Since our first year of funding, 2014, Giving2Grow members have donated $238,500 to local non-profits who share our mission of addressing childhood hunger in SW Pennsylvania.

Angels’ Place 

Organization’s Mission:  to provide exceptional family support and quality early childhood education to help parents in need and their children to become lifelong learners and create a brighter future.

Program Description/Goals:  Angels’ Place provides high-quality early childhood education, childcare and family support to thousands of single parents and their children.  Nutritional coordinators provide a hot homecooked breakfast and lunch, as well as two snacks, for children in their care, at no cost to families.  The program recognizes that children learn best when they are properly nourished and developing healthy eating habits, while at the same time reducing the financial strain to parents on a limited income.

Bible Center Oasis Project – Better Food, Better Me 

Note:  G2G funded BF,BM in 2017 

Organization’s Mission:  The mission of the Oasis Project is to create oases—places of peace, safety and happiness in the midst of trouble and difficulty.  Their goals are to provide programs and services for Homewood youth with a particular focus on education, employment and entrepreneurship; to create community-based businesses that employ young people and Homewood residents; and to acquire and redevelop vacant and abandoned properties in Homewood. 

Program Description/Goals:  BF,BM uses a holistic approach to teach Homewood  and Lincoln/Larimer elementary and middle-school students to understand the life cycle of food, the value of good nutrition, and the importance of learning to cook foods that will improve health and well-being.  Three separate sessions (Spring, Summer and Fall) are held by the Oasis Project’s Farm Manager and after-school staff, supplemented by guest chefs, nutritionists, dieticians and urban farmers.  The students are given the opportunity to learn not only how to use healthy, fresh ingredients, but how to grow them in a sustainable way using hydroponic and aquaponic systems.

Fayette County Community Action Agency – Let’s Get Cooking! 

Note:  G2G funded FCCAA in 2017

Organization’s Mission:  FCCAA’s mission is to strengthen individuals and families to become more self-sufficient, achieving their potential by taking advantage of opportunities, improving the conditions in which they live, and taking ownership of their community.  Our promise to the community states that “Community Action changes people’s lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes America a better place to live.  We care about the entire community, and we are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.”

Program Description/Goals:   FCCAA has worked hard to increase the availability and quality of food in underserved neighborhoods and food deserts, but they have come to understand that access is simply not enough.  FCCAA’s Let’s Get Cooking adds preparation and cooking of healthy foods into their client visits, offering guidance and support to pregnant women in Fayette or Greene Counties, and continuing on for two years after the children are born.  Nurse Home Visitors make home visits and help families identify their needs and develop a strategy to address those needs, drawing connections to other community resources.

Feed Our Students 

Note:  G2G funded Feed Our Students in 2018 

Organization’s Mission:  to help end childhood hunger and improve student learning through our Backpack Feeding Program. This program provides 6 meals to students over the weekend who suffer from food insecurity and it gives them the proper nutrition they need in order to concentrate on their schoolwork and not being hungry.

Program Description/Goals: There are many students in Pittsburgh who qualify for free or reduced lunch and have access to food at school for breakfast and lunch.  These same students lack food over the weekend during the school year, so by providing them with weekend food for 6 meals, they receive the proper nutrition they need and can concentrate on their schoolwork and not being hungry. 

Hilltop Urban Farm 

Organization’s Mission:  to create and sustain a new, regional asset in south Pittsburgh’s Hilltop community, that is committed to growing food, growing farmers and growing a community.  Hilltop Urban Farm will benefit its neighbors by being a catalyst for community pride and reinvestment.

Program Description/Goals:  The one-acre Youth Farm at Hilltop Urban Farm, located in St. Clair, engages children ages 3 to 19 from the Hilltop communities with nutrition, cooking, growing food, local food systems, agriculture as a pathway, and ecology of western Pennsylvania education through the lens of urban farming.  They conduct summer camps and an additional “farm week,”  as well as an after-school partnership with Pittsburgh Arlington PreK-8 School, New Academy Charter High School volunteers, and the “farm Fridays” partnership with after school programs at Lighthouse Cathedral.

