 10,000 residents combined, these Allegheny River Towns are building on a strong collaborative history to promote sustainable community development through the shared lenses of: Equity, Food, Water, Energy, Air Quality, and Mobility.

About South Hilltop Men’s Group/Hilltop Rising LLC

The South Hilltop Men’s Group is a non-profit project of New Sun Rising, directed by Beltzhoover native Jmar Bey. The organization was founded in 2015 by Jmar and Christian Nowlin. They provide job training, employment opportunities and promote environmental protection through community programs that teach sustainable practices. Since 2015, the South Hilltop Men’s Group has been working to support the responsible and inclusive revitalization of Pittsburgh. The organization’s mission statement is, “Creating hope and opportunity for those who have little.”

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.

Triboro, Etna celebrate EcoDistricts certification

Posted on by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

Above: Mary Ellen Ramage, Etna Borough Manager, speaking with attendees of the 2019 EcoDistricts Summit about the future ECO Park during the Triboro Ecodistrict neighborhood tours.

In early November during the 10th Annual EcoDistricts Summit, the Borough of Etna became the world’s first certified EcoDistrict, a feat that Borough Manager Mary Ellen Ramage never thought possible because “it’s not something you ever think about.”

“Never in my life did I dream that I would be part of anything that was the first in the world,” Ramage said. 

Through a proclamation presented by Etna Mayor Tom Rengers, this Wednesday, December 11 will be recognized as Etna EcoDistrict Day, which coincides with the sold out EcoDistrict Celebration at Fugh Hall where the Triboro Ecodistrict partnership will be honored and Etna will publicly launch its EcoDistrict Plan.

Before embarking on the certification process, the borough already had a focus on sustainable practices including its Green Infrastructure Master Plan, Storm Water Management, and Green Streetscape projects, but the community’s interest in ecodistricts began in late 2016 at the EcoDistricts Micro-Incubator in Millvale.

Led by Triboro Ecodistrict Director Brian Wolovich and Millvale Sustainability Coordinator Zaheen Hussain, the micro-incubator informed participants of the EcoDistrict Protocol, how it worked when Millvale began the process in 2012, and practiced visioning sustainable development using the Protocol. Etna Community Organization (ECO) Board Member and borough resident Robert Tuñón said he and Mayor Rengers attended the workshop together.

“Both Etna and Millvale were making great strides in their physical improvements, but Tom knew the Ecodistrict movement in Millvale was catalytic in getting people to stay involved and volunteer,” Tuñón said. 

They left the micro-incubator and shared their knowledge with a small group of municipal and resident leaders, and started gathering information to create an asset based map that identified the positive things already happening in the community and how they could be built upon. Tuñón said these small meetings continued and slowly grew to around 40 residents before the initial public meeting in March 2018 that had over 100 people in attendance.

“We were shocked at the ability to have a grassroots movement start in the community with very little resources,” Tuñón said. “At the time we had no funding.”

Just a few months after the first public meeting, Etna received funding from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation through its partnership with the Triboro Ecodistrict, which also includes Millvale and Sharpsburg. The financial backing advanced Etna’s efforts and allowed them to hire evolveEA and begin an educational series that addressed a key component on the path to becoming an EcoDistrict: offer multiple rounds of opportunities for the community to give input and engage in the planning process, demonstrating that it’s an equitable plan.

Ramage said the educational series, a total of 35 public events, was “one of the most amazing things about the EcoDistrict process” and that she was “mesmerized” by residents engagement.

“People aren’t given enough credit,” Ramage said. “They just need an opportunity to learn and see how they can help and how they can be part of the change. It’s empowering.”

Including equity, communities pursuing the certification must address two other imperatives including “resilience with a broad lens that prepares for social, economic and environmental shocks and stresses,” and climate protection by building “a pathway to carbon neutrality,” according to the EcoDistricts website.

Tuñón said with the leadership of Alexis Boytim, Director of Etna Community Organization, three reports were submitted to EcoDistricts covering Equity, Resilience, and Climate Protection. 

After the third report was submitted, Boytim had a call with the national organization and that’s when she was informed that Etna was on track to become the first certified EcoDistrict. 

“We didn’t realize that would ever be a possibility,” Boytim said. “When we found out, we were excited of course, but recognized that we wouldn’t have been able to do that or even be where we are without the work done before us and [the partnership with the] Triboro.”

Tuñón echoed Boytim and said the Etna EcoDistrict would not have been imaginable without the guidance from Brian Wolovich in Millvale, Brittany Reno in Sharpsburg, and Mary Ellen in Etna.

