September was quite a busy month for the Sojourner House team as we joined forces with fellow organizations across the Pittsburgh community and participated in a number of Recovery Month events. Recovery Month is an important annual observance to Sojourner House and is a wonderful opportunity for us to focus on community outreach. In partnering with organizations and community members, teams across our city and county worked together to share resources and information with those who need help and support in recovery. The Significance of Recovery Month For 34 years, health and wellness organizations have used National Recovery Month (or Recovery Month) as a time to: Recovery Month is also a time when we can reinforce the message that behavioral health is essential to overall … [Read more...] about Recovery Month May End, But Our Work & Mission Continues
Community
“National Recovery Month reminds us that we are all recovering from ‘something’ and helps reduce the stigma attached to substance use disorders/addiction,” said De’netta Benjamin-Miller, Executive Director of Sojourner House. September is National Recovery Month. During National Recovery Month, Sojourner House celebrates and supports individuals who are in recovery from substance use disorders and their families. Sojourner House is planning Yoga in the Streets, a free community event held in celebration of September as National Recovery Month. The event will take place on Friday, September 23, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Kelly Street (between N. Murtland Avenue and N. Lang Avenue), Pittsburgh, PA 15208. Yoga in the Streets will feature a resource fair of local organizations … [Read more...] about Sojourner House Celebrates National Recovery Month with Yoga in the Streets Community Event
Panel Recap: Recovery from Substance Use Disorder Sojourner House helps families successfully navigate their journey to recovery from substance use disorder. We help families achieve their recovery goals by providing safe and affordable housing, support services, necessary referrals, and an atmosphere of community encouragement. Community awareness and understanding of what recovery treatment looks like are vital in our work. On September 23, 2021, we brought together our partners in the community to discuss recovery from substance use disorder, what recovery looks like today, and how the community can help shape its future. Here are some insights from this virtual panel discussion. Breaking the Stigma of Substance Use Disorder Why is it important to talk about substance use … [Read more...] about Panel Recap: Recovery from Substance Use Disorder
March 22, 2021 by Katie Orr This year, Sojourner House celebrates its 30 year anniversary. In honor of this milestone, we will highlight pivotal figures and moments in Sojourner House’s esteemed history, throughout 2021. The first blog fittingly spotlights Sojourner House’s second executive director and MOMS creator, Norma Raiff. Raiff retired from her executive director role in 2007, but has remained a wonderful friend. As a matter of fact, she joined the MOMS board of directors in 2020. When did you start with Sojourner House? I became Executive Director in 1995. However, I (along with several women who had served on the Women’s Center and Shelter Board) had visited Sojourner earlier. What inspired you to be a part of the … [Read more...] about 30 Years of Sojourner House: An Interview with Norma Raiff
By Lindsey HayakawaFeb. 17, 2021 In honor of Black History Month, Sojourner House will highlight inspirational female roles from black history, each week in February. Kara Walker is the third woman to be highlighted. Kara Walker is an American contemporary painter, silhouettist, print-maker, filmmaker, and installation artist. Walker was born in Stockton, CA, in 1969, but was raised in Atlanta, GA, from the age of 13. Walker received her BFA from the Atlanta College of Art in 1991, and received her MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1994. The New York-based artist has shown her work in numerous exhibitions worldwide. Walker is acclaimed for her candid explorations of race, sexuality, gender, violence, and identity in her work. She is best known for her … [Read more...] about In honor of … Kara Walker
By Lindsey Hayakawa Feb. 10, 2021 In honor of Black History Month, Sojourner House will highlight inspirational female roles from black history, each week in February. Amanda Gorman is the second woman to be highlighted. Amanda Gorman is an American poet and activist. Gorman was born in Los Angeles, CA, in 1998. Gorman graduated cum laude from Harvard University in 2020. At 16, she was named the Youth Poet Laureate of Los Angeles. Gorman's work and activism focuses on issues of oppression, feminism, race, and marginalization, as well as African dissolution. Gorman has written articles for the New York Times, and published one book, a poetry book titled The One for Whom Food is Not Enough in 2015. Gorman has two more books in the works, … [Read more...] about In honor of … Amanda Gorman