Heritage Community Initiatives asks “Have you Given the Gift of Generosity this Year”?

2020 was a year different than any other, and while holiday celebrations may not look the same - the spirit of giving remains. The current crisis has challenged families of all kinds and there is no greater time to dig deep to invest in the communities that mean the most to us.  

As a Community Cornerstone, Heritage has been privileged to serve thousands of individuals and families for thirty-seven (37) years.  Headquartered in Braddock, PA - Heritage serves forty communities within Eastern Allegheny County through Transportation, Education and Nutrition programs.  Heritage is grateful to be included among the human service organizations that have remained fully operational throughout the COVID-19 pandemic – maintaining and compensating our entire work force. While hard at work providing essential transportation services, preparing and distributing thousands of meals at no cost to families, and developing safe and creative solutions in the classroom - we continue to take a leadership role in responding to on the ground critical and immediate needs.   

The year 2020 began with the celebration of two key milestones for Heritage’s transportation service – Heritage Community Transportation - which has now provided over 1.5 million rides in largely transit isolated communities as well as completed our twentieth year of service.  Heritage is the only human services nonprofit in the Commonwealth designated as a provider of public transportation. Three fixed routes traverse communities six days a week offering service every two hours using 14-passenger accessible vans.

Heritage Education Programs – the 4 Kids Early Learning Center and HOST (Heritage Out of School Time) – provide the highest quality, academically-based early learning and out-of-school time programming for over three hundred (300) at risk children.  Operating in-person since returning from the Governor’s mandated closure on June 1, now more than ever we give thanks for the dedication and commitment of the professional educators at the heads of our classrooms.  Our out-of-school time has transitioned to a full day educational model - as families continue to return to work and primary school district partners have adopted full-time remote learning – in order to offer students a safe, productive alternative for traditional school time hours.

More than 100,000 meals are served each year through Heritage Nutrition Services which provides solutions in meal planning, ordering, preparation and delivery while creating healthy options for youth and senior populations. Heritage Nutrition Services is an enterprise model designed to produce revenue through contracts resulting in annual growth.  Providing homestyle, scratch-made meals for our most vulnerable individuals and families is of paramount importance during the holiday season.

This year we ask that you consider a gift of generosity to invest in the individuals and families we are privileged to serve through needs-based Transportation, Education and Nutrition programs by visiting www.heritageserves.org/support or texting Heritage to 72572.