Tag Archives: volunteers wanted

Learn about great Pittsburgh Places to Volunteer at the Help or High Water Party

This is one of those events that highlights some of the best of Pittsburgh. Hosted by Pittsburgh Cares, a non-profit organization that matches people who want to volunteer with organizations that need volunteers, this party is a chance to find out more about where you can volunteer your time. Pittsburgh Cares is a great organization and they are bring together over 35 other amazing organizations for a big awesome volunteer party at the Union Project. (The Union Project is a perfect spot for a Pittsburgh volunteer fair because most of the remodeling of the building was done by, you guessed it, volunteers.)

If you are looking to get more involved in your community, meet some other civic minded folks or just find out more about what these organizations do everyday, stop by the Union Project on Thursday night for Help or High Water II.

Help or High Water II: A Volunteer Fair

Thursday, September 21, 2017
6-10pm
The Union Project

Here are the details from the Help or High Water II: A Volunteer Fair (and a birthday party!) Facebook Event:

The first “Help or High Water” event in January was such a success — hundreds of volunteers, dozens of nonprofit agencies in attendance — that Pittsburgh Cares is organizing another to help us commemorate our 25th year of serving the Pittsburgh region.

In other words, happy birthday to us!

We’re celebrating with food trucks, beer from Full Pint Brewing, wine from J&D Cellars, Maggie’s Farm Rum, Red Star Kombucha, celebrity bartenders, and more. Bring your friends, bring your wallets (suggested $5 at the door), and bring your willingness to improve your community by supporting one (or more) of Pittsburgh’s many worthy charities and service agencies.

While you’re here, get to know a bit more about the evening’s beneficiary, Pittsburgh Cares, which works to advance a culture of volunteerism and civic engagement in the region. Pittsburgh Cares matches non-profits with volunteers of all ages, and organizes one-time and recurring volunteer activities.

This volunteer fair is open to all ages, all abilities, anyone and everyone who wants to get active and give back, but is unsure where to start. Come out to the Union Project on Sept. 21, have a drink, and start building a more vibrant city by meeting amazing people from:

412 Food Rescue @412FoodRescue
ACLU of Pennsylvania @aclupa
All for All
Amachi Pittsburgh
Assemble
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh
Bike Pittsburgh
Book’Em (Pittsburgh’s Books To Prisoners)
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Casa San Jose
CeaseFirePA
Community Human Services Corporation
Coro Pittsburgh
Dress for Success Pittsburgh
Engineers Without Borders Pittsburgh Professional Chapter
Focus On Renewal
GASP
GLCC of Pittsburgh
Girls Rock! Pittsburgh
Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council – GPLC
Homeless Children’s Education Fund
Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Pittsburgh-Refugee & Immigrant Services
Just Harvest
Keys Service Corps AmeriCorps
Lawrenceville United
Mattress Factory – Museum of Contemporary Art
Northern Area Multi-Service Center – Landmark Home Health-Refugee Resettlement
One Pennsylvania
PennFuture
Pennsylvania Resources Council
Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse
PULSE – Pittsburgh Urban Leadership Service Experience
PPWP–Planned Parenthood of Western PA
Proud Haven
Wesley Family Services-In Service of Seniors
YNPN Pittsburgh

Book ‘Em Needs Your Books & Paper Bags

Letter to Book ‘Em. Photo Credit: Book ‘Em Facebook Page. Click here to read the text of the letter.

Attention book lovers! Book ‘Em is a Pittsburgh non-profit that needs your help to send books to prisoners in Pennsylvania.

I spent a few hours yesterday in the basement of a building on Penn Avenue yesterday with a group of volunteers who were picking out books and packing them up to be sent to prisoners across the state. I had no idea that the basement below the Thomas Merton Center was set up as a little book-shop by mail. If you love browsing book stores and picking out books then this is the volunteer opportunity for you! Prisoners from across the state can write in and request books. Some requests are specific, most are for general categories of books. I love browsing bookstores, but I have promised myself I will not buy any new books until I’ve read the ever growing pile of books in my house. Fulfilling each request was a challenge of browsing the Book ‘Em bookshelves and make a best guess at what each person might like to read.

Here are a few things that I learned about Book ‘Em this weekend:

Many of the requests that I filled yesterday were for educational books. If you have books to donate please check the list of requested books here.
Book’Em’s biggest need is money to cover the cost of shipping books. If you want to help with the cause, please consider sending a few dollars to Book ‘Em via the donation page here.
Paper Bags! Book ‘Em wants your empty paper bags. Instead of throwing out paper grocery bags, please donate them to Book ‘Em to be used for wrapping up books to be mailed.
Volunteer! Volunteers are needed to help pick out books and pack them for shipping. You can see a calendar of volunteer days here.

Books and paper bags can be dropped off at the Thomas Merton Center, 5129 Penn Ave, Monday through Friday from 10 to 4 and during our Sunday work sessions.

If you would like to learn more, follow Book ‘Em on Facebook here or in this 2013 Post-Gazette article about Book ‘Em: “Book ‘Em shipments brighten Pennsylvania inmates’ lives.“

Help East End Brewing Build a Healing Garden on Sat. Oct. 3

I'd like to cycle with good firends who like good beer!

East End Brewing Cycling Jersey

One of the many good people that I have gotten to know through writing a blog about Pittsburgh, it Scott Smith, owner of East End Brewing. The tagline for East End Brewing is “Buy a Good Friend a Good Beer.” Not only does East End Brewing make some good beers, but they quietly do lots of good stuff for the community. Last Christmas, when I was working with lots of other good Pittsburghers to deliver literally thousands of toys in time for Christmas, Scott sent a tweet offering to lend a hand. Within hours, he showed up with truck, pallet jack and beer, of course. I thought it would take 20 minivans and at least 5 hours to move the toys over to the North Side. With Scott’s help – we were done in 60 minutes. That is just one of my personal stories of some of the good Scott and East End Brewing brings to Pittsburgh.

East End Brewing is working to help one of their neighbors spruce up a vacant lot in Larmier and could use your help this Saturday.

Help Build a Healing Garden
Saturday, October 3, 2015
10am-1pm
160 Meadow Street, Pittsburgh, PA
FREE but please RSVP here.

Here is the request from Scott:

This event is a little outside of the normal “Super Cool Thing at the Brewery that involves beer” type of event. Instead, we’re looking to help out a true leader in our Larimer Community, Miss Betty Lane, to continue a project we helped out with a while back.

We (with lotsa help from you guys!) cleared an overgrown city lot that had been overgrown with invasive plants and other debris. And now, it’s time to turn that same lot into something special… A Healing Garden, for everyone in the community to use and enjoy for years to come! Here’s a description of the plan for the day… We will be using clay and rocks to line a freshly dug pond and build a fountain. There may be some plantings to be done as well. This is not technical work, it’s child’s play with a little direction. The pond is to be a major feature of the larger Healing Garden at 160 Meadow St as a peaceful nurturing place and ecological oasis. People of all ages are invited to help.
If you’d like to come out and help improve a Pittsburgh neighborhood that needs your help, work with people who are making Pittsburgh a better place, one lot at a time, now is your chance! And we’re happy to provide you with a little refreshment to toast your hard work, after it’s all done.