[0:02]Welcome to Neighborhood Ambassadors, a volunteer program of North Hills Community Outreach. Your participation as a neighborhood ambassador will help us spread awareness of NHCO's mission, vision, and service throughout Northern Allegheny County. You are helping us reach people in need of our services, potential volunteers, and future donors by staffing our informational tables at community events, giving talks to local groups of businesses, organizations, schools, and places of worship, or delivering NHCO's flyers, brochures, and newsletters to local libraries, community centers, and offices. North Hills Community Outreach opened its doors in 1987 as a result of the 1986 flooding in the North Hills. Three ministers from local churches came together to organize and provide flood relief to those who were impacted by the flood. From these efforts, the committee realized that there was a need for a social service organization within the North Hills. NHCO was incorporated in 1987 and operates out of a former parsonage house on the property of Saint Paul's United Methodist Church. Since then, NHCO has expanded to serve all of Northern Allegheny County. We opened satellite offices in Avalon and Millville, operate three food pantries, manage an organic garden in Bellevue, operate two shuttles through our free rides for seniors program, provide case management services, utility assistance, transportation assistance, pro bono legal consultations, post-secondary educational assistance, services to help older adults, and much more. NHCO abides by our mission, vision, and values. North Hills Community Outreach is a community and interfaith-based organization addressing the needs of people in crisis, hardship and poverty. Our vision is that no one in Northern Allegheny County needs to be cold, hungry or alone.
[2:16]Suburban poverty is real. According to the 2020 US Census information, there are 116,652 households in Northern Allegheny County. Of these households, 7,680 live at or below the Federal Poverty Level. More than 3,300 of these households receive services from North Hills Community Outreach.
[2:45]NHCO serves Northern Allegheny County outside of the city of Pittsburgh. The stars on this slide indicate NHCO's locations.
[2:58]Our main office is located in Allison Park. Our Millville satellite is located in the Millville Community Center. Our North Boroughs office is located in Greenstone United Methodist Church in Avalon. Our free rides for seniors program operates out of Lighthouse Point Residential Care Home in Aspinwall. Our garden is located in Bellevue, and our McKees Rocks Service Coordinator works out of our partner agency Focus on Renewal.
[3:28]NHCO offers 20 programs that range from providing emergency assistance to supporting clients as they move towards stability. The top four reasons why people come to NHCO for help are: Number one, hunger. Number two, general financial hardship. Number three, utility assistance, and number four, transportation assistance.
[3:56]Do you know the difference between a food bank and a food pantry? A food bank, such as Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, safely stores millions of pounds of food that they deliver to local food pantries. The local food pantries distribute the food to income eligible families. North Hills Community Outreach operates three food pantries in Allison Park, Millville, and Avalon. We hold seven distributions between these three pantries each month. If someone is unable to attend our regularly scheduled pantry dates, they are always welcome to come by one of our offices for emergency food. Regardless of where a person lives or their income, we will never turn someone away who needs food.
[4:46]We have been operating the Rosalinda Sauro Sirianni Garden since 2011. We were gifted this land so that we could grow our own organic produce for the families we serve.