“They were able to teach us from their lessons learned and pass those on to us, so in many ways some of the success we feel we’ve had was based on building off their experiences,” Tuñón said. “It all ties together.” 

A few projects on the horizon for Etna are the creation of the Etna Community Library and the Etna EcoPark planned for 37 Grant Ave. where a blighted building once stood and is now a vacant lot that the borough recently acquired. 

These projects are two reminders that the EcoDistrict certification is just the beginning. Over time, Etna must complete certain goals they set for themselves, track the boroughs progress, and report transparently to the national organization on how they’re doing, Tuñón said.

“The hard work starts now, but it’s work that you understand will make a difference far into the future,” Ramage said. “You have to leave it better than you found it… and that’s what EcoDistrict is all about.”

 

You might see varying forms of capitalization when exploring the idea of an ecodistrict in your community. This is intentional, and they each have their own meaning:

  • “ecodistrict” refers to the concept in the field of urban planning that integrates ecologically-sound practices with sustainable community development.
  • “Ecodistrict” refers to a specific community that is engaged in developing an ecodistrict. 
  • “EcoDistricts” refers to the parent organization that formulated and published the official Protocol and oversees a certification process. They are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Portland, Oregon.

Click here to learn more.

EcoDistricts distributes first Citymakers Awards at Summit in November

Posted on by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

During the 10th Annual EcoDistricts Summit in Pittsburgh last month, the organization initiated the first EcoDistricts Citymakers Awards on November 4 at Phipps Conservatory where key individuals, organizations, and neighborhood projects were recognized for fueling the EcoDistricts movement.

The awards, presented by EcoDistricts CEO Rob Bennett and Brionté McCorkle, ED of Georgia Conservation Voters, acknowledged and celebrated the work done by sustainable development leaders and catalytic district- and neighborhood-scale projects that are working towards a more equitable and sustainable future in urban communities. 

“The EcoDistricts movement is led by an inspiring number of urban changemakers. The work is hard and takes time. The work is critical to the future of our cities, communities and planet,” said Bennett. “I’m thrilled to acknowledge their relentless effort and commitment, much of which is done quietly and behind the scenes on behalf of their communities.”

Among a select number of awardees included: 

The Borough of Etna for becoming the World’s First Certified EcoDistrict in October of this year. The borough completed a rigorous verification process that assessed the Borough’s project governance, integrated implementation roadmap, and commitments to equity, resilience and climate action. Etna EcoDistrict receives support from New Sun Rising through the Triboro Ecodistrict and Sustainability VISTA.

“Being an outlying borough with a long history of environmental/economic traumas, this moment to be recognized for something positive, as a leader, and the first Certified EcoDistrict is so rare, so special, and so meaningful to us,” said Robert Tuñon, a district leader in Etna’s planning and community engagement process.

Millvale Ecodistrict for the formation of its award-winning EcoDistrict Pivot Plan, which led to a broader partnership between Sharpsburg and Etna, and the creation of the Triboro Ecodistrict. The Borough, Millvale Community Library, Millvale Community Development Corporation, and New Sun Rising have committed a tremendous amount of time and energy to Millvale and EcoDistricts by hosting and planning trainings including the EcoDistricts Incubator this past April that was held at the Millvale Food + Energy Hub. The borough is currently pursuing EcoDistrict certification.

Christine Mondor, Principal at evolveEA, for her work creating the EcoDistrict Protocol and shaping the EcoDistricts Incubator program. Mondor is one of the leading EcoDistricts practitioners in the county and helped Millvale develop its award-winning Ecodistrict Pivot Plan as well as helped Etna attain Ecodistrict Certification. 

The City of Pittsburgh for leadership in advancing neighborhood and district-scale equitable and sustainable development throughout the city and fostering growth for areas like Larimer, Uptown, Homewood, Millvale, Etna, Sharpsburg, downtown, and the Lower Hill District. Recently, the City has deepened its commitment to sustainability by becoming the first city in the United States to officially adopt the EcoDistrict Protocol to guide further neighborhood planning. 

“The EcoDistricts Protocol helps sharpen the City’s commitment to bringing racial equity and environmental sustainability to all Pittsburgh neighborhoods. We are proud to be an EcoDistricts leader and hope our commitment inspires other cities to follow suit,” said Grant Ervin, City of Pittsburgh Chief Resilience Officer. 

Grow Pittsburgh celebrates a decade of community garden support

Posted on by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

Grow Pittsburgh celebrated 10 years of their Community Garden Program with Garden Get Down on August 29 at Grist House Craft Brewery in Millvale. Since 2010, they’ve supported 100 gardens, engaged over 2,000 individuals, and grown over 300,000 pounds of food.

