July 5, 2023 2023 Paving the Way to Educational Success Conference The 2023 Paving the Way to Educational Success Conference is a unique learning opportunity to support children and youth experiencing homelessness and students experiencing foster care. This three-day conference is ideal for: School district homeless liaisons. Foster care points of contact. Child welfare agency education liaisons and private providers. Shelter staff and staff in congregate care settings. Early education, Head Start staff, and K-12 educators. School social workers and counselors. Pupil services personnel. Post-secondary staff. Any professionals working with children and youth experiencing homelessness, children and youth experiencing foster care. When: Wednesday, 10/11 – Friday, 10/13 Where: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 910 Sheraton Drive, Mars, Pa. 16046 Register (There is no cost to attend.) The Paving the Way Conference is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Education programs Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness (ECYEH) and Educational Stability for Children and Youth in Foster Care and is held in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and Center for Schools and Communities.
June 26, 2023 Housing Resources Available for Allegheny County and Pennsylvania Families Local and state organizations continually offer a number of resources and programs to help families with housing, rent, utilities, and repairs. To support families in need of assistance, Trying Together compiled a list of these resources. Find the list below. About the Trying Together Housing Resource List Entitled, “Housing Resources for Allegheny County and Pennsylvania Families,” the Trying Together housing resource list features information on: homebuying assistance mortgage and rent assistance homelessness and housing insecurity public and low-income housing assistance with utilities assistance with home improvement and repairs housing mediation and legal services other housing supports Access the Trying Together Housing Resource List Access or download the Trying Together housing resource list. Additional Resources For additional housing, food, employment, and safety resources, visit: United Way – 211 NeighborWorks Western Pennsylvania – Resources Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh – Housing Opportunity Fund Programs Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh – Housing Resources City of Pittsburgh – Housing Assistance Resource Portal (HARP) Trying Together – Housing Resources for Families in Allegheny County Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania – Housing, Rental & Services Assistance Resources in Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency – Housing Programs Affordable Housing Programs of Pennsylvania Allegheny County – Housing Resources PA Housing Search Pennsylvania Department of Human Services – Housing Resources Nazareth Housing Services Habitat for Humanity Pittsburgh Neighborhood Legal Services Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh Neighborhood Allies ACTION-Housing Learn More To learn more, use any of the above links to access online information about housing resources or programs. Additional help and information can be found by calling United Way at 2-1-1.
December 17, 2019 Community Baby Shower | West End/McKees Rocks Beverly’s Birthdays, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that provides birthday cheer for children experiencing homelessness and families in need, is hosting free community baby showers in 2020 for expecting women/partners who would benefit from services and resources. Attendees will receive lunch, play games, win prizes, receive a newborn care package, and connect with resource providers. These events are designed for expecting parents or individuals caring for a newborn (0-3 months). Available Dates January 4, 2020 (Tarentum) First UP Church | 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. | PDF January 7, 2020 (Hazelwood) Carnegie Library of Hazelwood | 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. | PDF January 13, 2020 (West End/McKees Rocks) Encore Event Designs | 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. | PDF February 17, 2020 (McKeesport, East McKeesport, Wilmerding, and White Oak) White Oak Athletic Association | 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. | PDF Learn More To see if you qualify and to register, contact Beverly’s Birthdays at 724.590.5106 or getinvolved@beverlysbirthdays.org. Learn more about Beverly’s Birthdays by visiting their website.
Community Baby Shower | Hazelwood Beverly’s Birthdays, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that provides birthday cheer for children experiencing homelessness and families in need, is hosting free community baby showers in 2020 for expecting women/partners who would benefit from services and resources. Attendees will receive lunch, play games, win prizes, receive a newborn care package, and connect with resource providers. These events are designed for expecting parents or individuals caring for a newborn (0-3 months). Available Dates January 4, 2020 (Tarentum) First UP Church | 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. | PDF January 7, 2020 (Hazelwood) Carnegie Library of Hazelwood | 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. | PDF January 13, 2020 (West End/McKees Rocks) Encore Event Designs | 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. | PDF February 17, 2020 (McKeesport, East McKeesport, Wilmerding, and White Oak) White Oak Athletic Association | 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. | PDF Learn More To see if you qualify and to register, contact Beverly’s Birthdays at 724.590.5106 or getinvolved@beverlysbirthdays.org. Learn more about Beverly’s Birthdays by visiting their website.
