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Mission Highlights Articles

Shop for a Cause: How to Give Back While Shopping Online

July 1, 2022

According to census data over 2.14 billion people bought items online in 2021. Many of us have changed our ways of shopping due the pandemic, or maybe just because of the plain ease of it all. But ever think about the impact you make if you also purchased in ways that help local charities? “Shopping for a cause” isn’t a new concept. But it really can make a difference buying something you need and helping someone else in need. Many of these programs are targeted to national charities, but here are some thoughts on if you want to help local ones like City Mission: 1. Amazon a. Smile Program: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/chpf/homepage?orig=%2F By using this program site, you get the “same products, same price and same service” PLUS City Mission is offered as a charity to select in program to get the 0.5% Amazon donation. b. City Mission Wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3OX6HHA1U01LU Want to send the mission goods we need now? City Mission’s Wishlist on Amazon is a great way to do just that. You make the purchase and the items are sent directly to the mission. 2. City Mission Ebay store: https://www.ebay.com/usr/citymission84 You can find great items here changed out frequently, all while 100% of proceeds go directly to mission. You cannot go wrong! You find that unique items you’ve been searching for, all while helping the mission. Any help you give to City Mission goes a long way to providing “Hope for the Homeless”! But maybe you just want to get out of the house and shop the “old school” way. Our thrift stores are ready for you to venture out and see all the great finds in person, https://www.citymission.org/stores#store-locations . “THRIFT WITH A PURPOSE!” is a great way to get deals and make a positive impact for those in need. Want to see firsthand some of the items and deals found at City Mission Thrift Stores, watch this: https://youtu.be/vfhBOSZZORI

Mission Possible VII

July 1, 2022

City Mission’s seventh annual Mission Possible 5K Run/1 Mile Walk, presented by AccuTrex Products, Inc. and benefiting the Crabtree Kovacicek Veterans House for homeless veterans, will be held at Peterswood Park in Venetia on Saturday, August 6 at 8am. ”This is a unique run because it was conceived to benefit a shelter for homeless veterans, and veterans feature prominently in the opening ceremonies and the event itself,” said City Mission Chief Development Officer, Dr. Sally Mounts, a retired Lt. Colonel in the US Army. The event was started seven years ago by Jeff McCartney, a local realtor and board member for the City Mission Board of Directors, as a way to raise funds in support of City Mission’s Crabtree Kovacicek Veterans House, which opened in July 2018 and houses 22 homeless veterans, helping to restore them to independent living. “God’s will is for us to help those who need help – the poor, the lost, and the widowed,” said McCartney on why he started this fundraiser for our veterans. “His grace was so abundant on me, I just felt that I could not do nothing. And by the grace and love of Jesus Christ, we’re now able to help people who we could not help in the past.” This year’s Presenting Sponsor for the event is AccuTrexProducts, Inc., a manufacturing company headquartered in Canonsburg. AccuTrex President and CEO, Marty Beichner, was named Pittsburgh’s Vetrepeneur of the Year in 2020, a prestigious honor presented annually to one of the region’s outstanding veteran business owners.“We’re supporting the City Mission’s run to benefit the veterans at the Crabtree Kovacicek Veterans House,” said Beichner. “And we’re very proud to be a supporter of the race.”“Marty and his wife Judy are long-time supporters of City Mission,” said Sally Mounts. “Marty was a Corpsman on the ground in Vietnam with the 2nd Battalion 26th Marines, and he understands veterans’ needs at such a visceral level.”Last year, our Veterans Program had a 77% success rate helping homeless veterans to restore their hope and dignity and return to independent living. Recently, when Ed, a Navy veteran, could no longer get up the steps to his apartment due to hip and leg pain, and he had nowhere else to turn, he knew where he needed to go. He had been to City Mission nearly thirty years ago. “I was on a path of destruction,” Ed said. “My life was empty.” When he first came to the Mission, he formed a lifelong relationship with God and turned his life around. Over the years, Ed has come back to the Mission from time to time whenever he would fall on hard times, but his current stay at the Mission is his first stay at the Crabtree Kovacicek Veterans House. “As long as I continue to put God first,” he said, “I know everything will fall into place.”“I’m just really glad we have a facility that meets his needs,” added Dean Gartland, City Mission President/CEO. You can help other veterans just like Ed turn their lives around. Learn more or register today for the seventh annual Mission Possible 5K Run/1 Mile Walk at www.missionpossiblerun.org.

