“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
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Friday, May 13 was “graduation day” for lucky students in the inaugural Sojourner House MOMS Professional Development class. After taking part in an 11-session course during early 2022, the students were recognized for their hard work. According to volunteer instructor Susan Orr, the course covered the following topics: résumé, cover letter and thank-you note writing interviewing skills budgeting and financial literacy vision boards During the sessions, students were also visited by guest speakers Patty Jasko (Susan’s sister) and Treasure House executive director Sally Power. Power also donated outfits for the class participants to wear to a networking/etiquette reception that took place on April 22. During reception the students practiced “speed networking” with six … [Read more...] about Mothers Gain Professional Development Tools for Success
Barbara Jones has been a Recovery Support Specialist (RSS) at Sojourner House for 15 years. Her commitment to the women and families at Sojourner House comes directly from her life experiences as the child of an alcoholic, her 28 years of sobriety, and decades of service in the mental health field. As an RSS, Barbara provides residents in recovery and their children with supportive services - including education and guidance during daily activities - while looking out for their safety. She previously spent 42 years working at Western Psychiatric Hospital. During 10 of those years, she worked at Sojourner House simultaneously. Though technically a retiree, Barbara intends to continue at Sojourner House. She believes that she was divinely led to our organization. We talked with … [Read more...] about An Interview With Barbara Jones
Cydney Anderson has been the Child Care Specialist for the families of Sojourner House since 2018. She was studying elementary education at CCAC when she learned about the role, and she has been here ever since. While the moms of Sojourner House work and grow in their recovery journeys, Cydney and their kids have fun and grow, too. We recently sat down with Cydney to hear about her role in her own words: With about how many kids do you work? Right now I have about three. On average, I tend to have about six. At one time it was about 12 of all age groups, from age 1 up to 12 years old. In a room full of children there is no such thing as a typical day, but what does your day “normally” look like? So I get everyone in the [child care] room and we say our good mornings. And then I ask … [Read more...] about An Interview With Cydney Anderson
The Sojourner House annual report highlights our accomplishments, shares stories of recovery, and thanks the generous donors and volunteers who help our staff and support our mission. As we began work on our latest annual report, we knew we had quite a story to tell about aspects of 2020 and 2021 — two very tumultuous years. All of us, individuals and nonprofit organizations alike, have stories to share about navigating life during the COVID-19 pandemic. But no single story can properly describe our journey since 2020. That’s why our report features a number of stories of partnership, collaboration, and success. In addition, the insight of our organization and board leadership reflect on their experience, and statistics and financials are a testament to the lives changed in our … [Read more...] about A Look Back On A Year of Resilience & Endurance
Few people have worked with Sojourner House as long as Steven Renfro. Mr. Steve, as he is known here, has been our Property Maintenance Manager for almost two decades, maintaining the spaces that are most critical to our mission. His care helps to provide the women and families we serve with warm, safe living spaces while they heal, reconnect, and recover. Perfection for Inspection In 2002, Steve first found his way to Sojourner House through a family member and then employee. At the time, the annual Housing and Urban Development inspections were coming up. As Steve had years of experience as a contractor, he was recommended as a helping hand to enhance each of our properties. Steve was handed a long list of updates and upgrades, at which point he made a commitment to help Sojourner … [Read more...] about Meet Steven Renfro, aka Mr. Steve