Shadyside Presbyterian Church’s 25th annual Strawberry Festival, which took place on June 8 on the lawn of the church, was once again an evening full of great fun and great camaraderie. Proceeds from the event have benefited Sojourner House for the past eight years. Read all about the festival in the Summer 2018 of issue of Shady Ave magazine.
Please check out our new video! This video had its debut at the 14th Annual Victorian Tea.
Sojourner House opened its doors to Chatham University’s Words Without Walls program in 2012. During Words Without Walls, MFA students visit Sojourner House each week to teach creative writing. At the end of each semester, our residents present their work to the public during readings at local art galleries. Please watch the video to hear excerpts from the most recent Words Without Walls poetry reading.
Sojourner House is teaming up with POWER and Women’s Press Club to present “Inside Out: Mothers Who Have Survived Overdose,” Thursday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m., at East End Cooperative Ministry, 6140 Station St., East Liberty.
The evening will include a candid panel discussion about the opiate epidemic that is overtaking our nation and its effects locally, especially on women and their children. Please check out the Facebook event page for more information.
Several students from Carnegie Mellon University volunteered at Sojourner House during CMU’s annual 1000Plus Day of Service, on Saturday, October 7, 2017. During the event, the volunteers performed yard work and cleaned the property surrounding Sojourner House’s East Liberty residence. Lending a helping hand were Interim CMU president, Farnam Jahanian, and Jim Rohr, Chairman of the Board.
1000plus is a collective of 1,000 Carnegie Mellon University students, faculty, staff, and alumni who join forces each year to provide a variety of community service projects at organizations throughout the Pittsburgh area … all with the goal of creating a positive impact. Sojourner House, along with multiple other organizations, was one of the recipients of these services this year.
CMU Interim President Farnam Jahanian, Provost Laurie Weingart, the Dean’s of each college, and Jim Rohr, the Chairman of CMU’s Board of Trustees, participate in 1000 Plus Days of Service, including appearances at Light of Life, Sojourner House and Arsenal Family & Children’s Center, on October 7, 2017.
The children at MOMS Summer Camp had a blast feeding and petting the baby farm animals on Thursday, July 13th! Barn Yard Petting Zoo brought a baby camel, zebra, llama, donkey, cows, goats, lambs, ducklings, chicks and a little piglet! There were even pony rides. Despite the heat, everyone had a great time being with the animals. Please check out our Facebook page for more pictures.
A crowd of 75 people enjoyed great company, a delicious potluck picnic and cool jazz on a summer afternoon when Sojourner House MOMS residents and their neighbors celebrated 27 years of community-building, at its Community Day on July 30. Sojourner House MOMS has been a part of its neighborhood community since it opened in 2004. Please check out our Facebook page for more photos.
The skies cleared in time for Shadyside Presbyterian Church’s 24th Annual Strawberry Festival the evening June 9. Hundreds of attendees – including Sojourner House and Sojourner House MOMS families — enjoyed each other’s company while playing games and eating “everything strawberry” … and all the while, supporting Sojourner House MOMS. For numerous years, Shadyside Presbyterian has selected Sojourner House to be the recipient of proceeds from the festival.
“We are blessed by the ongoing support of our friends at Shadyside Presbyterian Church,” said Sojourner House Executive Director Joann Cyganovich. “It’s so reassuring to know that our friends there continue to keep our families close to their hearts.”
The 24th Annual Shadyside Presbyterian Church Strawberry Festival will take place THIS Friday, June 9, 5:30-8 p.m., at the church, 5121 Westminster Place!
The Shadyside congregation will host a traditional evening of fun, games and delicious food to celebrate the arrival of summer and once again support one of its mission partners … Sojourner House!
With something for everyone, the festival offers a perfect evening of fun. Menu items include fresh strawberries, ice cream, strawberry shortcake, grilled hot dogs, chips, pasta salad, tossed salad, and beverages. Baked goods also will be available for purchase. Activities will include games on the church lawn with prizes for everyone, children’s crafts, balloons, and face painting. (In the event of rain, the festivities will move indoors.)
There is no charge for admission. Crafts and the cakewalk are free. Tickets for refreshments and other activities will be available for purchase. Baked goods may be purchased with cash.
All proceeds will benefit the Sojourner House MOMS program. Many thanks to Shadyside Presbyterian Church!
Volunteers are part of the backbone of Sojourner House and Sojourner House MOMS. As a matter of fact, hundreds of volunteers support Sojourner House and MOMS throughout the year, every year. That’s why Sojourner House makes a point of celebrating and recognizing its volunteers each spring.
Liz Wasel, Childcare Development and Volunteer Coordinator, coordinated this year’s dinner, which took place the evening of Wednesday, April 12, 2017 at Sojourner House.
“We at Sojourner House could not do what we do without our volunteers,” said Wasel. “There is never a job that’s too little, and our volunteers do the job because they care about us.”
“The annual volunteer event is what we like to do to show how much Sojourner House appreciates the volunteers,” Wasel continued. “I personally have had the privilege and, yes, it is a privilege to work with many of the volunteers. They are the best!”
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