news and highlights

Some classes raise money by selling candy or washing cars, and most stop once they’ve graduated. But about 150 members of the Hempfield Area High School class of 1984 got together last month to raise more than $7,600 for a veterans charity with a party at a classmate’s lake house, the organizers said.

Class of 1984 member Marcy Stein had the idea after a joint 50th birthday party for members of the class drew more than 250 guests in 2016. Her classmates started asking about another get-together, and she thought about turning it into a charity event.

“It occurred to me that we can be a class that can do a little bit more. … We can be a group in the community that can take on a cause,” said Stein, now living in Manhattan. The large number of veterans in the class led her to Family Services of Western Pennsylvania and its Greensburg-based Helping Hand Fund for homeless and low-income vets.

• Read more about the Class of 1984’s generosity and our Helping Hands Program here.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for one of Greensburg’s most popular summer fundraisers: the ParentWISE Ice Cream Blast. Now in its 22nd year, the event is set for noon to 4 p.m. July 15 in Kirk S. Nevin Arena at Lynch Field.

The tried-and-true formula of family friendly activities, entertainment, food vendors, raffles and — of course — cake and ice cream, regularly draws upward of 800 guests, entertainers, volunteers and vendors, says ParentWISE program manager Julie Cawoski.

Proceeds benefit classes and services for families, caregivers, children and teens offered by ParentWISE, a program of Family Services of Western Pennsylvania.

• Read more about this annual fundraiser and our ParentWise program here.

For nearly 30 years, Families Outside has been providing transportation services to state correctional institutions and assisting family members to develop the coping skills necessary to deal with the pain of having a loved one in the correctional system.

With many of the state correctional facilities located in rural areas, Families Outside provides low cost to-and-from transportation services to most of the state institutions. “A lot of the family members taking advantage of our program are senior citizens and mothers with children who don’t have transportation,” said Gwen Porter, loan officer of the Ways to Work Program and supervisor of Transportation Resource Services.

• Read the full article about the Families Outside program here

Wesley Spectrum and Family Services of Western Pennsylvania have announced plans to merge and jointly form Wesley Family Services, a nonprofit organization that will increase accessibility to quality, community health-care services for children, families and adults living in Western Pennsylvania. The merger is expected to take effect July 1.

“This is a landmark moment for our two individual organizations,” said Doug Muetzel, CEO of Wesley Spectrum, and Stephen Christian-Michaels, CEO of Family Services of Western Pennsylvania, in a statement.

• Read more about our merger and the history of our two organizations here.

Wesley Spectrum and Family Services of Western Pennsylvania announced plans to merge into a larger organization that will be called Wesley Family Services. About 30,500 people are served by the two organizations each year!

• Read more about the merger or our two organizations here

 

The “Pieces of Hope for Autism” Cookie Campaign is an annual campaign with local Panera stores during Autism Awareness Month. Proceeds from the puzzle piece shortbread cookies are donated to Wesley Spectrum to support Autism services for children and families.

• Watch Christopher Wesling from Wesley Spectrum on Pittsburgh Today Live here.