During the event, tours were given of the Gardens of Millvale, one of the first Community Garden projects facilitated by Grow Pittsburgh,

“I think a big reason I’m [at this event] is because Grow Pittsburgh has done so many amazing projects all over the city and the fact that Millvale is one of their first is a big deal,” said Maya Guerin.

Guerin, a professional landscape gardener and environmental art educator, moved to Millvale three years ago. Over time she became heavily involved working in the community gardens and they have proved to be an incredible resource for her connection to the community.

That view was echoed by Katie Grauer who moved to Pittsburgh about the same time Guerin moved to Millvale. Grauer and her husband started their Pittsburgh journey in the southern region, but recently bought a house in Point Breeze.

“We took awhile to figure out where we could have a garden and where to dump compost,” Grauer said. “We connected with a [Grow Pittsburgh] gardener [in our area] and started volunteering with our local garden.”

Grauer said since that time they have been supporters of the organization; her husband now works for Grow Pittsburgh and both “love the culture” permeated by the org.

It’s a model recognized by Sustainable Pittsburgh, a nonprofit making moves in municipalities to address underserved communities and Program Manager Jim Price came out to support the Garden Get Down because he believes “urban agriculture is a great way to increase a community’s sustainability.”

“It provides local food access, lowers your carbon footprint, and engages community members,” Price said.

Price has been working with the Triboro Ecodistrict before it was defined as such, and said Etna, Millvale, and Sharpsburg “exemplify what is means to rebound from tough situations.” From flooding and population loss, the boroughs have moved forward and redefined sustainable neighborhood engagement.

“We hope that our collaboration with the ecodistrict process can help leverage it and make this a region wide effort to improve our area and become a model for community development,” Price said.

To learn more about community gardens in the Triboro Ecodistrict, stop by the following locations for a visit: The Gardens of Millvale, 12 Butler St, Millvale, PA 15209; The Garden of Etna, 9 Short Alley, Etna, PA 15223; Sharpsburg Community Garden, 1212 Main St, Sharpsburg, PA 15215″

Sustainability director raises bar for environmental quality of life

Posted on by Alyse Horn-Pyatt
Above: Zaheen Hussain (left) speaks on a panel discussion during the Climate Change Town Hall event hosted by Congressman Mike Doyle at Soldiers & Sailors Hall in August.

 

It can be extremely overwhelming for an individual to sit and think about the impacts of climate change. With the hottest June and July ever recorded alongside two of the wettest years in Pennsylvania history, we see and feel it happening. (Que existential dread.)

But with these mountainous challenges come the challengers invested in inspiring others and generating positive environmental impacts, one being Zaheen Hussain, Director of Sustainability at New Sun Rising.

Named one of NEXTpittsburgh’s “25 Essential Pittsburghers” for “his groundbreaking work building the Triboro Ecodistrict,” Hussain said his dedication for environmentalism and climate change was instilled in him at an early age.

Hussain immigrated from Bangladesh to the United States in the 1990s with his family in part due to the growing climate crisis. Even then, his father was aware of the position Bangladesh would be put in 100 years in the future: under water.

“The climate change conversation today in America is where the rest of the world was in the early 90s,” Hussain said. “The Rio [de Janeiro Earth] Summit, the Kyoto Summit… America committed to taking action on slowing down climate change and building resiliency, and then that went away.”

Bangladesh has a population of around 165 million people and as Hussain put it, is “about the size of Wisconsin,” which has a population of around 6 million. Alongside impending climate change and to increase the access to opportunity and quality of life for their family, Hussain’s parents applied for the Diversity Visa Program and began the process of emigrating to the US.

In high school and throughout college, Hussain studied environmental technology, environmental science, and natural resource economics, “but the policy and economic side really spoke” to him. After graduating college, Hussain worked as a park ranger at Harkness Memorial State Park and William A. Niering Nature Preserve in his home state of Connecticut.  It was then that he started searching the country for sustainability work around policy and economics, and applied for a number of Student Conservation Association Green Cities fellowships here in Pittsburgh.

“I didn’t get any of them, but the program manager opened my eyes to an opportunity with GTECH [now Grounded] Strategies for the Green Economies Initiative,” Hussain said. “I moved to Pittsburgh in February of 2012 thinking I’d be here for 10 months to build experience and go back east, but seven and a half years later here I am.”

Hussain said a large part of his professional journey has been the implementation of the Millvale EcoDistrict and Triboro Ecodistrict initiative in Millvale, Etna, and Sharpsburg that for him began in 2015 when he was hired as Millvale’s Sustainability Coordinator. The Millvale EcoDistrict Pivot Plan began in 2013, “which looks at Millvale’s economic development through the lens of sustainability in food, water, energy, air quality, mobility and equity,” Hussain said.

