April 14, 2020 Food Assistance Programs Available in Pennsylvania Nearly one in seven households with children in the United States of America currently cannot afford to buy enough food for their families. When looking locally, the food insecurity rate in Allegheny County is 13 percent as of 2017. That is more than 161,000 people in the county, including nearly 38,000 children. Elected officials at all levels of government have the ability to enact policies that protect and support child nutrition programs and improve the health and well-being of children and their families. We just have to make sure that they are in office. How You Can Help Together, we can create a better future with our votes, advocacy, and support. However, if you are not registered to vote or if your voter registration is not up-to-date, you will miss out on important opportunities to share your voice and elect local, state, and national policymakers. Take this time to check your voter registration and encourage others to do the same! Another way that you can make sure your voice is heard is by singing the America for Early Ed Pledge to Vote! Our voices and votes can ensure that all children in Pennsylvania receive the food and nutrition services they need to grow up healthy and strong. Will you join us in signing the Pledge? To learn more about food insecurity in America, view this document by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). For information about available food services, please continue reading below. Available Resources If you or someone you know is in need of food assistance during the COVID-19 health crisis, please view the list below for information about available programs and services. Pennsylvania 2.1.1 Southwest If you are in need of immediate assistance, please call 2.1.1, text your zip code to 898.211, or visit the Pennsylvania (PA) 2.1.1 website. PA 2.1.1 Southwest seeks to provide an easy-to-remember phone number and web resource for finding health and human services for everyday needs and in crisis situations, serving the following counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Mercer, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland. Allegheny County Free Food Distribution Map For information about free resource distribution sites in Allegheny County, please visit this website. The map includes information about locations with no age restriction, locations that serve children only, PPS Grab and Go locations, and more. View the full map to view other available resource types. Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank provides information on emergency distributions, applying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), accessing a food pantry near you, and more. If visiting a pantry, please call before your visit to confirm that the site’s hours have not changed. For more information, contact the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank at 412.460.3663. To apply for SNAP, call toll-free at 833.822.7627, text SNAPPA to 555-888, or complete the online referral form. Just Harvest Just Harvest continues to provide assistance to community members applying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medical Assistance, and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program, as well as case advocacy and eligibility screenings. To receive assistance, fill out this form or call 412.431.8960, x602 and state your name, contact info, and the best time to reach you from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Southwest Pennsylvania Meals on Wheels Southwest Pennsylvania Meals on Wheels provides home meal delivery for people over the age of 60 and to those of any age who are recovering from an injury, illness, or surgery. The program costs seven dollars per day, which provides two meals. A quart of milk is provided once a week. Meals can be provided as many days a week as needed. Services are available to community members living in the following areas: Beechview, Bridgeville, Carnegie, Cecil, Clinton, Collier Township, Crafton, Dormont, Greentree, Heidelberg, Imperial, Ingram, Mt Lebanon, Oakdale, Robinson Township, Scott Township, South Fayette, Upper St. Clair, and Westwood. To learn more, visit their website! South Hills Interfaith Movement (SHIM) SHIM provides access to their pantry items via pre-packaged boxes. However, shop-thru style pantries are temporarily suspended. All pantry volunteers will implement safe distancing, wear gloves at all times, and sanitize all services. Services are available to community members in the following school districts: Baldwin-Whitehall, Bethel Park, South Park, Keystone Oaks, Mt. Lebanon, and Upper St. Clair. Visit the SHIM website to learn more about the program and view their pantry hours. For questions, please contact Molly Penderville at 412.854.9120, x108 or mpatterson@shimcares.org. JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry The JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry is open and continues to serve community members who have a 15217 zip code and families that eat Kosher in communities outside of the area code. Individuals receive pre-bagged foods when they come into the pantry. Contact 412.421.2708 or visit their website for more information.
