Food Collection Project Highlighted by Spirited Round of Cereal Box Dominoes

“Everybody should have a healthy breakfast,” one student enthusiastically shouted.

It was rowdier than a heavy metal concert inside the gymnasium at Peebles Elementary School. Hundreds of enthusiastic students cheered while surrounding 209 boxes of cereal stacked inches apart and forming the initials “PE” (for Peebles Elementary), to celebrate a successful food collection for NHCO.

Chelsea, a member of the school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA), rallied the students by bellowing into the microphone and pumping her hands in the air. The students reacted and cheered with the same enthusiasm as Steeler Nation on opening day.

At the height of the excitement, Dr. H, the school’s principal, tapped the end of the trail of boxes causing them to gracefully topple one after another in rapid, sequential order. In under thirty seconds, the boxes fell like a row of dominoes.

Members of the PTA organized the collection and event. A few weeks earlier, they visited NHCO’s Allison Park office to create a video featuring our food pantry. The video explained to students the importance of donating to the program. Students designed posters and used other methods to spread the word and encourage their peers to collect and donate items.

Why cereal? “We wanted something the kids could connect with, so we thought what's better than cereal? Every kid loves cereal,” Chelsea said. “It’s very hard to find something that kindergarten and fifth-grade could all understand. Plus, they could also carry it (cereal) on busses.” Additionally, Food Pantry Coordinator Jon Jordan said "Cereal is one of the core items we stock at NHCO. It's a household favorite for our clients."

The night before the event, PTA members set up the boxes, but the task proved more difficult than expected. One organizer’s husband was recruited and dubbed “the mastermind engineer.” Because he works in IT, everyone assumed he had the right mindset for the challenge. Together, they spent more than an hour setting up, knocking down, and redesigning the trail until they were confident it was ready for the main event

The kids proved - as they often do - that at any age you can  help our neighbors. Dr. H. reminded the students that "your heart is your GPS,” a  modern way of saying follow your heart and good will happen.

Tax Headaches Evaporate in Hands of Free Tax Prep Team

NHCO's Free Tax Program provides appointments to low-income families and individuals. NHCO’s tax services are provided through the IRS-certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Every return is prepared by trained volunteers committed to financial stability in our region.

This past tax season, 42 volunteers gave 1,751 hours and completed 636 tax returns totaling $856,271 that goes back to hardworking individuals and families in our community.

"Taxes are like putting together a puzzle," one volunteer shared on why she enjoys spending several Saturday mornings helping others with their taxes.

A line from the book of Proverbs tells us "Train up a child in the way they should go, when they are old they will not depart from it." Former NHCO Executive Director, Fay Morgan and her husband Blair took this wisdom to heart recently when they invited their three-year-old twin granddaughters, Quinn and Reese (pictured), to support their neighbors in need through NHCO. Earlier this winter, the twins participated in their first "food drive," accompanying their grandparents on a grocery store trip to pick out much-needed items for NHCO's food pantries.

The girls then helped to deliver the items to the Allison Park Food Pantry, and saw the mission in action as they toured the pantry where their donated items would be shared with dozens of community members in the coming month.

But one encounter with NHCO's mission was not enough for these budding philanthropists. This month, the Morgan family partnered with Thrivent Financial to receive a Thrivent Cares Team grant, which was in turn used to purchase personal hygiene items in support of NHCO's Seasonal Sharing Projects. The twins were involved again in packing the items into 62 individual boxes and delivering them to NHCO.

"One of the great things about NHCO's mission is that people of every age can lend a helping hand" said NHCO Executive Director, Scott Shaffer, adding: "I'm grateful to Fay for championing our mission for many years as E.D. and now passing it on to the next generation in her retirement." Neighbors of any age can find out about NHCO's upcoming sharing projects at NHCO.org/sharing-project-donations.

The Influence of Servant Leadership - By Scott Shaffer, Executive Director

Early in my career, I heard someone say that "Leadership is influence, nothing more and nothing less." Over the past year I got to see influence in action, as a participant in Leadership Pittsburgh (www.lpinc.org), a year-long cohort program that brings together executive leaders from diverse career fields for networking, awareness-building, and cross-sector collaboration.

Participating in the program has been a wonderful opportunity to strengthen NHCO's connection with leading organizations in the region, while deepening my own appreciation for all the community leaders who already support their neighbors in need through NHCO.