Community Baby Shower | Tarentum Beverly’s Birthdays, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that provides birthday cheer for children experiencing homelessness and families in need, is hosting free community baby showers in 2020 for expecting women/partners who would benefit from services and resources. Attendees will receive lunch, play games, win prizes, receive a newborn care package, and connect with resource providers. These events are designed for expecting parents or individuals caring for a newborn (0-3 months). Available Dates January 4, 2020 (Tarentum) First UP Church | 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. | PDF January 7, 2020 (Hazelwood) Carnegie Library of Hazelwood | 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. | PDF January 13, 2020 (West End/McKees Rocks) Encore Event Designs | 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. | PDF February 17, 2020 (McKeesport, East McKeesport, Wilmerding, and White Oak) White Oak Athletic Association | 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. | PDF Learn More To see if you qualify and to register, contact Beverly’s Birthdays at 724.590.5106 or getinvolved@beverlysbirthdays.org. Learn more about Beverly’s Birthdays by visiting their website.
August 30, 2019 Enrolling and Supporting Families Experiencing Homelessness Join the National Center on Parent, Family, and Community Engagement on October 1 for their upcoming webinar, “Enrolling and Supporting Families Experiencing Homelessness: Conversations with Families about Living Experiences and Housing Goals.” About Staff in Head Start, Early Head Start, and child care programs are often in a position to have talks with families about their living situation. They can use the definition of homelessness included in the McKinney-Vento Act as a blueprint for providing information and support to families. In this webinar, develop a shared understanding of McKinney-Vento definition and common terms as they appear in regulation and practice. Learn how relationship building and exemplary practices are key when in engaging in sensitive conversations with families. This is the first webinar in the Enrolling and Supporting Families Experiencing Homelessness Webinar Series. Register To register and learn more, visit the event webpage! *Information provided by ECLKC
August 22, 2019 Young Children Experiencing Homelessness Summit Congress approved provisions prioritizing children who experience homelessness to be served by Head Start, the Child Care Development Fund, and other high-quality early learning programs. On September 16, professionals are invited to the “Young Children Experiencing Homelessness Summit: Educate. Collaborate. Inspire.” to explore these changes, identify challenges, and discuss the future. About Thousands of young homeless children are in shelter or living doubled up in Pennsylvania, in New Jersey, and in Delaware. High-quality early learning programs like Head Start can strengthen their resilience, but access is a challenge. Featuring keynote speaker Dr. Deborah Bergeron, National Director of Head Start, this Summit will explore what has happened since those changes, identify local and national challenges, and consider the role of intermediaries. Registration To attend the Summit, complete the event registration webpage. Learn More To learn more, visit the event page. For questions, contact Joe Willard at 267.777.5851 or jwillard@pec-cares.org. *Information provided by the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey
May 16, 2019 Foster Care Awareness and National Mental Health Month Did you know that May is Foster Care Awareness Month and National Mental Health Month? In recognition of these important subjects, Every Child Inc. has highlighted information and statistics for individuals to consider as we work to better support Pennsylvania’s children, families, caregivers, and community members. Foster Care Facts Approximately 13,000 – 15,000 PA children are currently in foster care and part of the child welfare system. Between 400,000 – 500,000 children in the U.S. are in foster care each year. In 2013, more than 8,000 youth 13 and older lived in the foster care system in PA. One in four PA youth who “age out” of the system experience homelessness and/or struggle with mental health challenges such as depression, substance abuse, and anxiety disorders, with nearly 1 in 4 youth having been arrested since leaving care. Young PA women in foster care are two and a half times more likely to become pregnant by 19 than young women were not in foster care. Mental Health Facts ADHD, behavior problems, anxiety, and depression are the most commonly diagnosed mental disorders in children. Treatment rates vary among different mental disorders: Nearly 8 in 10 children (78.1%) aged 3-17 years with depression received treatment. 6 in 10 children (59.3%) aged 3-17 years with anxiety received treatment. More than 5 in 10 children (53.5%) aged 3-17 years with behavior disorders received treatment. Mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders begin in early childhood: 1 in 6 U.S. children aged 2–8 years (17.4%) had a diagnosed mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder.
