HEARTH Updates

HEARTH Executive Director named Business Woman of the Year
Jerry Drozynski Receives Business Leader Award
Donations for Refrigerators     Meghan Labiaux joins HEARTH      Cherie Hugh Promoted
PA Governor's Conference for Women
Get Organized Shower     Birthdays       Women's Leadership Initiative
Jerry Drozynski       Hearth's New Board Members      WYEP Event
Celebrating the Holidays       Helping Others      Welcome Bethany
Gifts in Kind       Glass Slipper Ball       Stein Mart & Dignity U Wear
      Jefferson Award Winner

"Business Woman of the Year"

Judy Eakin, HEARTH, Executive Director, was selected as a winner of the William R. Baierl Award, and was named the “Business Woman of the Year” by the Northern Allegheny County Chamber of Commerce. The award is based upon community, volunteer, and Chamber involvement, as well as business accomplishments. Judy has been very active with the Chamber and sits on their board; in addition to other community activities. With her involvement, she has helped to raise awareness of HEARTH. Included here is a picture of Judy along with the awardees.

Bryan Hinds – Business Man of the Year
Judy Eakin – Business Woman of the Year
Chris Kail – Emerging Business Man of the Year
Erika Schuster – Emerging Business Woman of the Year

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Jerry Drozynski Receives Business Leader Award

Jerry Drozynski, Vice-President of the HEARTH Board of Directors, recently received the "Home is Where the Heart Is" Business Leader Award from Community Human Services. The award is presented to a select group of local leaders who have advocated for and worked on behalf of the homeless in Pittsburgh.

Jerry was nominated by HEARTH for his tireless efforts as the former Board President of HEARTH, chairman of the Homeless Advisory Council for the Department of Human Services, and the current Board President of the Benet Woods Housing Corporation.

Jerry is the Director of Information Systems at Bayer Corporation.

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HEARTH Receives Donations for New Refrigerators

Through The Pittsburgh Foundation’s Wish Book, HEARTH has received five new refrigerators to replace outdated and broken units in the Benedictine Place apartments and food pantry.

The Wish Book is the centerpiece of the Foundation’s “Grant A Wish” campaign, which provides the opportunity for local nonprofits and community projects to submit requests for inclusion in the book. Each Wish Book contains 30 “wishes” covering community needs in seven target areas: the arts, education, environment, public health, human services, families and children and community development.

HEARTH thanks those who donated to fulfill the request!

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Meghan Labiaux joins HEARTH staff as Part-time Donations Coordinator

Meghan Labiaux joins HEARTH after working at Holy Family Institute as a Therapeutic Staff Support employee. A 2007 University of Pittsburgh graduate with a Bachelor degree in Social Work, Meghan interned for one year with The Bradley Center. A resident of Ross Twp. and graduate of North Hills High School, Meghan enjoys working in her hometown helping to meet the living needs of the families at Benedictine Place. Meghan helps prepare the apartments for new families and distributes community donations to them. Meghan will also coordinate all of the holiday donations the community generously donates each year to the Benedictine Place families.

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Cherie Hugh Promoted To Special Events and Volunteer Manager

After serving as HEARTH’s Client Resource Coordinator for seven years, Cherie Hugh has been promoted to Special Events and Volunteer Manager. Her promotion comes at a time of restructuring and growth for HEARTH. Cherie will spend more time working on our three signature events, The Wine & Food Event in September, The Martini Event in April and The Tee and Green Golf Outing in June. Additionally, Cherie will now have more time to focus on volunteer recruitment, training and placement to assist us in meeting our mission of serving families in need. If you are interested in new volunteer opportunities, please contact her at 412-939-2302 or CAHugh@Hearth-bp.org.

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HEARTH Supports PA Governor's Conference for Women

Click for complete information

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Get Organized Shower

HEARTH will hold a Get Organized Shower for families at Benedictine Place on Wednesday, May 7 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. in the Benedictine Center cafeteria.