One component of the program is a small group service project. My small group decided to schedule two volunteer events. First, we served at NHCO's Allison Park Food Pantry in March (pictured) to assist with setup, shopping, and cart pushing. One leader participating commented that he was thrilled when a client was so thankful for him pushing their shopping cart full of groceries up the hill that they asked him for a hug!

Our group then scheduled a second volunteer event in April, serving dinner at Roots of Faith in Sharpsburg, one of NHCO's nonprofit partners (where I served from 2016-2024). NHCO was well represented that night, as our Free Rides for Seniors Team Leader made an announcement about our free shuttle, and our Millvale Service Coordinator was available onsite for social work support.

The capstone of the Leadership Pittsburgh experience is a two-day advocacy trip to Harrisburg, meeting with legislators to discuss key issues in the Pittsburgh region. I was grateful to connect with many of the state representatives and senators in NHCO's service area, having several in-depth policy discussions about how we can work together to ensure that no one in our region is hungry, cold, or alone.

In the end I realized that if leadership is influence, then servant-leadership is the most influential of all, as leaders use their voice and platform to advocate for neighbors in need.

Please welcome Amethy Weikel-Sandstrom, NHCO's Community Engagement Coordinator.  Her primary responsibility is to strengthen NHCO’s visibility, partnerships, and volunteer network by cultivating relationships with community organizations, businesses, congregations, civic groups and local stakeholders.

“This position appealed to me because I am deeply rooted in my community and am a natural connector,” Amethy said. “I thrive when I can connect a person to a resource, or a problem with a solution.”

Amethy will work to recruit and support volunteers to help with various programs, services and administrative needs - a vital component in NHCO's daily operations. She will also coordinate volunteers for our Neighborhood Ambassador program and Older Adults Individual Rides and Friendly Visiting programs.

“I am excited to use my strengths to deepen NHCO's connection with volunteers, set those volunteers up for success, and create a robust roster of ambassadors for the organization,” Amethy added.

Interested in learning more about volunteering at NHCO, or having Amethy speak at your organization? Please contact her at 412-487-6316 x3204 or aweikel-sandstrom@NHCO.org.

Events and Fundraisers NHCO.org/fundraisers

NHCO's Sharing Projects and Other Ways to Help

Sharing Project and food donations can be dropped off at any of our three offices Monday–Friday, 9am–4pm. Our Allison Park location also accepts donations the first Saturday of the month between 9am-noon.

Back to School, June 8 - August 10

Because of our generous supporters, 1104 students received back to school supplies last year. This was an increase compared to previous years

You can order items from our Amazon Wishlish and have them sent directly to our office

We’re collecting:

• New backpacks

• Colored pencils

• 24-pack Crayons

• Erasers

• Glue sticks

• Highlighters and markers

• Loose-leaf paper

• Notebooks

• Binders

• Pens Pencils/mechanical pencils

• Pencil boxes and sharpeners

• Pocket folders

• Rulers

• Scissors

• TI graphing calculators for advanced high school science and math (Texas Instruments). These can be gently used, as long as they are working.

Coat Shop, September 1 - October 16

We’re collecting and distributing new coats to children ages infant to 18-years-old. New hats, scarves and gloves are also being accepted. Gift cards to purchase coats are also greatly appreciated. Donations can be dropped off at any of our three offices, or you can order from our Amazon Wish list and have the coats shipped directly to us.

Six Easy Ways to Donate

1. NHCO.org/donate

2. Text NHCO to 44-321

3. Call our staff accountant to make a donation over the phone: Lin Kostura, 412-487-6316 x3131

4. Send a check to:
North Hills Community Outreach
1975 Ferguson Road
Allison Park, PA 15101

5. Corporate Matching Gifts -Multiply your gift with a donation match from your employer. Visit NHCO.org/matching-gifts to see if your donation will be matched. Learn more at NHCO.org/corporate-matching-gifts

6. Become a monthly donor. It's easy and automatic. Please visit NHCO.org/donate and choose "monthly."

Thank You Notes!

You have given me hope that I will get some financial relief. So that is a BIG THANK YOU for doing that!!!

Thank you so much. Being a senior citizen on Social Security, we can use all the help we can get for utilities, etc.

Thank yo so much for the help paying our bills. To all of you at NHCO, you are so caring and helpful.

I just wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done! North Hills Community Outreach has really helped me in a way that’s hard to accept.