Christine Mondor, Principal at evolveEA, met Hussain after he was hired as sustainability coordinator and said literally and figuratively he was a “breath of fresh air for [Millvale’s] efforts.” Mondor said the two specifically did a lot of work together monitoring air quality, and that Hussain is “passionate and nerdy about it in the best way possible.”

“He’s curious, so he’s always trying to understand what things mean,” Mondor said. “He knows [the science] behind what’s happening and that’s important. He’s also really good at making people feel comfortable and bringing people into the conversation.”

In 2017, Hussain became Director of Sustainability for New Sun Rising while continuing his work as Millvale’s Sustainability Coordinator and “implement[ing] the Ecodistrict plan with attention towards leadership development,” Hussain said. “[Therefore], community organizations and individuals can become more empowered to be the leaders of the work and rely less on outside capacity.”

In his position with New Sun Rising, Hussain advocates for the Vibrant Communities Framework and heads Launch Sustainability cohorts that provides coaching, project development resources, and support to strengthen business plans or grant proposals. He also spends time creating partnerships with organizations like the Green Building Alliance, Allegheny County Conservation District, and Sustainable Pittsburgh. Hussain said it’s these partnerships that help grow NSRs Vibrant Communities framework, which encompasses creating a more sustainable and equitable Pittsburgh.

Rebecca Bykoski, Sustainable Pittsburgh Restaurant Program Manager, met Hussain when he was hired as Millvale’s Sustainability Coordinator and joined the Sustainable Pittsburgh Board of Directors. Bykoski said for the time that she has known Hussain, she has noticed that he has “helped create a culture change.”

“Sustainability isn’t always about being green,” Bykoski said. “He’s good at making sure equity and the needs of disadvantaged communities are part of the conversation and that the development that’s happening is equitable.”

With Pittsburgh being one of the worst cities in the country for air pollution and related deaths, Hussain said he is concerned by the continued investment in fossil fuel economies in the region and how that will negatively impact the progress made in the area involving environmental quality and quality of life.

“As a general philosophy, I think that people can’t look at human systems and infrastructure as something outside of nature,” Hussain said. “What people need to realize is that humans are part of natural systems like any other animal. The more we look at ourselves as something outside of nature, the easier it becomes for us to destroy the environment around us because we don’t see it as something impacting our lives.”

That kind of meaningful and cogent argument is a genuine sentiment from Hussain that encourages individuals, communities, and organizations to do better.
“He’s a very inspirational person and he makes you care more and want to do more,” Bykoski said. “The world would be better if it were full of Zaheen’s.”

Three boroughs, one green new plan

Posted on by Alyse Horn-Pyatt

Above: The Triboro Air Quality Monitoring Cohort gathered on July 24 in Sharpsburg to receive equipment and training from ROCIS (Reducing Outdoor Contaminants in Indoor Spaces) on recording air quality readings inside their homes.

Etna Mayor Tom Rengers was with Steamfitters Local 449 for 44 years, and a contractor with U.S. Steel for 18.

Rengers said over the decades, he has worked on coke batteries and installed piping for the Bruce Mansfield coal-fired plant in Beaver County; it was once the largest of its kind in Pennsylvania and currently slated to be deactivated by May 2020.

“We’ve used up fossil fuels on dirty energy… it’s nice to be involved now in cleaning up [our communities],” Rengers said.

Etna is one of three boroughs that make up the Triboro Ecodistrict, an initiative that began in 2012 when Millvale entered the first phases of ecodistrict planning with evolveEA and thus creating the Millvale EcoDistrict Pivot Plan and Pivot Plan 2.0, which focuses on food, water, energy, air quality, mobility, and equity. It was the implementation of this strategy that led to the collaboration with Sharpsburg and Etna.

Sharpsburg Mayor Matt Rudzki’s family has been in the area for five generations, and said these three river town neighborhoods “struggled with identity for a long time.” 

“River town used to be a dirty word and people didn’t want to visit our communities, but now river town is a destination,” Rudzki said. “There have always been great things happening here, and now we have the right people in the right places sending out that message and it’s attracting growth.”

This revitalization comes after decades of depression. In the 1980s when the steel mills closed, many families that lived in the area were forced to move away. Rudzki said that the City of Pittsburgh had “eds and meds that sort of saved them, but Sharpsburg, Millvale, Etna and other river communities didn’t have that saving grace.” 

