I heart PGH

Category: Community Organizations

  • Polish Hill’s Annual Arts Festival this Sunday

    Polish Hill’s Annual Arts Festival this Sunday

    polish-hill-arts2013_webWhat could be a better way to beat the Sunday blues than heading over to Polish Hill for its annual arts festival? Started in 2008, the festival features crafters, food trucks, and live music.

    There will be over 30 vendors present, and these aren’t your rinky-dink, run of the mill crafts. Polish Hill Arts Festival posted “previews” of the some vendors, and they are selling truly unique and beautiful art (including the previously featured John the Craftist). From wall art to silver jewelry, the festival offers a wide range of vendors–there’s something for everyone.

    The event appeals to all ages, offering free arts and crafts activities for adults and children alike. If you aren’t feeling crafty, there will also be live performances throughout the day, featuring local bands.

    The festival runs from noon-9p.m. on Sunday July 21st. You can find all the action at the intersection of Brereton and Dobson streets. For more information check out Polish Hill Arts Festival’s Facebook page.

  • Knit the Bridge is still looking for neighborhoods! Are you one of them?

    Knit the Bridge is still looking for neighborhoods! Are you one of them?

    Knit the Bridge has been mapping out all it's participants.
    Knit the Bridge has been mapping out all of its participants.

    Knit the Bridge has been hard at work prepping to yarn bomb the Andy Warhol Bridge starting August 10th until September 8th. According to their website, “Knit the Bridge is a vision for a grassroots, community-led arts project that would bring the many diverse communities of Pittsburgh and Southwestern Pennsylvania together to create a large-scale, aesthetically stunning, fiberarts installation on a bridge in downtown Pittsburgh.”

    As of right now, Pittsburgh neighborhoods are at 80% participation and Allegheny County’s municipalities are at 82%. KTB wants 100% participation in both of these categories and needs your help to do so! Do you or an organization you know of from any of the following neighborhoods or municipalities want to help? Here are three ways you can:

    Donate

    KTB wants to raise $35,000 by July 12 at midnight through their Indiegogo campaign. There are also some perks that come along with set donation amounts. If you donate $60, not only will you be helping out, but you get an awesome t-shirt!

    Donate here!

    Make a Railing

    KTB still needs railing covers made from black acrylic yarn. They can be knitted (stockinette stitch) or crocheted (double crocheted) and need to be either 9” x 105” or 15” x 80”. Completed railing covers can then be dropped off at any of the drop-off points listed here by July 31st.

    Install

    If you are 18 years or older and want to help install the panels and railings when the project goes up starting August 10th, sign up here or email at knitthebridge@gmail.com.  You must commit to at least one 3-hour shift and attend a training session. Training days are required and are scheduled for the following dates:

    Thursday July 25 7-8pm

    Saturday July 27, 11-noon

    Sunday July 28, 1-2pm

    Wednesday July 31st, 1-2pm

    Missing Pittsburgh Neighborhoods

    Fairywood
    Windgap
    East Carnegie
    Westwood
    Ridgemont
    Duquesne Heights
    Esplen
    South Shore
    Bon Air
    Arlington
    Arlington Heights
    Hays
    New Homestead
    Glen Hazel
    Spring Garden

    Black railings that will be used on the Andy Warhol Bridge.
    Black railings that will be used on the Andy Warhol Bridge.

    Missing Allegheny County Municipalities
    East Deer Township
    Borough of Springdale
    Springdale Township
    Frazer Township
    Kennedy Township
    Borough of White Oak
    Borough of Versailles
    South Versailles Township
    Borough of Wall
    Borough of Trafford
    Stowe Township
    Borough of Leetsdale
    Borough of Rosslyn Farms
    Neville Township
    Borough of Glenfield
    Borough of Haysville
    Borough of Liberty
    Borough of Lincoln
    Borough of Pitcairn
    Borough of West Homestead
    City of Duquesne
    Borough of Dravosburg
    Borough of West Elizabeth

  • Mayoral Forum This Eve at August Wilson Center

    Mayoral Forum This Eve at August Wilson Center

    Tonight at 6:30pm, a whole bunch of organizations (see the list below) will be hosting a Mayoral Candidates Forum at the August Wilson Center.

    The forum is called “2013 Mayoral Forum for Young Professionals” but I am sure it will be open to anyone that wants to attend (and in Pittsburgh young is a relative term).   The forum is free to attend but you must register online here.