4 Ways YOU Can Help City Mission Restore “HOPE FOR THE HOMELESS”

June 24, 2022

When thinking about resolving homelessness for those experiencing it, we can EASILY get overwhelmed as we learn that there are so many issues that lead to being homeless. Someone experiencing homelessness is not just suffering from a single issue but a tangled mix of issues that need to be worked through specific to the individual. That is why your partnership with City Mission is so IMPORTANT! With your help, together we can help those coming to the mission find hope for a better life. Here are 4 ways you can help: 1. DONATIONS: Your gifts can come in many forms. All are put to use to help the homeless. a. Financial donations are crucial to keeping the doors open and lights on, but it also means being able to offer personalized case management to our residents helping them get what they need to find a life with purpose. Financial donations can come from many sources besides a checking/savings account. Assets from Donor-advised funds, stocks, bonds, mutuals funds, wills, trust, or bequests are other ways to help that may also provide some tax benefits. www.citymission.org/ways-to-help/donate#donate-money b. Food, Clothing, and Shoes are accepted. Visit https://www.city-mission.org/ways-to-help/donate#donate-goods for a list of items we accept. Food can be used by our kitchen serving meals to our resident and the community or giving out in our community pantry called Samaritan Care Center. Clothing and shoes can be worn by residents who have very little; are collected at our warehouse and distributed to our stores, giving work training opportunities to our residents; and are sold at our Thrift Stores, raising money to support the Mission’s life-changing programs. 2. SHOPPING: But wait there is more here too! a. City Mission has seven thrift stores https://www.citymission.org/stores#store-locations and an ebay store https://www.ebay.com/usr/citymission84 to which 100% of the proceeds go to support City Mission. b. Amazon Wishlist is a great way to get much needed goods directly sent to the mission from the comfort of your home. https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3OX6HHA1U01LU 3. VOLUNTEER: We know your time is a valuable asset! So we can put it to good use helping the homeless! https://www.citymission.org/ways-to-help/volunteer 4. HOST A FUNDRAISER: There are so many ways you can create your own fundraiser for proceeds going to help the mission. Here are some examples and more information: https://www.citymission.org/ways-to-help/partner

Honors & Memorials

June 20, 2022

This post chronicles the names of donors and their dedications to both honor and memorialize individuals as a celebration of their respect, love and admiration. Each of the buttons below links to sheet which lists our donors who have made contributions in-honor-of or in-memoriam-of. City Mission assembles these names and documents them here - with a quarterly update - so that we may show our appreciation to all the parties.

City Mission to Expand Services for Homeless Women

June 17, 2022

On Saturday, June 25, City Mission will be hosting an Open House event to celebrate Sally’s House, the new home of our Single Women’s Next Step program. Our Single Women’s Next Step program offers a steppingstone for the single women, who are completing our life-recovery program, by providing support, housing, encouragement, and financial stability as they transition into independent living. The Mission has long wanted a separate facility for the single women in need of our next step program, and that need was recently fulfilled by a very generous donor who is making it possible for us to use this beautiful, historic, Victorian-style home for our next step program. Sally’s House, which was named by the donor in honor of City Mission’s Chief Development Officer Dr. Sally Mounts, will provide the long-sought-after next step facility for women. This new next step facility will accommodate 15 single women and expand our total capacity to house homeless women to 41 beds. We are so incredibly grateful for this opportunity to serve more women on their path from homelessness to independent living. Please consider attending our Open House on Saturday, June 25 from 10am to 4pm on the City Mission campus to learn more about the program and how you can support the work of the Mission. Contact Event Coordinator, Chris Rogers, at 724-222-8530 x283 or crogers@citymission.org with questions or to RSVP to the event by June 22.