June 11, 2019 Summer Food Service Program: Free Meals & Activities The Summer Food Service Program is a federal program providing free meals and fun activities to kids 18 and under during the summer when school is out of session. Who Can Visit A Summer Food Site? Hundreds of sites are opening this summer throughout Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Somerset and Washington counties. Meals are served free to any kid 18 and under. There is no registration required to participate, kids can visit any site during its specified serving time to receive a free meal. Find A Summer Food Site Near You To find a summer food site near you: Text “FOOD” to 877-877, Call 2-1-1 for the United Way hotline, or Visit the interactive map. More Information For questions, call the United Way hotline at 2-1-1. *Information provided by Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
June 3, 2019 Carnegie Library Serving Summer Meals for Children Beginning June 17, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will offer free summer meals/snacks to Pittsburgh youth on weekdays through August 23. About In summer 2019, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will continue its participation in the Summer Food Service Program in order to ensure even more Pittsburgh youth have access to free food during summer vacation. Meals and activities will be provided during times listed below while supplies last and are for youth ages 18 and younger, and for persons with disabilities up to age 21. Meals are being offered locally in collaboration with Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and Pittsburgh CitiParks as part of the federally funded Summer Food Service Program. Program Schedule This program is available Monday – Friday at the following locations (unless otherwise specified): CLP – Allegheny: 12:30 p.m. hot lunch CLP – Beechview: 3 p.m. snack CLP – Brookline: 3 p.m. snack (Mon-Thurs) CLP – Carrick: 11:30 a.m. hot lunch; 3 p.m. snack CLP – Downtown & Business: 2:30 p.m. snack CLP – East Liberty: 12 p.m. hot lunch; 3:30 p.m. snack CLP – Hazelwood: 12:45 p.m. hot lunch; 3:45 p.m. snack (Tues-Thurs beginning July 1) CLP – Hill District: 3 p.m. snack CLP – Homewood: 12 p.m. hot lunch CLP – Knoxville: 12 p.m. hot lunch; 3 p.m. snack CLP – Main, Children’s Department: 11 a.m. snack; 2 p.m. snack CLP – Main, Teenspace: 2 p.m. snack CLP – Sheraden: 10 a.m. breakfast; 3 p.m. snack CLP – West End: 2 p.m. snack CLP – Woods Run: 11:30 a.m. hot lunch; 3 p.m. snack More Information For questions, contact the Library of Pittsburgh via phone at 412.622.3114. *Information provided by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
May 3, 2019 Pittsburgh Infant/Toddler Symposium Kaplan and YWCA Greater Pittsburgh PD/TA are partnering to provide a day of training and networking for area infant/toddler teachers. The day will consist of an opening keynote address, four hours of professional development training, resource tables. Lunch will be provided at no cost. This event is PQAS approved. CDA Content Areas The symposium will focus on the following CDA content areas: Principles of Child Growth and Development Social and Emotional Development Safe, Healthy Learning Environments Learning Objectives The students will be able to: Discuss and explain topics that are relevant to the care and growth/development of infants and toddlers. Participants will have the opportunity to choose from a wide variety of courses related to infant/toddler caregiving. Courses offered at the Symposium will focus on topics such as; activities to stimulate brain development, social/emotional development, trauma-informed practice, and health/safety. Registration Registrations must be submitted by May 24, 2019 via the Symposium’s event page. Questions For questions, contact Tom Yeager at 412.255.1173 or tyeager@ywcapgh.org. To learn more, see their event page.
November 28, 2018 Film Screening | We Wear the Mask: The Hidden Faces of Women in Poverty Join Just Films in their free screening of Pittsburgh filmmaker Tammy Thompson’s “We Wear the Mask.” After the screening, Thompson and the women featured in the documentary will participate in a panel discussion and Q&A session. This event is free and open to the public. Register here. For any questions, contact Melody Harris via phone (412.365.1578) or email (m.harris@chatham.edu). About the Film “We Wear the Mask” powerfully represents the challenges for low-income women in Pittsburgh, and demonstrates the psychological effects of poverty. Women are disproportionately disadvantaged by growing economic inequality in our country and region. This evocative documentary follows three different women who have faced similar struggles, and illuminates the human impact of economic injustice through their stories. Just Films Just Films is brought to you by the Chatham University Women’s Institute, Gwen’s Girls, the Women and Girls Foundation, the Women’s Law Project, and YWCA Greater Pittsburgh. Share their flyer with your networks.
