Homeless Project

Aware that the planned restoration project could displace the homeless, Celebrate 250 recognizes the importance of a compassionate response to their plight. Both to fulfill its Christian mission as well as to participate as a church body in the revitalization of downtown Pittsburgh, a comprehensive outreach to the homeless is planned.

The Celebrate 250 mission task force efforts has focused on three key areas in 2008. These three pieces seek to provide: 1) an immediate (near-term) place for the poor and homeless; 2) transportation to connect the homeless with the drop in center and other places that provide services; and 3) the longer-term development of support and services to help transition the homeless into permanent housing, stable employment, and better overall health and wellness.

The cornerstone of this multi-faceted effort is the Shepherd's Heart congregation, located in uptown Pittsburgh near Mercy Hospital, a well-established outreach effort to the homeless. Shepherd's Heart, coordinated with the County of Allegheny, already is serving as an overflow location for Allegheny County's emergency cold shelter program. It is also connected with the Downtown Ministerium, Mercy Hospital's Behavioral Institute, Well Spring and Operation Safety Net. It recently received a grant from the Veterans' Administration to provide short-term housing and transition services for homeless veterans. The three phases of the homeless outreach of Celebrate 250 will be:

PHASE ONE
After nearly eight months of work, Shepherd’s Heart and the Celebrate 250 Initiative officially opened the new emergency cold shelter and walk-in center for homeless Pittsburghers. The 4,000-square-foot shelter, which is located on the first floor of Shepherd’s Heart at 13 Pride Street in Uptown, was funded by the Celebrate 250 Initiative, which raised $285,000 to complete the project from several Pittsburgh foundations.

The renovated Shepherd's Heart basement provides a safe, warm and dry day-time shelter for the homeless to rest, nap and receive counseling along with restrooms, showers, and laundry facilities. The temporary shelter also provides employment opportunities for people re-entering the workforce as laundry staff and shelter helpers.

Money to fund the work was donated by the RK Mellon Foundation, The Buhl Foundation and the Pittsburgh Foundation, said Moore.

Bishop Robert Duncan thanked the foundations, volunteers and the staff at Shepherd’s Heart for their work. "It has been such a privilege to watch this ministry grow and increase," he said. "We are really thankful to the foundations of the city for their vision and their part in making this resource possible," he added.

PHASE TWO
A downtown bus ministry which will provide free transportation, for those in need, to various locations for particular services. One of the stops would be the Downtown Ministerium's "Church of the Week" for walk-in ministry. Other stops would include the State Office Building for benefits, Mercy Behavioral Institute for counseling and transition services, the Salvation Army for supplies, and drop-in centers, such as Shepherd's Heart. Each trip would be staffed by a trained driver and security person/host (called a docent). The vehicle would run its route one or more times each morning and afternoon, Monday through Friday with possibly a modified weekend route if the ministry expanded. The ministry would be supported by a social worker who also serves as a ministry coordinator to schedule the drivers and docents as well as to provide additional services at the Shepherd's Heart shelter. This person would have the expertise and background to identify suitable resources to connect the clients with such resources as may help them secure more permanent solutions to their problems and challenges.

PHASE THREE
If funding permits, a third stage of the homeless project of Celebrate 250 calls for possible expansion of services at the Shepherd's Heart facility to include additional transitional living arrangements and support services. Property has already been acquired for expansion of Shepherd's Heart. Celebrate 250 would provide approximately $50,000 for additional studies, design and identification of possible funding streams for such expanded outreach to the homeless.