McAuley Ministries awards 12 new grants totaling $443,011
Grants will support capacity building, community and economic development, education, out-of-school time, and health and wellness initiatives in the Hill District, Uptown, and West Oakland
PITTSBURGH – McAuley Ministries, Pittsburgh Mercy’s grant-making foundation, today announced 12 new grants totaling $443,011 to support capacity building, community and economic development, education, out-of-school time, and health and wellness initiatives in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, Uptown, and West Oakland communities.
Since its founding by the Pittsburgh Sisters of Mercy in 2008, McAuley Ministries has awarded 692 grants and community support totaling $29.7 million to nonprofit organizations that advance its grant-making priorities. The West Oakland-based grant-making foundation awards approximately $3 million in grants annually, making it one of the region’s largest philanthropic foundations. View grants awarded by year at www.mcauleyministries.org.
Grouped by grant-making priorities, the recipients of the most recent grants are:
Capacity Building
Acculturation for Justice Access & Peace Outreach (AJAPO)
$10,000 to assist families with temporary, emergency accommodations while waiting for immigration processing.
Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania
$10,000 for the Census 2020 Philanthropic Fund, a collaborative effort of the Pittsburgh philanthropic community to increase the census response rate in hard-to-count communities to achieve an equitable census count and educate communities on the importance and impact of the census for the region and state.
Steel City Squash Inc.
$2,500 for this after-school enrichment program to engage a consultant, analyze development initiatives, and create a strategy for individual giving, corporate and foundation relations, and special events.
Community & Economic Development
Acculturation for Justice Access & Peace Outreach (AJAPO)
$100,000, payable over two years, to assist 20 immigrant families per year to become economically self-sufficient.
Partner4Work
$50,000 for Learn & Earn, a collaborative program of the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and Partner4Work, providing paid summer training and employment opportunities for 20 youth ages 14 to 21.
Small Seeds Development
$65,000, over two years, for the Mother to Son Program, providing training and workshops to build well-being and self-sufficiency in families led by single mothers.
Student Conservation Association
$25,000 to work with local high school students to improve trails and parks and create the next generation of diverse conservation leaders.
Education: Out-of-School Time
Higher Achievement
$39,421 to provide academic programming to middle school students at the Center that CARES.
Hill District Education Council
$43,900 to implement Freedom School at Pittsburgh Weil PreK-5 School in the Hill District. Freedom School is a culturally relevant, six-week program designed to enhance the summer learning experience in reading and mathematics for 50 students and reduce the impact of summer learning loss.
Ozanam Inc.
$50,000 to develop and implement a culturally-responsive Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) curriculum during its after-school program and summer camp.
Health & Wellness
Pittsburgh Mercy
$22,190 for Pittsburgh Mercy Family Health Center to develop and implement a pilot program to address food insecurity. The South Side-based, integrated physical and behavioral health primary care center will purchase pre-packaged, medically-tailored food boxes; establish a food pantry; and offer education on food access and nutrition to persons it serves.
Venture Outdoors
$25,000 to support 2019 summer camp programs at the Center that CARES and biweekly programs for two after-school centers in the Hill District during the 2019-2020 school year. An estimated 120 youth will engage in year-round outdoor recreation and environmental education.
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. 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, 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. Since its founding by the Sisters of Mercy in 2008, McAuley Ministries has awarded 692 grants and community support totaling more than $29.7 million. It awards approximately $3 million in grants annually, making it one of the largest philanthropic foundations in Southwestern Pennsylvania. To learn more about McAuley Ministries and the initiatives it supports, visit 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 colleagues 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.