LeMoyne Community Center 

Organization’s Mission:  The LeMoyne Community Center is developing, shaping, defining, and stabilizing our community with education, arts, health and recreational programs. 

Program Description/Goals:  LeMoyne has implemented the Nutrafit Program, modeling the Steps for a Hunger-Free Community (H. Con. Res. 302).  Their year-round education programs for low-income under-served youth in Washington County have four objectives:  food identification, food preparation, food medicinal effects, nutrition label interpretation.  Every other week, youth are expected to try a new food product.  In addition, LeMoyne provides 36,000 meals annually at 18 sites (churches, schools, community centers, low-income housing plans and playgrounds).

Rainbow Kitchen Kids Cafe’ 

Organization’s Mission:  Rainbow Kitchen Community Services is committed to improving the quality of life for low-income families and individuals through programs that address hunger, child nutrition and supportive services.

Program Description/Goals:  The Kids Café program provides approximately 95 children per day in West Mifflin and Homestead with a hot, balanced, nutritious daily dinners that include fresh fruits and vegetables.  Last year they began offering afternoon snacks for children at the Homestead Carnegie Library after it was discovered that community children used the library as a safe and secure place to go after school or in summer afternoons, but they arrived hungry.  Rainbow Kitchen provides the children’s’ families with information about the other programs and services (such as Food Pantry and Breakfast programs, Case Management for families with immediate or crisis needs) and long-term guidance and support as they work to achieve self-sufficiency.

United Methodist Church Union Kids Meal Network 

Note:  G2G funded Kids Meal Network in 2017 and 2018

Organization’s Mission:  to transform communities, lives, and hearts.

Program Description/Goals: Kids Meal Network provides free, nutritious hot meals for vulnerable children in Greater Pittsburgh during the out-of-school summer months when kids from underprivileged and economically-challenged home environments are at risk of going hungry.  KMN plans to seve an anticipated 16,00+ nutritious hot meals and snacks next summer to kids who’d otherwise likely go without a hot meal and go hungry.  KMN also provides a safe haven and refuge for children from volatile and unstable home environments.  Their locations provide fun and stimulating activities for the kids.

Whitehall Presbyterian Church Food4Kids 

Note:  G2G funded Food 4 Kids in 2018

Organization’s Mission:  The mission of Whitehall Church is to love and worship the one True God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  We strive to love and support all people and to testify to the Good News of Jesus Christ in our own community and in the Greater Community around us.

Program Description/Goals:  Each week during the school year, volunteers from Whitehall Presbyterian Church purchase, coordinate, supply and deliver individual bags of food for kindergarten and first grade students in a local grade school.  These children all qualify for Federal Free and Reduced lunch program.  The bag of food includes nutritional food for 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches and snacks that a young child can prepare and eat by themselves.

Visit the website links below to learn more about our grant recipients’ projects.

Feed Our Students

Organization’s Mission:  to combat food insecurity in school children and improve students’ learning by providing weekend meals.

Program Description/Goals:  Backpacks of food, containing 6 meals each, are provided every weekend during the school year.  They include items that are easy to prepare and shelf-stable, including milk, juice and fruit cups.  These weekend meals give the students the proper nutrition they need and allows them to concentrate on their school work, and not on being hungry.

United Methodist Church Union

Note:  G2G funded Kids Meal Network in 2017

Organization’s Mission:  to transform communities, lives, and hearts.

Program Description/Goals:  Kids Meal Network provides free, nutritious hot meals for vulnerable children in Greater Pittsburgh during the out-of-school summer months when kids from underprivileged and economically-challenged home environments are at risk of going hungry.  KMN plans to expand into new neighborhoods, increase days at existing sites, add arts programs to even more locations and continue to serve appealing and nutritious meals to kids who’d otherwise likely go without a hot meal and go hungry.  KMN also provides a safe haven and refuge for children from volatile and unstable home environments.  Their locations provide fun and stimulating activities for the kids.

