A HELPING HAND—Briana Snyder, a student at Pittsburgh Sterrett and participant in the United Way of Allegheny County’s “Be a Middle School Mentor” program, with mentor Mercedes Howze. (Photo courtesy of Blender Inc.) With school in session this week for students in the Pittsburgh Public Schools and surrounding districts, students will have to transition from summer break mode to back-to-school mode. While students in all grades will be making some form of transition, it is even harder for those entering middle school. Most middle school students will be coming from a familiar elementary school to a new middle school, or facing tougher educational lessons or even encountering new peer pressures.
YOUTH ROLE MODELS—These young adults displayed trendy, yet professional attire for job interviews and answered mock job interview questions at the Familylinks Job Fair and Fashion Show, on Aug. 14 at the Doubletree Hotel in Monroeville. (Photo by Erin Perry) For one afternoon, several agencies and companies came together to give at risk-youth a chance at succeeding. Familylinks Inc. in collaboration with the BNY Mellon Pathways, hosted its first Employment Fair and Fashion for young adults ages 16-21, who are transitioning out of the child welfare system and are looking to be employed. Kids were introduced to the employers, while getting the opportunity to see fresh, yet professional attire for the interview process.
RIBBON CUTTING—Central Baptist members and friends of the community were welcomed at the ribbon cutting of the new parking lot, the first phase of the Central renovation project. (Photos by J.L. Martello) More than two-years after the unveiling of its renovation rendering, Central Baptist Church, located in the Hill District, has completed the first phase of its four-phase renovation project. On Aug. 2, the Wylie Avenue church held its parking lot dedication. “If you take care of the house of God, the God of the house will take care of yours. We are just getting started with the vision of this church,” said Central Pastor Victor J. Grigsby, who has led the church since 1996. “I am so very proud of the Central family. They embrace the vision and we’re showing that determination, persistence and faith pays off.”
STATE REP. ED GAINEY It was a violent couple of days for East Pittsburgh residents, especially in Homewood, Larimer and Lincoln-Lemington areas, with gun-fire running rampant through the streets resulting in one homicide and four shootings with five people injured.
MARCHING FOR A CAUSE—Law enforcement delegates from the national NOBLE training convention, held in Pittsburgh last week, marched through East End neighborhoods to display their commitment to better serving the community. (Photo by J.L. Martello) by Ashley Johnson and J.L. MartelloCourier Staff WriterWith incidents such as the wrongful imprisonment and harassment of a Pittsburgh public school teacher and a New Pittsburgh Courier photographer outside of a community meeting, and who can forget the horrible beating of a CAPA honor roll student, at the hands of Pittsburgh police, who was walking to his grandmother’s house; the relationship between the community and its law enforcement officials is strained, to say the least.
Well unfortunately, as predicted, the no Black homicides in June were just a precursor to a deadly month of July for the Black community. With eight Black homicides in July and a total of 37 Black homicides this year in Allegheny County, the question remains, “What will it take to end the senseless killings?”
ORGAN DONOR ADVOCATE—Donated organ recipient Ron Gooden spends his time passionately speaking about being given a second chance at life through organ donation. (Photo Courtesy of CORE) Hampton High School coach Ron Gooden had always been active. He played football through his college career and even some professional. He knew he had a slightly enlarged heart (dilated cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart with thick walls and a large pumping chamber), which doctors told him was no real concern, and a family history of heart disease, but never did he think there was a chance he would be out of the game of life so soon. But within a few years he went from coaching on the sidelines, to being sidelined and lying on his deathbed waiting for “the gift of life.”
LET’S BE CREATIVE—Jess Gold assists students from the Literary Arts Boom with their creative literary masterpieces. (Photo by J.L. Martello) Creating a safe and fun environment of reading and writing with children, while helping them to find, develop and foster their own creative voices, is what the Garfield based Literary Arts Boom (The LAB) program is all about.
NATIONAL NOBLE PRESIDENT AND PITTSBURGH BUREAU OF POLICE ASSISTANT CHIEF MAURITA BRYANTThe City of Pittsburgh is preparing for a large police presence. While some may think it is due to the various large number of rallies and protests held recently in reaction to the not guilty ruling of George Zimmerman, it is actually because the city is set to host one of its largest minority conferences next week, when it, along with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Pittsburgh Chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives welcomes the 37th Annual NOBLE Training Conference and Exhibition on Aug. 3-7 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.
With new changes to the Women, Infant, Children program, now more families will be eligible for assistance. The Allegheny County Health Department announced this week that effective July 1; there will be an increase in income limits from 1.9 percent to 2.8 percent. As of May 31, WIC, a federally funded program for income and medically eligible pregnant women, postpartum mothers, breastfeeding mother and children under the age of 5, served 16,000 individuals.