On the heels of 25 years of disinvestment, Hurricane Ivan hit the Pittsburgh area in 2004 and devastated Millvale, Etna, and Sharpsburg. In the wake of the storm, brothers Scott and Brian Wolovich started recovery efforts that resulted in the creation of New Sun Rising, a nonprofit that has become an educator, resource provider, and activator of neighborhood scale innovation. But it’s first community project was the creation of the Millvale Community Library, the building where the Millvale EcoDistrict plan was born, which evolved into the Triboro Ecodistrict. 

Rudzki credits the rise of new leadership in elected and nonprofit roles to the reinvestment in the area, and to “organizations like the Triboro bringing three distinct but similar groups together that are working for a common goal.” 

Millvale Mayor Brian Spoales has been overwhelmingly supportive of the collaboration between the three communities and the ability to work together to obtain grant funding for similar projects. It’s something that Rudzki thinks the state and Harrisburg appreciate, too, because “instead of picking one community to receive funding, they can send it to all [three neighborhoods]. It’s one of the many reasons why the three boroughs took on the task of jointly updating their Comprehensive Plans and zoning ordinances in 2015 — to create multi-municipal goals and leverage their collective strength.

A common thread, and strength, that these three mayors have seen at Triboro meetings are the number of young and new residents who “are getting involved in anyway they can,” Spoales said.

“I pinch myself sometimes when I see young folks in these meetings,” Rengers said. “I like what they are bringing to the table. It’s a fresh take on some old ideas and it needed freshened up.”

Spoales remembers during the early ecodistrict planning days for Millvale there was a turnout from the younger crowd that knew what the ecodistrict was about and they have continued to show up and participate in the decision making process.

Rengers, Rudzki, and Spoales said that with their communities revivals, they are cognizant of gentrification, but it has been “exciting to see the town move forward as long as [they] can keep it equitable.”

The Triboro raises up resident voice in decision making, prioritizing the care for those most vulnerable, and working on housing issues. To date, over $200,000 has been invested into the Triboro Healthy Homes program, which has assisted 10 existing residents by increasing home safety and energy efficiency. Upcoming housing projects include additional Healthy Homes programs, solar panel installation, and the growing property ownership for residents like the project at 1141 North Avenue in Millvale (left).

Though the culture of these river towns has changed over the years, it has been redefined by the residents as a collective of culture, sustainability, and opportunity; or vibrant communities, if you will.

In June, Etna broke ground on its Riverfront Park and Trail that will feature a grandstand and scenic overlook, a blue water wall, and rainwater infiltration. It will also create a link for the Three Rivers Heritage Trail and the Pittsburgh to Erie Trail.

This past April, the Breathe Easy Millvale Air Quality Plan, which launch in 2016, won a national award and a key component of that plan turned the solar powered Millvale Community Library into a Clean Air Hub. Including healthy indoor air quality practices, there is also a live Air Quality Dashboard displayed in the library window that is increasing awareness about “local and regional air quality by displaying real-time data from outdoor sensors,” per evolveEAs website.

Last year, Sharpsburg installed solar panels on its library and in turn with gaining energy self-sufficiency, it is used as an educational tool for community members to get familiar with solar and become encouraged to try the panels on their own homes. There are also two community members, along with a couple each from Etna and Millvale, that are participating in the Triboro Air Quality Monitoring Cohort with ROCIS. 

Experience Mapping: Understanding Your Story Through Art

Free Event | RSVP Required (available on Feb 24th at noon)

Lead and created by local artist Sara Tang, this workshop is a guided creative exercise for participants to chart personal experiences (mental illness, madness, chronic illness, disability, childhood, medical, traumatic, or positive experiences, etc) in a map format, and then to create an expressive art piece and visual poetry piece based on their experiences. Through using a creative medium to think about their experiences in a new way, participants can connect their mental health experiences with other events in their lives and how those may relate to one another.

This workshop is part of Inside Our Minds’ Radical Mental Health Series, sponsored by the Opportunity Fund. Learn more at www.insideourminds.org/radical-mental-health.

About the Creative Facilitator

Sara Tang is a Pittsburgh-based artist, creative facilitator, and illustrator. She is a member of the notwhite Collective, an affiliate member of the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators, and has worked with those affected by cancer and other complex life experiences in creative therapy excavation. Learn more about Sara’s work at www.draw-me-in.com.

Accessibility and Venue Information

The Millvale Community Library is accessible for wheelchair and mobility device users by a permanent ramp at the side of the building (from Grant Avenue). ASL interpretation will be provided. There will also be earplugs on hand at the workshop for anyone who would like some. Please message the Inside Our Minds page with any questions.