A Shared Mission

City Mission Manager of Veterans Services, Steve Adams

May 20, 2022

Mission BBQ is a barbecue restaurant chain that honors and supports American military, police, firefighters, and first responders. They first opened their doors in Glen Burnie, MD on September 11, 2011, and since then (at least as of 2021), they had expanded to 109 locations in nine different states. The Pittsburgh location of Mission BBQ in Robinson Township has been supporting City Mission’s veterans’ program from the very first day we opened our Crabtree Kovacicek Veterans House back in July of 2018. Annie Thieman, Mission BBQ’s Catering Manager, was on our campus the day of the Grand Opening, providing lunch to all of our guests who came out that day to celebrate the opening of our new Veterans House. “At Mission BBQ we strive to serve those who serve,” Thieman said in a statement. “Our partnership with City Mission’s Veterans Program is one that is incredibly near and dear to our hearts. From the day their doors opened and every day since then, we admire and appreciate everything the team at City Mission does to support and help our American Heroes” City Mission Manager of Veterans Services, Steve Adams, is extremely grateful for that partnership. “Mission BBQ has been with us from day one,” he explained, “and they’ve continued to support us ever since.” They regularly deliver large, buffet-style meals to the residents at our Veterans House, and they let us keep the leftover food. They also occasionally invite our veterans to come out to the Pittsburgh restaurant, and they feed them dinner in their private dining room. Recently, Mission BBQ found a unique way to honor our veterans. They strive to serve authentic barbecue in a patriotic dining room filled with “tributes to those who have made our country great” – according to their website. This is often in the form of military unit patches, embroidered patches that soldiers wear on their uniform to demonstrate their service and the particular unit they served under. In 2018, Adams created a unit patch for residents of our Crabtree Kovacicek Veterans House to wear with pride as a symbol of their commitment to restoring their lives at City Mission. To honor City Mission and our commitment to serving veterans, Mission BBQ placed Steve Adams’ personal military patch and the Crabtree-Kovacicek Veterans House patch in a prominent place above the door frame at their main entrance. “It’s an honor to have our patches up there where everyone can see them,” Adams said. Thank you, Mission BBQ, for your continued support of our veterans! To learn how you can support the residents of our Crabtree Kovacicek Veterans House, please visit https://www.citymission.org/support/veterans.

"You Name it, You Can Find it"

May 13, 2022

On Saturday, May 21 from 9am -7pm, our City Mission Thrift Store in Rostraver will be hosting an event to celebrate their ninth anniversary! On that day, everything in the store will be 50% off (except mattresses and Sarris candies), there will be free cake, water and coffee, giveaway prizes, and a Chinese Auction. “You name it, you can find it at our store,” said Thrift Store Manager, Georeen Busch. “You never know what you’re going to find. And our staff is sweet, kind, and helpful. So come on out and see us. You might find a hidden treasure.” Georeen has been with City Mission since 2012 and has been the Manager at the Rostraver store since it first opened its doors in 2013. “I’ve enjoyed what I’ve been doing all these years,” she said. “I’ve had a lot of good times and met a lot of wonderful people. It’s a very rewarding and humbling job.” In March of 2016, the Greater Rostraver Chamber of Commerce named the Rostraver store business of the month for their impact in the community. 100% of the store’s proceeds go to help the homeless at City Mission. And the store also helps those in need in the community get clothing, shoes, electronics, household items, glassware, and other essentials at discounted prices. Our Rostraver store is located at 1729 Rostraver Road in Belle Vernon, PA and is part of the Rostraver Shopping Center in Rostraver Township. Their store hours are Monday-Saturday 9am-7pm. Visit www.citymission.org/stores to learn more about how you can shop and support City Mission through our seven City Mission Thrift Stores.