Whitehall Presbyterian Church

Organization’s Mission:  The mission of Whitehall Church is to love and worship the one True God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  We strive to love and support all people and to testify to the Good News of Jesus Christ in our own community and in the Greater Community around us.

Program Description/Goals:  Each week during the school year, volunteers from Whitehall Presbyterian Church purchase, coordinate, supply and deliver individual bags of food for kindergarten and first grade students in a local grade school; they intend to grow the program to include another.  These children all qualify for Federal Free and Reduced lunch program.  The bag of food includes nutritional food for 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches and snacks that a young child can prepare and eat by themselves.

Visit the website links below to learn more about our grant recipients’ projects.

Bible Center Church – Oasis Project

Organization’s Mission:  to create oases—places of peace, safety and happiness in the midst of trouble and difficulty.  Their goals are to provide programs and services for Homewood youth with a particular focus on education, employment and entrepreneurship; to create community-based businesses that employ young people and Homewood residents; and to acquire and redevelop vacant and abandoned properties in Homewood.

Program Description/Goals: BF,BM uses a holistic approach to teach Homewood  and Lincoln/Larimer elementary and middle-school students to understand the life cycle of food, the value of good nutrition, and the importance of learning to cook foods that will improve health and well-being.  The goal is for students to understand how to grow, cook and consume healthy food and the ways in which good nutrition contributes to healthy minds, bodies and a healthier lifestyle.

Fayette County Community Action Agency – Let’s Get Cooking  

Organization’s Mission:  to strengthen individuals and families to become more self-sufficient, achieving their potential by taking advantage of opportunities, improving the conditions in which they live, and taking ownership of their community.  Our promise to the community states that “Community Action changes people’s lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes America a better place to live.  We care about the entire community, and we are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.”

Program Description/Goals:  The “Let’s Get Cooking” program conducts classes on procurement and preparation of healthy foods.  Families will increase the number of meals cooked each week (including fresh fruits and vegetables), increasing confidence in preparing and cooking their own food and experiencing positive dietary improvement.

Pittsburgh Black Breastfeeding Circle

Note:  G2G funded PBBC in 2015 and 2016

Organization’s Mission: to promote, protect and support breastfeeding as the optimal feeding method for women and children of African descent and to increase knowledge regarding short- and long-term nutrition goals and a healthy lifestyle.

Program Description/Goals:  Addressing the nutritional deficits and lower numbers of breastfeeding in the African American community, PBBC is a critical source of support to these women and families.  PBBC works with other health organizations to promote themselves in social and other media, invite community discussion, provide breastfeeding support and education, and to train and support breastfeeding mentors and group leaders through regional and national lactation conferences.

South Hills Interfaith Movement – Community Gardens 

Note:  G2G funded SHIM in 2015 and 2016

Organization’s Mission: SHIM is a human services organization dedicated to reducing the crippling effects of rapidly increasing suburban poverty. SHIM mobilizes community resources and implements sustainable programs that compassionately help our neighbors meet basic needs, achieve self-sufficiency, and build community.

Program Description/Goals:  SHIM has 15 gardens that supply fresh food for their food pantries and multiple opportunities for families and children to experience growing and preparing nutritious food. Our grant was to continue support of their community vegetable garden program; approximately 600 children benefited from this grant.

United Methodist Church Union – Kids Meal Network  

Organization’s Mission:  To transform communities, lives, and hearts.

Program Description/Goals:  During the summer months, many children in Pittsburgh’s most disadvantaged communities do not get a hot meal at home.  KMN provides a hot, nutritious meal for any child who comes to our feeding centers during the out-of-school summer break.

Visit the website links below to learn more about our grant recipients’ projects.

412 Food Rescue

Organization’s Mission:  to prevent perfectly viable food from entering the waste stream. They bridge the disconnect between the fact that 40% of food is wasted while 1 in 7 people in the US are hungry.  412 is the only organization in Pittsburgh working solely on food that would otherwise be wasted.

Program Description/Goals:  To continue serving as a logistics hub between places that have useable food that will otherwise go to waste, volunteers who pick up and deliver the food, and recipients who provide the food to their clients–including many families with young children.

