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Justin LeWinter in a blue face mask standing next to a truck and a pile of cardboard boxes
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How a simple weekly phone call delivered more than 100 meals to families

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  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Justin LeWinter, program manager with (FACE) in 51精品视频sburgh鈥檚 Hill District has been busy getting food to people in need during COVID-19.

鈥淲hen this started, we were purchasing food for our lunch box program by physically going to the store 鈥 but buying groceries in bulk during the pandemic just isn鈥檛 possible,鈥 he said. FACE needed help, and his fellow community members stepped in through a simple phone call.

Between 20 and 25 people from local organizations, schools, businesses, elected offices and residents have joined weekly calls stood up to share resources and create new connections.

鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to hear the full scope of what鈥檚 happening from different individuals, groups and organizations,鈥 said LeWinter. 鈥淲e鈥檙e able to collaborate and say, 鈥楬ey, we鈥檝e got a resource that may be able to assist you with this,鈥 and gives us the opportunity to make sure what we鈥檙e doing is getting to the right people.鈥

鈥淥n the call, I let the group know we had lunch boxes available to distribute to anyone who needed them, but we were struggling to restock.鈥

LeWinter was connected with the , who then connected LeWinter to the 51精品视频sburgh Food Bank to bridge the gap in supplies. According to LeWinter, the food bank was able to distribute 150 boxes of shelf stable food to Macedonia FACE鈥檚 Lunchbox Project. Since March, LeWinter said Macedonia FACE has been able to deliver 120 lunch boxes, which LeWinter said feed families of three to four people.

With so many organizations making great strides to help its neighbors, Kirk Holbrook, director of the (CEC) and longtime neighborhood resident quickly realized the CEC could help, too.

鈥淭he pandemic has allowed us to be a true partner in real time 鈥 that the CEC will be with and alongside the community during our most challenging time,鈥 said Holbrook. 鈥淚t鈥檚 truly crystalized our goal of what the CECs are meant to be and heightens our sense of commitment.鈥

LeWinter said Holbrook鈥檚 follow-through bas been 鈥渁mazing.鈥

鈥淎s soon as those phone calls end, and all week, Kirk is bridging connections,鈥 said LeWinter.

For instance, LeWinter said Holbrook reached out to him after speaking with a community member who indicated that there were residents in need of food in one of the Hill District鈥檚 senior high rises.

鈥淲e were able to distribute food to them,鈥 said LeWinter. 鈥淜irk stays on top of it up until it鈥檚 completely resolved. He鈥檚 connected every step of the way.鈥

Yet another connection made on the calls: an effort led by , a local nonprofit that supports Africana women. The collective employed seamstresses to produce machine-washable masks to distribute to the community, free of charge.

鈥淲e were able to rally support behind the mask-making effort, and also found pockets in the community who needed masks,鈥 said Holbrook. 鈥淚t was a win-win.

LeWinter said that Macedonia FACE has also been a recipient of the mask donation and they鈥檝e been able to provide them to individuals in need.

Councilman , whose district includes the Hill District, takes part in the weekly phone calls as well.

鈥淭he Hill District is a very passionate community, and residents of the Hill care deeply about one another. We鈥檙e seeing that play itself out on these phone calls,鈥 said Lavelle, who also resides in the neighborhood. 鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing the spirit of community come forward.鈥

When the pandemic subsides, Holbrook said he looks forward to physically engaging with residents and community organizations that have become closely connected while apart.

About the Hill District CEC

As part of 51精品视频鈥檚 , the Community Engagement Centers (CECs) create a front door to the University in the heart of the Hill District and Homewood neighborhoods. With programming and services for children, adults, seniors and families, the CECs create a space for neighborhood partners, community-based organizations, residents and 51精品视频 students and faculty to collaborate and share experiences.

The Hill District CEC currently calls the historic home.

Director Kirk Holbrook, along with community partners and stakeholders, is looking ahead to plan for the Hill District CEC鈥檚 permanent space in the New Granada Theater, a theater built in 1928 whose halls once filled with music from famous jazz musicians from around the world.

The re-imagined space, said Holbrook, will be complete with a STEAM Studio, computer lab, classrooms and conference rooms, and will be anchored by involvement from schools across the University. There will be dedicated spaces for the Center for African American Poetry and Poetics, the Jazz Program, the schools of social work and education, and the Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence.

鈥淲e can鈥檛 be naive to a history that鈥檚 been challenging,鈥 said Holbrook. 鈥淲e鈥檙e working closely to envision what it means to move toward future.鈥

But first, to get through the pandemic, what Holbrook said really keeps him going is seeing collaborations come together.

鈥淭he most beautiful part of this has been being able to witness organizations come together to support one another, with no motive other than to address the needs of the people in the Hill District,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he CEC is working behind the scenes to make those connections.鈥

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