McAuley Ministries announces $747,000 in grants to 10 Pittsburgh nonprofit organizations

PITTSBURGH – McAuley Ministries, Pittsburgh Mercy’s grant-making foundation, today announced 10 new grants totaling $747,000  to advance affordable housing, capacity building, health and wellness, education, and community and economic development initiatives in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, Uptown, and West Oakland communities.

Grouped by award category, the recipients of the outreach grants are:

Affordable Housing

Oakland Planning and Development Corporation

$300,000, payable over three years, to establish the Oakland Community Land Trust and preserve West Oakland as a viable residential neighborhood. The Land Trust will offer affordable homes, sustain long-term homeownership, eliminate blight, and improve safety.

Capacity Building

Pittsburgh Mercy

$150,000, payable over three years, for general operating support to strengthen the capacity of Pittsburgh Mercy’s Operation Safety Net®, which provides medical and housing programs to persons who are experiencing homelessness.

Health & Wellness

Nazareth Housing

$50,000 to provide repairs to five homes owned by low-income elderly residents to secure the structural integrity of their homes and enhance health, safety, and peace of mind.

Education

Neighborhood Learning Alliance

$37,000 to provide 22 high school students with a summer college experience and an opportunity to earn college credits at Carlow University and Community College of Allegheny County.

Pittsburgh Public Schools

$50,000 for the 2018 Summer Dreamers Academy, providing academic and enrichment programming to students in grades K-7 for the purpose of reducing summer learning loss.

Strong Women Strong Girls

$25,000 for an after-school mentoring project, linking elementary school girls to college women for weekly workshops that highlight strong female role models.

Tickets for Kids®

$10,000 to provide access to cultural events for students attending McAuley Ministries-funded out-of-school time programs.

Community & Economic Development

Neighborhood Allies

$50,000 to engage residents in Bedford Dwellings, the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh, TREK development, and other community members in resident-led planning and problem-solving related to the Bedford Choice Neighborhood Transformation initiative. Bedford Choice will revitalize Bedford Dwellings, a public housing community; support positive outcomes for residents’ health, safety, employment, and education; and transform the neighborhood into a viable mixed-income community with access to services, public assets, and amenities.

Partners4Work

$50,000 to employ 20 youth from the Hill District, Uptown, and West Oakland as part of the broader Learn and Earn summer training and employment program.

Student Conservation Association

$25,000 to collaborate with the Summer Learn and Earn Program and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy to complete environmental projects in the Hill District, and support students as they learn work readiness, leadership, and teamwork skills.

McAuley Ministries is celebrating 10 years of grant making, working collaboratively, and investing in healthy, safe, and vibrant communities. Since 2008, McAuley Ministries has awarded 629 grants totaling more than $26.4 million to nonprofit organizations. It awards approximately $3 million in grants annually. Lists of grants awarded by year are available on the McAuley Ministries website, www.mcauleyministries.org.

About McAuley Ministries

Named in honor of Catherine McAuley, founder of the Sisters of Mercy, McAuley Ministries is the grant-making foundation of Pittsburgh Mercy. Established in 2008 and celebrating 10 years of grant making in 2018, McAuley Ministries serves as a catalyst for change, committing resources and working collaboratively to promote healthy, safe, and vibrant communities. Grant-making priorities include health and wellness; education; community and economic development; education; and capacity-building initiatives for nonprofit organizations which focus on the Hill District, Uptown, and West Oakland, communities historically served by the Sisters of Mercy. McAuley Ministries also provides support to organizations that are sponsored by and/or affiliated with the Sisters. McAuley Ministries is one the largest philanthropic foundations in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Since 2008, it has awarded 629 grants and community support totaling more than $26.4 million. It awards approximately $3 million in grants annually. Lists of grants awarded by year are available at www.mcauleyministries.org.

About Pittsburgh Mercy

Pittsburgh Mercy, a member of Trinity Health, serving in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy, is   a person-centered, population-based, trauma-informed community health and wellness provider. Pittsburgh Mercy, home to the region’s only Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic, is also one of the largest nonprofit organizations and employers in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh Mercy includes Bethlehem Haven, McAuley Ministries, Pittsburgh Mercy Behavioral Health, Pittsburgh Mercy Community Health, Pittsburgh Mercy Intellectual Disabilities Services, the Pittsburgh Mercy Parish Nurse & Health Ministry Program, Pittsburgh Mercy’s Operation Safety Net®, and Pittsburgh Mercy Family Health Center. Together, these Pittsburgh Mercy programs and their 1,700 employees serve more than 33,000 individuals annually at 60+ locations in Southwestern Pennsylvania. To learn more about Pittsburgh Mercy, or to make a donation in support of its important work in the community, visit www.pittsburghmercy.org.