Meet Our New Volunteer Manager

April 22, 2022

City Mission has a new Volunteer Manager! Jason Johnson has been employed at the Mission for almost 9 years and has worked in nearly every department on campus. “I just want to help people, and I want God to continue to grow my heart,” he said, explaining his willingness to go wherever he is needed at the Mission. “In whatever role I’m in, I just want to serve and honor God. Everything happens through God’s hands, and I just feel blessed to be a part of it.” Jason grew up in South Franklin and went to McGuffey High School. After graduation, he attended West Virginia University and Waynesburg College, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and a Master’s in Mental Health Counseling. Jason began his career at the Mission nine years ago as a Case Manager, working directly with residents. “I love working one-on-one with the residents and helping them walk through the barriers that are keeping them from living an independent life,” Jason said. “I wouldn’t be here if wasn’t for the residents. Everything I do, it’s always been about helping people.” After nearly a year as a case manager, Jason became the supervisor for the counselors on staff before being promoted to the Manager of Men’s and Women’s Services. From there, he moved into a position as the Director of Operations, where he oversaw our Samaritan Care Outreach Center, kitchen, maintenance, janitorial, vehicles, security, and pretty much anything involving the City Mission facilities. For a while, he was even the Director of our Vocational Training Center. The fact that Jason has worked in every aspect of the Mission is certainly an advantage for him in his role as our Manager of Volunteers. “Because I’ve worked in every department,” he explained, “I know the intricacies of what makes the Mission run, and I know what the residents need. And it helps me to know what people in different positions do and what help they need with.” What Jason likes most about working at City Mission is being able to help people. “I just love watching our residents find Christ and succeed. I love watching lives change and families change. I’m blessed even being just a small part of that story no matter what role I’m in,” he said. “And when you serve others, you always get blessed in return. You always get more back from the residents than you give to them.” And he is excited to jump headlong into his new position managing our volunteers. “My goal is for this department to become a ministry,” he explained. “I want to expand the volunteer base and create new opportunities for volunteers to partner with the Mission. I hope to have some upcoming outreach projects with volunteers helping us to do things out in the community.” Currently, our most urgent volunteer needs are help in our Thrift Stores, at our warehouse, and in the childcare center at our Women with Children Shelter. If you are interested in volunteering at the Mission, visit our website https://www.citymission.org/ways-to-help/volunteer. You can complete the volunteer application online and Jason will get back to you. “When a volunteer comes to the Mission,” Jason said, “I want them to feel loved and cared about and like they are part of the family at the Mission. And I want them to know who important they are to the work of the Mission.”

A Network of Support

Dress for Success Pittsburgh and Blueprints

April 6, 2022

City Mission’s Samaritan Care Center provides supportive services to low-income individuals and families in our community. Their food pantry is open to the community on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am-3pm. Additionally, on the first Tuesday of every month, representatives from Dress for Success Pittsburgh and Blueprints will be available at that time to provide support and make referrals for those in need. Heather Howe is the Mobile Services Coordinator South for Dress for Success Pittsburgh. She is always looking for ways to help more women in Washington, Greene, and Fayette Counties. The mission of Dress of Success Pittsburgh is to empower women who are entering or returning to the workforce in Southwestern Pennsylvania. “It’s about helping women feel more confident,” Howe said at the City Mission Chapel this past Tuesday. “We help them find something good to wear that they feel good in whether they’re going to job interviews, starting a new job, or going to church. We want people to be happy.” Howe drives the Dress for Success van up to the City Mission campus. When the weather is nice, she sets up the clothes outside, and any woman can walk up, complete some paperwork, and pick out some clothes. Each woman also gets a voucher for a haircut. When the weather is iffy, she sets up inside the City Mission Chapel. Lexi Eloshway is a Head Start Home-based Educator for Blueprints. She can help you enroll your family in the Head Start program, which helps kids, ages 3-5, prepare for school. The program also works to build strong parent-child relationships. “The parent is the child’s first and most important teacher,” Eloshway explained. The program uses a “Parents as Teachers” curriculum to help build strong family relationships and create a strong foundation for a child’s education. Eloshway can also make referrals for Blueprints’ other supportive services like rental assistance and WIC. City Mission would like to thank Dress for Success Pittsburgh and Blueprints for helping to create a web of support for our residents and those in need in the community. You can also become a part of that network of support by giving of you time, talents, and treasure. Visit www.citymission.org to discover the ways that you can help.

Mission Highlights

Real Information

City Mission looks to stay on top of the latest information regarding the stories of Residents, Donors & Events inside City Mission as well as homelessness and poverty both here in our area and nationally. We would love to share some of this with you!