Hope is Contagious

Clean Slate Day Helps People Build a Better Life

On Friday, April 1 from 10am-2pm at the City Mission Chapel, Senator Camera Bartolotta along with City Mission, Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Aid, and the Washington County Bar Association all came together to host a free legal clinic for City Mission residents and eligible community members.

The purpose of the “Clean Slate Day” event was to help City Mission residents and eligible members of the community to obtain expungements or pardons for criminal records.

“We need to put people on a path to get back to the workplace, back to their family, and back to life,” said Senator Bartolotta. “We need to remove barriers so people in our community can live happy and meaningful lives.”

An expungement is a legal court order that removes a criminal record from public view when appropriate, which helps to give a second chance to those who have turned their lives around. Courts can also consider “limited access” requests to shield non-violent misdemeanor convictions from public view, so long as the person making the request has received no additional convictions for the past 10 years. At Friday’s Clean Slate Day event, there were volunteer attorneys on hand to work one-on-one with individuals to help them navigate the expungement process.

“A criminal record is a very real barrier to employment for our residents,” said City Mission Manager of Career Services, Brianna Kadlecik. And sustainable employment is a vital piece of the puzzle for them to get back to independent living. But a clean slate does not just help with employment. Kadlecik has seen criminal records create barriers for our residents to obtain housing, financial aid for education, and even a driver’s license – all things that could help to clear a path for them to a better life.

“It’s a beautiful thing,” Kadlecik said of the Clean Slate Day event. “We have 11 City Mission residents in attendance today. Residents who have attended in the past have been able to get answers to things they didn’t think they would ever be able to get answers to.”

For Brian Gorman, the Executive Director of Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Aid, Clean Slate Day is about giving people a second chance. “Everybody who comes here is looking to better themselves in some way,” he explained. “They’re looking for a job or a higher-income job. They could also be trying to go to school or to obtain housing, and their criminal record is preventing them from achieving those goals. So it not only gives people hope and redemption, but it also gives them tangible things that can help them create a better life.”

Southwestern PA Legal Aid Executive Director, Brian Gorman, gives instructions to attendees at the event. Brian has been practicing law in Washington County for 21 years.

If those in attendance at the Clean Slate Day event were not eligible for expungements, there were also volunteer pardon coaches from the Washington County Pardon Project on hand to help walk them through the process for applying for a pardon with the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons at no cost. The process can take from one to three years to complete, but nonviolent misdemeanor and felony convictions can be pardoned if an applicant demonstrates a change in his or her life since the arrest along with an important need for the pardon, such as increasing employment opportunities. Governor Tom Wolf has pardoned nearly 2,000 applicants during his tenure as Governor of Pennsylvania.

Kyle Duff is the Project Coordinator for the Washington County Pardon Project. He works to recruit applicants and team them up with volunteer coaches to guide them through the process. “The Pardon Project is a connection that helps people with criminal records overcome the barriers associated with their background,” he explained.

“Hope is the most important part of this whole thing,” he added. “Hope is contagious. It can overcome fear and desperation.”

Senator Camera Bartolotta with Kyle Duff, the Project Coordinator for the Washington County Pardon Project.

Duff explained that the Pardon Project is such a vital part of Washington County life, because the county has become such a hub for the recovery community. “People come here from all over the state and all over the country for a chance at a new life. And many of them stay and build a life here. They get jobs and build careers and start families here. They become part of our community.”

The Pardon Project helps to give them a chance at a better life, which benefits the whole community, because the better they do in their new lives here in Washington County, the more they invest back into our local economy. They buy homes and cars. They help create a reliable workforce. They volunteer. They go to church. And ultimately, they help to strengthen the fabric of our community.

“It’s great to see so many volunteers here who really want to help,” said Senator Bartolotta at the Clean Slate Day event. “They know how cumbersome it can be, and they are here to help people stay on the right path, to stay focused on their goals.”

She added, “There absolutely is hope! And there are lots of people who can help. Just pick up the phone.”

For more information about getting your record expunged, applying for a pardon, or attending the next Clean Slate Day, you can contact Senator Bartolotta’s senate office in Washington at 724-225-4380 or the Pardon Project at pardonme@splas.org. You can also visit www.spla.org to learn more about how Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Aid can help you.