FOCUS Pittsburgh

Organization’s mission:  FOCUS North America serves the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick and imprisoned by providing food, occupation, clothing, understanding and shelter.

Program Description/Goals:  The FOCUS Pittsburgh Backpack Feeding Program engages and organizes community members, parents and volunteers to provide weekend food to children who may otherwise go hungry.  They are working  to create a sustainable, scalable, efficient program to address food insecurity in Pittsburgh families.

Pittsburgh Black Breastfeeding Circle (PBBC)

Note: G2G funded PBBC in 2015

Organization’s Mission:  to promote, protect and support breastfeeding as the optimal early feeding method for women and children of African descent and to increase knowledge regarding short and long term nutrition goals and a healthy lifestyle.

Program Description:  The PBBC continues to reach and support more African American mothers and infants in breastfeeding and healthy lifestyles, along with continued training of mentors and lactation professionals.

South Hills Interfaith Movement (SHIM)

Note:  G2G funded SHIM in 2015.

Organization’s mission:  to empower struggling families to achieve self-sufficiency.  SHIM assists with basic needs of food and clothing, utility assistance and employment support. They serve a growing number of refugees who have fled their country of origin and cannot return. These families need additional support as they learn a new language, experience American culture and integrate into the South Hills community.

Program Description/Goals:
SHIM will continue their Peace Garden program, which was planned, built and cultivated by refugee families, supported by SHIM staff and maintained with the help of community garden volunteers.  The children’s garden engages 150 children in science, gardening, food and nutrition activities, under the guidance of a master garden

Rainbow Kitchen Kids Cafe’

Note: G2G has funded the Kids Cafe’ in 2014, 2015 and 2016. They will not be eligible for funding in 2017.

Organization’s Mission: Rainbow Kitchen Community Services is committed to improving the quality of life for low-income families and individuals through programs that address hunger, child nutrition, and supportive services.

Program Description/Goals:  Rainbow kitchen Kids Cafe’ program continues to alleviate child hunger and help meet the nutritional needs of low-income children by providing participating children with a hot, balanced, nutritious daily dinner meal.

Visit the website links below to learn more about our grant recipients’ projects.

South Hills Interfaith Ministries

Organization’s mission:  to empower struggling families to achieve self-sufficiency.  SHIM assists with basic needs of food and clothing, utility assistance and employment support. They serve a growing number of refugees who have fled their country of origin and cannot return. These families need additional support as they learn a new language, experience American culture and integrate into the South Hills community.

Program Description/Goals:
To develop a vegetable garden to be  planned, built and cultivated by refugee families, supported by SHIM staff and maintained with the help of community garden volunteers.  The children’s garden will school children in science, gardening, food and nutrition activities, under the guidance of a master gardener/teacher.

Rainbow Kitchen Kids Cafe’

Organization’s Mission: Rainbow Kitchen Community Services is committed to improving the quality of life for low-income families and individuals through programs that address hunger, child nutrition, and supportive services.

Program Description/Goals:  Rainbow kitchen Kids Cafe’ program continues to alleviate child hunger and help meet the nutritional needs of low-income children by providing participating children with a hot, balanced, nutritious daily dinner meal.

Pittsburgh Black Breastfeeding Circle

Organization’s Mission:  to promote, protect and support breastfeeding as the optimal early feeding method for women and children of African descent and to increase knowledge regarding short and long term nutrition goals and a healthy lifestyle.

Program Description:   Funds will enable PBBC to expand their services to more mothers and infants and to provide training to mentors and lactation consultants.

Visit the website links below to learn more about our grant recipients’ projects.

Rainbow Kitchen

Organization use of G2G grant: To keep their  Rainbow Kitchen and Kids Cafe feeding hungry children after school in the Homestead/Whittaker area.

Just Harvest

Organization’s use of G2G grant: To support a Hunger Intern in developing  a long term approach to getting breakfast and lunch programs to  the children that need them in our area schools.

Grow Pittsburgh

Organization’s use of G2G grant: To support their Edible School Yard program in Pittsburgh area schools.