[5:01]The garden is maintained by NHCO's garden coordinator and more than 100 volunteers. In addition to growing vegetables, the garden has several fruit trees, an apiary, a high tunnel for growing vegetables in cooler temperatures, and flowers to attract pollinators. Our garden produces nearly 5,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables each year. NHCO is able to assist with one-time rental assistance and utility assistance for people who qualify. Our service coordinators help people apply for various public benefits such as LIHEAP, SNAP, WIC, unemployment, and other services. Our Transportation Assistance program helps with eliminating barriers to employment and education by providing financial assistance with car repairs and late payments to insurance companies and car loans. We also provide bus passes, gas cards, AAA memberships, and car seats for children. We accept car donations which are sold at car auctions. The proceeds from these sales benefit our clients. Throughout the year, families receive help through our seasonal sharing projects. NHCO accepts donations for the various seasonal collections which help offset expenses for our clients. These collections include: personal care collection, spring cleaning collection, back to school, winter coat collection, Thanksgiving on every table, holiday toy shop, and sharing winter warmth. NHCO provides several programs to help clients move towards stability. Through our Pathways program, our service coordinators provide long-term emotional support and assistance with long-term issues by helping the client set and work towards goals. The Education Assistance program provides financial support to non-traditional students pursuing post-secondary education. Funding is used to offset the cost of books, tuition, testing fees, childcare, uniforms, and other supplies required by their program. NHCO partners with the Jewish Family and Community Services Career Development Center to provide professional career consultants who meet with job seekers at our three main office locations. During income tax season, NHCO offers the Free Tax Prep program. Trained volunteers assist income eligible taxpayers with completing their tax returns. In partnership with the Allegheny County Bar Foundation Pro Bono Center, NHCO is able to offer our Ask the Attorney program. Once a month, income eligible individuals can meet with an attorney for a 30-minute pro bono legal consultation regarding any non-criminal legal issue. In service of seniors volunteers provide assistance to older adults, age 60 and older, who still reside in their homes. These volunteers provide transportation to medical appointments and stores. Make friendly visits and reassurance phone calls. Provide yard work and snow shoveling. Conduct safety checks in their homes to identify fire and falling hazards, and make deliveries for special seasonal projects. The free rides for seniors shuttles provide transportation for ambulatory adults age 60 and older along the Route 28 corridor from Millville to Tarentum. NHCO trains volunteers as drivers and ride along dispatchers who help the drivers navigate to the riders locations and assist the riders getting on and off the shuttle. When disasters, flooding, fires, and pandemics affect the people in our community, NHCO is there to help. We begin by conducting intakes, assessing the situations, determine the assistance needed, and with the help of volunteers, provide the necessary supports. There are various ways to provide support to in North Hills Community Outreach. Donors may make financial contributions online through our website at NHCO.org. Donors may sign up to be a community connector by going to our donation page and pick monthly for the recurring donation. Planned giving through our Legacy Society welcomes those who have included NHCO in their estate plans. This opportunity allows donors to leave a lasting legacy to our organization and the community we serve. When you make a financial donation or volunteer with NHCO, your employer might match donations and volunteer hours. We accept in-kind donations for our food pantries, sharing projects, silent auction items, office needs, and program supports. Hold a collection for our food pantry or sharing projects and volunteer. NHCO hosts several fundraisers throughout the year. The family-friendly neighborhood block party, the North Borough's 5K race and walk, our signature event Corks for the Community, and our rock and roll concert Got It Covered. Also, several outside organizations hold fundraisers as well to benefit NHCO.
[10:27]As a neighborhood ambassador, you may get asked questions that you might not be able to answer. Remember, you are just a volunteer and don't know all the answers. Refer the individual to NHCO and we'll be able to address their questions and concerns. All of NHCO's programs have different financial qualifications except for our senior services. All questions pertaining to eligibility should be referred to our office. The next steps, neighborhood ambassador volunteers report to Cheryl English, Senior Executive Assistant. Before participating in your first event, we ask that you spend a morning or afternoon at one of our offices with a staff member or front desk receptionist to learn about our daily operations. Cheryl will coordinate this orientation with you. We also ask that you familiarize yourself with NHCO's website, social media sites, and brochures. Cheryl contacts the volunteers to staff information tables or give brief presentations at upcoming community events or when we need a volunteer to deliver promotional materials at various community locations. Stay in touch with all that is going on with NHCO. You can find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Check out our videos on the NHCO YouTube channel, and listen to our Get to Know NHCO podcasts. Our newsletter is available online, or if you prefer, sign up for newsletter mailings. Thank you for volunteering as a neighborhood ambassador and participating with this webinar. Never hesitate to contact us with your questions or concerns by calling Cheryl English or volunteer coordinator Harriet Claddy at 412-487-6316.
