Neighborhood Allies

We will be closed on Thursday, November 28th and Friday November 29th! ?? During the holiday season and always, we are extremely grateful for you - our partners, our communities, our friends. Together, we can create a future where every voice is heard, and every culture is respected. Happy Thanksgiving, in solidarity and commitment to change. #LetsBeAllies

Join us in welcoming our newly elected Executive Committee! We are pleased to have these talented folks on our board. ?? Morton Stanfield, Senior Vice President of Dollar Bank, Community Development will serve as Board Chair. ?? Diamonte Walker, Chief Executive Officer of Pittsburgh Scholar House will now serve as Vice Chair. ?? Jonathan Brelsford, Chief Investment Officer and Senior Vice President of The Pittsburgh Foundation will continue to serve as Treasurer. ?? Mamadou Balde, Market Leader and Managing Director of CBRE will join the Executive Committee as Secretary. A special thank you goes to our outgoing Board Chair, Sallyann Kluz, for her outstanding leadership!

Carolina’s nine years of leadership, dedication and commitment have been integral to the transformation of Neighborhood Allies. She has served on our Executive Committee as Vice Chair, as well as the Finance Committee and Resource and Development Committee for many years. She has been a passionate leader and true champion for our mission–playing an instrumental role in helping us grow into the organization we are today. Thank you, Carolina Pais-Barreto Thor!

Ashley McLean, our Senior Program Manager for Economic Opportunity, along with Jessica Perrone of Her Financial IQ, presented our Money Talks program on a webinar as part of Nasdaq's Purpose Week! Ashley and Jessica had the chance to connect with Nasdaq employees all over the globe, sharing our work to empower Black women by increasing their knowledge and confidence in money management and investing. Jessica also led a session on the "investing roadmap" and "getting your financial ducks in a row" – popular topics from our curriculum. About Purpose Week: "Since formalizing our Purpose in 2020, we celebrate its advancements every year, highlighting the work we and our partners have done to make a more inclusive economy and help ensure everyone can participate in the wealth the markets create." More: https://bit.ly/4fJOKSJ #LetsBeAllies #FosteringEconomicOpportunity

Welcome Meleak Potter to the team as the newest Steel Smiling Peer Support Fellow! In this role, he will draw on his personal experiences and commitment to community empowerment to support peers and strengthen Steel Smiling’s initiatives. Learn more about Meleak: https://bit.ly/3YvKEXh

Join JPMorganChase on Saturday, November 16th from 8:30am to 1:00pm at Hosanna House for a city-wide community financial health forum! All are welcome to attend this free event, but the deadline to RSVP is TODAY! The event will include comprehensive financial health sessions covering budgeting savings and credit, essential tools and resources for small businesses, homeownership, and wealth management workshops. Learn more and RSVP at https://bit.ly/4ed4hJq

Earlier this week, Courtney Abegunde, Steel Smiling's Operations Director, sat on a panel at the Alliance for Access and Assets' quarterly meeting. The panel explored the relationship between mental health, disability and financial stability, and their intersections with race. Our very own Sarah Dieleman Perry, Vice President of Economic Mobility, sits on the steering committee for the Alliance for Assets and Access! It's always a great week when cross-pollination of our programs, and the important intersections of our work, become clearer! #LetsBeAllies

We are delighted to announce that Shad Henderson, our Senior Director of Public and Private Partnerships, has been selected to serve on the Institute of Politics at University of Pittsburgh Community and Economic Development Committee. The Committee, chaired by Imbutec CEO Richard Taylor and Venango County Commissioner Chip Abramovic, will convene to examine 1) how economic development initiatives can be deployed strategically and regionally across stakeholder groups, and 2) how local governments can be key players in this process with the assistance of technical assistance centers, or hubs. Read more: https://bit.ly/3NwFUvm #LetsBeAllies

Last week, President and CEO, Presley Gillespie and Founder and Managing Director of Steel Smiling, Julius Boatwright participated at the #ItsNeeded Conference. The #ItsNeeded Conference aims to bring together community leaders, law enforcement, students, mental health professionals, and other stakeholders to discuss key issues affecting our society, including policing and public safety, gun violence prevention, mental health awareness, and healing and reconciliation. Presley served as moderator while Julius was a panelist for the Mental Health and Wholistic Healing Panel.

Put on every year by AIA Pittsburgh | The Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, #PittsburghArchitectureWeek celebrates the built environment of greater Pittsburgh and elevates the impact that architecture, and the designers behind it, impact our daily lives. Our Social Impact Design team works regularly with architects and designers to translate community vision into fundable design projects. These designers include members of SID’s Equity-Centered Designer Network as well as members of the Pittsburgh chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA Pittsburgh). To celebrate Architecture Week, we spoke with some of our collaborators about their favorite buildings and public spaces in the Pittsburgh region. Check it out! https://bit.ly/4f2WYEX