    Facebook Event Link – https://www.facebook.com/events/512067268859507/

    PUMP, the Urban League Young Professionals of Greater Pittsburgh, the New Pittsburgh Collaborative, Leadership Pittsburgh, and the Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership are co-hosting a Mayoral Candidate Forum on the evening of May 1st at the August Wilson Center in downtown Pittsburgh. Confirmed candidates include Councilman Peduto, City Controller Lamb, Former City Council President and Auditor General Jack Wagner and Rep. Jake Wheatley. All other candidates have been invited. The Forum will be followed by a networking reception and opportunities to learn more about the event hosts and participating candidates.

    Registration is FREE and required for admittance.

    Wednesday May 1, 2013
    6pm
    August Wilson Center

  • Oakmont to Host Recycle Rama on Saturday

    Oakmont to Host Recycle Rama on Saturday

    Have you been doing some spring cleaning?  To you have some items that need a new home?

    If you are in the Oakmont area – the Oakmont Chamber of Commerce is hosting the 2nd Annual Recycle Rama Event on Saturday April 27, 2013.

    Second Annual Recycle Rama Event 
    Saturday April 27th, 2013 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm 
    Riverview High School Parking Lot 
    (Hulton Road)
    • Electronics-All items will be collected for Free by Guardian Storage Solutions
    • Cell Phones-Working or Broken. They will be recycled through Cell Phones for Soldiers Program
    • Appliances-Must be FREON Free
    • Plastic Grocery Bags
    • Mobile Shredding Site-$3.00 per box or bag
    • Towels and Blankets-These will be donated to local animal shelter
    • Eye Glasses-Collected by Oakmont Lions Club for underprivileged countries
    • Gently Used Books
    • Paper, Phone Books, Magazines, and Damaged Books
    • Women’s Business Attire and Shoes-Collected by Dress for Success
    • Prom Dresses and Shoes-Collected by Angela’s Angels
    • Used Motor Oil
    • Car and Truck Batteries
    • Alkaline Batteries
    • Old Blue Jeans-Collected by Cotton From Blue to Green to be used for insulation
    • Greeting Cards-Collected by St. Jude’s Hospital to be used to make new cards
  • March Madness and April PULSEations

    March Madness and April PULSEations

    Back in March, a group of Pittsburgh bloggers organized a March Madness bracket challenge – we all agreed that each blog would write a post about the winning bloggers favorite nonprofit organization.

    Kate Stoltzfus (aka the brains behind the blog Yinzpiration) had the winning bracket and her nonprofit of choice is PULSE.  I am more than happy to write about PULSE as I think this is one nonprofit that has been quietly making a big impact on some Pittsburgh neighborhoods and is well positioned to continue to do more for the city.

    PULSE stands for Pittsburgh Urban Leadership Service Experience.  Each year PULSE takes a group of college graduates, gives them a place to live and matches each person with a Pittsburgh nonprofit.  To provide housing for the participatns, PULSE has been rehabbing and improving homes in different Pittsburgh neighborhoods.

    From the PULSE website:

    We have a three-pronged model for accomplishing this purpose:

    • NONPROFIT WORK PLACEMENT – Invite talented, university graduates to partner with nonprofits for a year of service and leadership
    • COMMUNITY LIVING – Cultivate community by having participants live together and share meals, household tasks, finances and learning experiences.
    • TRAINING/DEVELOPMENT – Train and equip participants to become servant leaders in Pittsburgh by providing regular, personal and professional development opportunities.

    I’ve learned more about PULSE because some of my favorite Pittsburgh things have a link to PULSE.  The Union Project – yep, that was the idea of some of the PULSE participants.  Have you checked out Kate’s blog Yinzpiration?  Kate came to Pittsburgh to participate in PULSE, now she writes great interviews with Pittsburghers at Yinzpiration and she is one of the founders of Propelle.  You can read some of the other PULSE alumni stories here.

    If you would like to learn more about PULSE or support the PULSE programming you are in luck.  This Friday, April 12, 2013 is their annual fundraiser PULSEations which will be held at the Union Project from 7-10pm.

    I have been wanting to share the invite to PULSEations – I kind of wish this could be the logo for IheartPGH, city skyline.

    The event features food, drink, fun and an auction which includes:

    • Cooking Class/Lunch with Kevin Sousa at NaCl
    • Weekend in Chautauqua from John and Milonica Stahl-Wert
    • Weekend in Myrtle Beach from Chris and Kelly Cooke

    More info about the auction is available here.  I will be there and I would love to see you there too!

    But you don’t have to take my word for it.  Here is what others are saying about PULSEations on Twitter…