April 1, 2022

Gary Porter

Communications Manager

Gary has been with the mission since 2017. He writes many of our resident stories, getting to know many of them and seeing their transformations at the mission from the start.

gporter@citymission.org

City Mission Reports Annual Impact in the Community

November 20, 2024

Homelessness is a growing problem in Southwestern Pennsylvania and all over the United States. 2023 saw a 12% increase in the homeless population from the year before, marking a record high in the US since homeless data was collected in 2007. The Wall Street Journal reports that 2024 is unfortunately on track to break that record once again. Now is the time for homeless shelters and rescue missions across the country to step up. Local communities must join the fight by investing in these organizations. If we don’t, this disturbing trend of rising homelessness rates will continue. The City of Washington and our surrounding communities have faithfully supported the City Mission for 83 years, and the staff and leadership at the Mission are ready and willing to serve. The City Mission reported its’ annual community impact results today. In the 2023/2024 fiscal year, the City Mission served 1,453 unique individuals, serving street homeless, sheltered homeless, and the working poor in our area. The Mission provided 84,912 meals, 47,288 nights of shelter, 14,319 medical clinic services, and 9,390 grocery bags to residents and community. Additionally, the Mission helped 150 homeless individuals transition into their very own homes. Their Career Training and Education Center helped 129 individuals obtain jobs. City Mission’s compassionate and holistic residential programs and services guided their residents who stay in the program for at least 90 days to a 69% overall success rate. Women and families are currently the fastest-growing homeless populations in the United States, and that impact is being felt locally as City Mission receives calls from homeless women every day. They simply do not have enough beds right now to house them all, and their waitlist continues to grow. In response to this growing need, City Mission is growing too. Over the past year, they have been raising funds to build a new 50-bed shelter for homeless women. In May of 2024, construction began on Sally’s Sanctuary, and the new facility is scheduled to open in July of 2025. “Before coming to City Mission, I was filled with fear,” said Mila, a former resident. “Since coming to the Mission, I am filled with hope.” Mila and her son, Caesar, came to City Mission with no hope. When they moved out of City Mission, Mila had a job and she and her son had their very own home. President and CEO Diana Irey Vaughan commented on the significance of the annual impact, “City Mission continually measures the impact we are making in the lives of our residents and the community. Our mission to share Christ, to shelter, to heal, and to restore the homeless to independent living—without discrimination. Mila is just one example of the impact of the City Mission. With the opening of Sally’s Sanctuary, our new 50-bed women’s shelter, in 2025, our annual community impact will grow significantly.” City Mission is standing up for those who have lost all hope, but they need the support of the community in order to continue the relentless work of bringing hope to the homeless. You can help! Over the course of the next year, there will be many opportunities to support City Mission. To find out more about how you can help City Mission fulfill the growing need within the community, visit www.citymission.org.

Beaming With Hope

October 18, 2024

On Thursday, October 17, City Mission hosted a “Topping Off Ceremony,” celebrating a significant milestone in the construction of Sally’s Sanctuary, their new 50-bed shelter for homeless women. The shelter won’t open until July of 2025, but the final steel beam has been lifted and lowered into place. At the “Topping Off Ceremony,” donors, staff, volunteers, and Board members got the opportunity to sign their name on the beam and leave a message before the beam, bearing the name of the building, was hoisted by a giant crane and set into place high up in the sky. “You can walk the whole world over and not find a place that cares for it’s homeless neighbors more than southwestern PA,” said Dr. Sally Mounts, City Mission’s retired Chief Development Officer, who the building is named after. “What we’re dedicating today is not just a building. It’s a chance to bring hope. God’s truly blessed us. Let’s continue to bless others.” City Mission’s recently-retired President/CEO, Dean Gartland, began the project to build the facility. In 2011, shortly after he took over as President/CEO, he and the Board of Directors laid out a vision for what they believed City Mission could become. “This women’s shelter is the last component of the masterplan for this footprint of the Mission that we first conceived thirteen years ago,” Gartland explained. “And now we’re so excited to see this building come up out of the ground and become a haven for women, a place to heal and be restored to independent living.” Current President/CEO, Diana Irey Vaughan, is carrying on the legacy of restoring lives at City Mission. She spoke about the need for this shelter in our community and how our new shelter will fulfill that need, offering 50-beds for homeless women, a women’s emergency shelter, an emergency family shelter, and an expanded childcare center. “I pray that God is now preparing the hearts of the women who will be coming through the doors of this new shelter,” Vaughan said. “And I pray that the hearts of our donors will continue to be opened so that we can continue the services we provide in Christ’s name.” Thank you for your support of City Mission. We could not do what we do without the compassionate and generous hearts of friends like you! Click HERE if you would like to donate to City Mission today.

Lift up the Word. Light up the World.

