Shepherd’s Heart Charity Project

Pittsburgh Business Times Article (February 20-28, 2011)

Shepherd’s Heart: Building Hope for Pittsburgh’s Homeless Veterans

The Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) Pittsburgh Chapter is seeking volunteers within the architectural, engineering, and construction (A/E/C) industry to assist with a community service project for Shepherd’s Heart Veteran’s Home of Pittsburgh.  On any given day, there are more than 250 homeless veterans on the streets in Western Pennsylvania. Each day Reverend Mike Wurschmidt of Shepherd’s Heart opens his doors to help Pittsburgh’s homeless and needy by providing meals to over 200 every Sunday, case management and rehabilitation services, employment and life skills training, and transitional housing.

Shepherd’s Heart is in desperate need of upgrades to their kitchen in order to continue providing meals to their patrons and expand their service network. The facilities and appliances are ill-equipped to handle the sheer volume and pace required to adequately respond to daily needs and lack proper refrigeration and dry storage space to effectively store the large amounts of donated goods. Donated goods are often discarded for lack of proper storage.

The ultimate goal is to provide a turnkey project that includes funding, design, and construction, resulting in a functional kitchen capable of providing daily meals to Pittsburgh’s homeless veterans.

SMPS and the Allegheny County Bar Association (ACBA) Military and Veterans Affairs Committee (MVAC), along with friends of the construction community, are lending their hearts and hands to the Shepherd’s Heart facility to design and construct a new commercial kitchen.

How You Can Help…

Donations: Kitchen products, equipment, utensils, and commercial appliances will be required once the kitchen has been constructed.  Monetary donations to support the cost of renovations are also extremely needed and appreciated. 

Volunteers: Labor and services including from PR to construction.

Sponsors: We are currently developing sponsorship levels for monetary donations toward the project.

About Shepherd’s Heart

Located one block from Mercy Hospital, Shepherd’s Heart Veteran’s Home is a collaboration between the Pittsburgh VA’s Healthcare System and Shepherd’s Heart Fellowship, a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh.  Working closely with the VA’s comprehensive homeless program and the many veteran support groups, Shepherd’s Heart provides:

·         Outreach to the veterans living on the streets

·         Meals for the homeless and poor

·         Sheltered transitional housing, case management, and rehabilitation services

·         Employment assistance and life skill training

·         Supported permanent housing

·         Clinical assessment and referral to needed medical treatment for physical and psychiatric disorders

For More Information:

Please contact Pam Bernardi at (412) 208-2434 or bernardipp@cdm.com for more information on how to volunteer your time, donate supplies, or sponsor this worthy project.

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