This is a chance for groups to donate organizational supplies for one apartment that will help families organize the space they have. At the shower, groups receive information about the services provided by HEARTH, which will include a tour of the program and conversations with program participants.

Groups can purchase all or a portion of the items from the registry list below and bring their “gifts” to the shower on May 7 or donate them in advance. Target, Kmart, Big Lots, and Tuesday Morning are good retail outlets to find these items.

Please RSVP to HEARTH by April 25, 2008 if your group is able to purchase and /or attend.

Registry List:
Three canvas 10-shelf shoe organizers (hang in closet)
Two sets of 4 bed risers
Eight 41-quart clear underbed storage containers
Six 56-quart clear storage containers
One metal (or otherwise unbreakable) letter sorter
One over-the-door, 3-tier towel rack
    (over-the-door part should be metal to allow door to close correctly)
Two over-the-door hooks (over-the-door part should be metal)
Coupon organizer
Key rack
Magnetic dry-erase board with marker
Magnetic shopping list pad

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CB Richard Ellis Continues to Make Birthdays
Special for Every Child

Thanks to CB Richard Ellis (CBRE), a commercial real estate firm in Pittsburgh, each child who lives at Benedictine Place will have a special cake for their birthday. In addition to HEARTH, CBRE provides cakes to six shelters that also provide care to families in crisis. Cyra Contractor, coordinator of CBRE’s Birthday Cakes for Homeless Children committee states, “Our goal is to connect with families in the community to help children find their birthdays not remembered, but celebrated.” Since launching the Birthday Cakes for Homeless Children Program in May 2007, CBRE has donated over 70 cakes to deserving children at local shelters in our community. HEARTH’s volunteer coordinator, Cherie Hugh works with the marketing department at CBRE. "This partnership has been great! All I do is tell them the birthdays coming up in the next month or two, and they send a check for me to buy the cakes. Our moms are so thankful that they can make their children so excited and not have to spend money to do it!" For more information about CBRE Pittsburgh office and their donation program, please click here.

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United Way Presentation to Women’s Leadership Initiative

On March 25, HEARTH’s staff and volunteers presented a lunch program to the United Way Women’s Leadership Initiative at Deloitte’s downtown office. The presentation included information about various ways individuals and groups can contribute to non-profit organizations through events, hands-on projects and donations. HEARTH also outlined the program and services available to women and their families and invited the group to tour the facilities at Benedictine Place at any time. If your group or staff is interested in learning more about HEARTH through a lunchtime presentation or on-site tour, please contact Cherie Hugh at 412.939.2302.

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Jerry Drozynski Elected as Chairperson for Homeless Advisory Board

Jerry Drozynski, HEARTH’s board president, was elected the Chairperson of the Allegheny County Homeless Alliance Advisory Board for 2008-2010. The Homeless Alliance Advisory Board is a public/private partnership formed to assist Allegheny County, the City of Pittsburgh, the City of McKeesport and the Municipality of Penn Hills in reviewing public policy, programs, activities, data and all other efforts that will eliminate homelessness and improve the well being of homeless persons and families. Membership is now by appointment of the Allegheny County Director of the Department of Human Services and is comprised of 31 representatives from a broad spectrum, including the foundation, academic and business communities and the homeless provider community. The Board has two primary responsibilities: 1) execution of the 10-yr plan to end chronic homelessness or “unsheltered”, and 2) oversee/advise the completion of our annual HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) application. While this is a different homeless population from the women and children that HEARTH serves, the HUD CoC application consolidates the requests of 38 homeless service providers which HEARTH is one of. In recent years, HUD has provided about $140,000, or 1/3 of our budget, to HEARTH. For more information, please click here.

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HEARTH’s New Board Members

HEARTH appointed four new members to its Board. Thomas Bakaitus, Jr. of Herbein and Company; Cynthia Kamin of CB Richard Ellis; Susan Kostkas of Rawle and Henderson; and Cindy Patterson of Catholic Cemeteries Association.