May 3, 2024

“Lord, you are a light to us,” prayed City Mission’s President Emeritus, Dean Gartland, at our annual National Day of Prayer meeting last Thursday. “May your light shine through us to others. We pray for City Mission. Help us to continue to be a bright light in a dark time.” On Thursday, May 2, City Mission hosted our annual National Day of Prayer celebration in our Porter Pillow and Peggie Beaver Pillow Chapel. Leah Dietrich, Director of Residential Programs, acted as Master of Ceremonies, and Dr. Sally Mounts, Chief Development Officer, kicked off the event singing “Who Am I” by Casting Crowns. Next, City Mission staff members came up to speak and pray on a series of topics. Dean Gartland, prayed for City Mission. Manager of Church and Community Relations, Shelley Kubincanek, prayed for our local churches. Dr. Sally Mounts prayed for the military. Chief Financial Officer, Denny Kennedy, prayed for the state of Pennsylvania. Director of Development, Trisha Schum, prayed for the United States. Pastor Lance Whitlock, our Manager of Men’s Services, prayed for peace. RSS Supervisor/Chaplain, Jared Nolan, prayed for faith, and Volunteer Manager, Amanda Blakemore, prayed for children. The theme for this year’s event was: Lift up the Word. Light up the World, and each speaker presented a unique twist on the theme. “The churches in our community are such a beacon of light to each and every one of us,” said Shelley Kubincanek during her prayer for our local churches. “In today’s world where there is so much darkness, we need patience, kindness, humility more now than ever.” During Lance Whitlock’s prayer for peace, he explained, “It’s been said that we’re either going into a storm, we are currently in a storm, or we’re just coming out of a storm, but in the midst of it all, Jesus still speaks peace.” It was a beautiful ceremony to highlight the need for God’s grace to shine down on us all so that we, in turn, have the capacity to give grace to others.

Clean Slate Day

Brian Gorman, Executive Director of Summit Legal Aid

April 12, 2024

Summit Legal Aid, Washington County’s nonprofit legal aid organization, partnered with the Washington County Bar Association and City Mission for Clean Slate Day on Friday, April 12 in the City Mission Dining Hall.Clean Slate Day allows individuals with criminal charges or convictions to meet with volunteer attorneys and pardon coaches for free to find out if they are eligible for pardons, expungements, or sealing their records. Volunteer legal professionals will review case information and assist with the application process.“A criminal record is a very real barrier to employment for our residents,” said City Mission Manager of Career Services, Brianna Kadlecik. “And sustainable employment is a vital piece of the puzzle for them to get back to independent living.”But a clean slate does not just help with employment. Kadlecik has seen criminal records create barriers for our residents to obtain housing, financial aid for education, and even a driver’s license – all things that could help to clear a path for them to a better life. “It’s a beautiful thing,” Kadlecik said of the Clean Slate Day event. “Residents who have attended in the past have been able to get answers to things they didn’t think they would ever be able to get answers to.” For Brian Gorman, the Executive Director of Summit Legal Aid, Clean Slate Day is about giving people a second chance. “Everybody who comes here is looking to better themselves in some way,” he explained. “They’re looking for a job or a higher-income job. They could also be trying to go to school or to obtain housing, and their criminal record is preventing them from achieving those goals. So it not only gives people hope and redemption, but it also gives them tangible things that can help them create a better life.”

Dean's Retirement Video

March 26, 2024

City Mission's President/CEO for the past 14 years, Dean Gartland retired from that position on March 1, 2024. He will continue on as President Emeritus until September 30, 2024. We wish thank him for his faithful service to those in need, and we wish him all the very best for years to come! We love you, Dean!

The Sweetest Sunday

February 8, 2024

In 1994, a group of City Mission volunteers and board members had a sweet idea! Sweet Sunday co-founders, Cindy Pfrimmer and Phyllis Ross began meeting regularly to discuss fundraising ideas, and one day, over a cup of coffee, the idea for the Sweet Sunday Dessert Festival was born. The first Sweet Sunday was held at the Holiday Inn on Racetrack Road in Washington. There were dessert vendors, celebrity judges, kids’ activities, auction items, raffle baskets, and a line-up of live entertainers – the same event framework that we still use today. The premiere sponsor that year was Dr. Ron Salvitti, a local ophthalmologist and founder of the Southwestern PA Eye Care Center. Remarkably, Dr. Salvitti and his group at Southwest PA Eye Center have continued to sponsor Sweet Sunday every single year for the past 30 years. Bob Gregg from WJPA helped to promote that first Sweet Sunday, and to this day, he still helps promote Sweet Sunday. For the past 20 years, he has also broadcast live from the event, conducting interviews and making live announcements. Ross and Pfrimmer were expecting 500 guests at the very first Sweet Sunday, but an astounding 1500 showed up! The dessert festival has grown every year since then and has become City Mission’s largest fundraiser of the year and one of the premiere winter events in Washington County. This year, City Mission’s thirtieth anniversary presented by MPLX, is expecting over 3200 guests, 27 dessert vendors, and an amazing schedule of live entertainment, featuring Scott Blasey of The Clarks. As always, there will be raffle baskets, auction items, the café, Kids Korner complete with your favorite characters from Royal Princess Engagements, and all the sweets you can possibly imagine! This year’s event will take place on Sunday, February 25 from 12-5pm at the Hilton Garden Inn at Southpointe. All proceeds support City Mission’s life-transforming programs and services for the homeless. Sweet Sunday is the sweetest way you can help those in need in your community. You donut want to miss it! Learn more by visiting www.citymission.org/support/sweet-sunday.

"Hope is Contagious"