Celebrating Beginnings and Endings
June is always an exciting month at HEARTH because it ushers in so many endings and beginnings.
Our families celebrate completing a school year consumed by new challenges—from virtual learning to hybrid schedules, and look ahead to attending various summer camp programs provided by our awesome community partner, The Sarah Heinz House.
As an organization, we officially close out a successful fiscal year and enter into a new one with 85% occupancy in our homes.
Such success would not have been possible without the continued commitment and support of our entire staff, board, partners, and Pittsburgh region community. So, thank you for ensuring that every family and individual has access to safe, affordable housing.
While the pandemic seems to be coming to an end with the rollout of vaccinations and the lifting of mask mandates, the aftermath still lingers.
Many of the inequities—homelessness, food insecurity, lack of childcare—our families face have been augmented. HEARTH plays an essential role in helping them overcome despite all that is working against them.
As evidenced above, we’ve done it before, and we look forward to increasing our impact during this year.
Read on more details about our work and how you can join us in this movement because a safe place matters. Stay Safe & Optimistic!
Marisa C. Williams, Chief Executive Officer
Three Ways to Support HEARTH This Summer
1) Give On August 3rd! HEARTH has been invited to join The Pittsburgh Foundation’s #OneDay Critical Needs Alert Giving Day on August 3rd, 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and deepened socioeconomic disparities in our region.
Raising a family as a single parent today requires more time, energy, and resources than ever before. Your tax-deductible donation will help HEARTH moms cover the cost of basic needs such as childcare, housing, and mental and physical health so that the pandemic doesn’t strip away the foundations they’ve already built towards achieving a new life.
2) Attend Our Next Signature Event! Discounted tickets for The Art of Wine & Food, which will be held Thursday, September 30th, go on sale on July 14th. Discounted VIP tickets start at $135. Discounted general tickets start at $90.
Thanks to the Pittsburgh region’s incredible food and wine scene, our fall signature event has grown to be our largest fundraiser to date.
Join us as we sample wines and a wide array of foods from local restaurants, all while supporting HEARTH families on their journey to security, safety, and wellness.
3) Volunteer In-Person or Virtually! In keeping with COVID-19 restrictions, we offer various on-site and virtual volunteer opportunities for all ages and skillsets. Contact our Administrative and Volunteer Coordinator, Harriet Riley, at hriley@hearth-bp.org to learn about upcoming opportunities.
HEARTH Happenings
Spring Signature Fundraiser!
Thank you to all of our Target Homelessness for HEARTH: Tees & Traps sponsors and attendees!
Because of your generosity, we raised over $90,000 for HEARTH families. Pictured above: Tees & Traps Co-Chairs, Nick Schaffer and Dave Heaton, and HEARTH Fundraising and Special Events Manager, Morgan Weaver.
HEARTH Stories of Change
We’ve been providing housing for moms in need for over 26 years. Here we’ll share the stories of women who have found success and security at HEARTH.
“Within a few months of relocating to Pittsburgh, after roughly 12 years of marriage, I nearly lost my life to the man who had vowed to protect me. I knew that day that I had to get away from this man. In the weeks that followed, I prepared both emotionally and financially to leave. I sought help from a local women’s center, and I obtained a protection from abuse order (PFA) against my ex-husband.
I informed my landlord of what had transpired, and I asked for permission to break my lease early and leave for my safety. My request was denied.
Having no choice, I tried to make it work until my ex-husband violated the PFA and began stalking me. He followed me home, on the way to work, and on the way home from work. He proceeded to steal my mail, including all of my court documents.
On top of all of this, I had to find ways to pay rent on my own, pull my ten-plus-hour shifts in the operating room, and make sure my children were well fed and had a roof over their heads. Eventually, I could no longer live with the fear and frustration, so I fled.
Today, I live in HEARTH’s transitional housing facility with my children. Our apartment is designed with extra safety measures in mind, and my neighbors are others who have endured what I have endured. With the help of HEARTH, my children did well in school and are currently enrolled in a day camp to keep them busy during the summer. And I’m studying to become a paralegal so that I can advocate for other domestic violence survivors. Piece by piece, we are putting our lives back together. “