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WYEP Event Benefited HEARTH

WYEP 91.3 FM went to Borders-Eastside on Saturday, February 3rd for its Annual Alternative Souper Bowl Party! Ben Hardt & His Symphony, Lohio, and Paul Luc performed live in E. Liberty.

Non-perishable donations were collected for HEARTH. Thank you to all who participated in this event.

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Celebrating the Holidays

Thanks to many generous individual donors and groups, this year our women and their children had a wonderful holiday. From decorated live trees in each families' apartment, to homemade wreaths on their doors, and to presents for everyone, our women are grateful to everyone for making this holiday a special time in their temporary homes.

Thank you to SMS Demag employees and the McCandless Rotary who for several years have sponsored our Angel Trees. Thank you to our sponsors who purchased gifts for our individual families: Health Studies Office at Pitt, Missions Committee at Ingomar UM Church, Perry Highland Jr. Women's Club, Cindy Patterson, Barb Lambe, Society for Design Administrators, Citizens Bank employees, Carrie Burnham, Amy Nagler and friends, Doug and Connie Kreps, Raymond and Maggie Kern, Anna Marie Leezer, Titina Ott, and Incarnation 8th grade CCD.

The holidays at HEARTH would not be complete without the wonderful donation of a holiday party with Norwin High School’s Show Choir, a collection of ornaments at several area Parkvale Bank locations, a monetary donation for live trees from Jean Arendosh of Tan Seekers, and a Santa Shoppe coordinated by Lynda McDonough where volunteers help the children select and wrap items to give as gifts to family members.

For the third year, Alicia Dal Lago of Alicia Photography generously donated her time and services to come to HEARTH and take portraits of all of our families. She also provided them a package of pictures just in time for holiday giving.

Finally, we would like to thank the following donors for all the holiday "extras," such as gift wrap and cookies: SMS Demag, Beth Stone, Bradfordwoods Women's Club, Bradfordwoods Community Church, National Honor Society at Pine Richland High School, Sts. John and Paul Women's Guild, Ed and Christy Kosakowsky, Susan Courtad, KDKA TV Turkey Campaign, Pinnacle Group employees, Jim and Jackie Eakin, Kevin and Barb Waronek, Julie Walko and family, Christ Episcopal Church, Maureen Possage and family, Girl Scout Troop 976, Incarnation 8th Grade CCD, and Blake and Rosalie Howell.

HEARTH encourages families, friends, groups, and co-workers to consider doing a service project any time during the year, not just during the holidays. A collection of personal care items, paper products, or cleaning supplies to fill the HEARTH store will provide the families needed items on an ongoing basis. Contact Cherie Hugh at (412) 939-2302 ext. 12 or cahugh@hearth-bp.org for a list of needed items. Cash donations are also always accepted.

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Helping Others

April came to HEARTH two years ago with her young children. Since then, April has learned the importance of education and housing and began speaking as a volunteer with Just Harvest, a center for action against hunger. On September 15, she traveled with Just Harvest to participate in the New Hampshire Republican caucus and attended the Iowa Democratic caucus on December 1. In November, April traveled to New York City to speak to the Center for Community Change about the importance of housing, education and healthcare. Her experience with Just Harvest has given her the skills and confidence to help others and give back to the community. We congratulate April on her new associate’s degree as a Chemical Laboratory Technician from Bidwell Training Center. She is working with a Fortune 500 company as a lab technician and is now looking for her own house.

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Welcome Bethany!

We welcome our newest staff member, Bethany Friel, who joined HEARTH as Direct Services Coordinator in October 2007. Bethany previously worked at The Pittsburgh Project, where she met with at risk students to challenge and support them with job training, leadership skills, and personal goals. Prior to being at The Pittsburgh Project, she ensured the safety of children in kinship-foster care as a caseworker.
Bethany completed her college internship at HEARTH, and it has always had a special place in her heart. When the opening came along, she said, “I couldn't pass up the opportunity to help work toward the vision of HEARTH and to work directly with the women here and their families. I look forward to using my background in direct services to empower women as they gain an education and become self-sufficient.” She is honored to help the women and their families and holds deep respect and compassion for each individual. “It’s a great gift to be able to encourage women. Encouragement takes many forms and I hope to share encouragement in all its forms with all of the women here.”

In addition to all the great services and programs in place, Bethany would like to focus on teaching the women and children about leading a healthy lifestyle and maybe start a yoga class!

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Gifts in Kind

A big thank you Gifts in Kind for helping HEARTH secure Gap jeans for all of our women and their older children! Jeans on display at the Monroeville Mall, Shadyside, Ross Park Mall, airport, and Waterfront stores are not able to be sold to the public, but they are still new and the perfect gift to our women who always need new casual and business-related clothes. As one woman commented, “I love my Gap jeans and wear them everyday!”

Gifts in Kind has also helped HEARTH secure materials and supplies from Home Depot, and shingles from Owens Corning, which will go towards the construction of Benet Woods. In addition, HEARTH receives items from the Ross Park Mall Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma stores and over $90,000 worth of supplies from Bed, Bath and Beyond.

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HEARTH Partners with Stein Mart and Dignity U Wear

Click on images to enlarge

HEARTH to Receive New Clothing from Dignity U Wear for Homeless Mothers and their Children

Thanks to a unique relationship between retailer Stein Mart and the national nonprofit organization Dignity U Wear, several times a year HEARTH will receive brand new clothing for the families it serves.

Dignity U Wear is a Jacksonville, FL-based organization that provides brand new clothing to men, women and children in need. Founded in 2000, it distributes the clothing through a network of 280 social service agencies in 30 states.

Stein Mart, a national retailer also based in Jacksonville, has partnered with Dignity U Wear since 2002. This unique partnership extends the organization’s support across the country to all the communities Stein Mart serves. Each Stein Mart store raises money for Dignity U Wear and identifies a local nonprofit to receive the new clothing.

Here in the greater Pittsburgh area, funds raised by the Stein Mart store located at 8050 McKnight Road, will benefit HEARTH. In addition to helping HEARTH through a partnership with Dignity U Wear, Stein Mart associates who donate items for women and children served by HEARTH will be permitted to wear denim to work on specific days..

Dignity U Wear receives clothing from manufacturers and retailers. Thousands of Dignity U Wear volunteers sort and inventory the clothing in their warehouses and fill size- and gender-specific orders for the clients of the beneficiary charities.

ABOUT STEIN MART, INC.: Stein Mart stores offer the merchandise, service and presentation of a traditional, better department/specialty store, at prices competitive with off-price retail chains. Currently with locations from California to New York, Stein Mart's focused assortment of merchandise features moderate-to-better brand-name apparel for women and men, as well as accessories, gifts, linens, home décor and shoes. For more information on Stein Mart, please visit www.steinmart.com.

ABOUT DIGNITY U WEAR: For more information about Dignity U Wear, visit www.dignityuwear.org

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Jefferson Award Winner
Barb Smith wins 2006 Jefferson Award for her volunteer work at HEARTH.  Click here  to read the article from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

Barb Smith has been selected to receive a 2007 Women and Girls of Distinction Award through the Girl Scouts - Trillium Council, which will be given to her at a reception on April 19, 2007 at the Hilton. The Women and Girls of Distinction Award recognizes women and girls who have demonstrated extraordinary achievement or leadership in one of seven award categories. Barb will receive her award in the Community Service (volunteer) category for her many years of service on HEARTH's Board and committees. Though nominated by HEARTH, she received a letter of recommendation from the Pittsburgh Division of the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, where she is also highly involved. Congratulations, Barb!!

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