Together, we can do anything.
To say these are tough times is an understatement. But every difficult challenge we’ve undertaken, we’ve been able to accomplish because of you. Thank you to our generous donors. Thank you to our selfless volunteers. And thank you to the neighbors who are working hard to make a better life for their families.
Since March 2020, we’ve seen a 60% increase in neighbors seeking help with basic needs. Nearly half of all families coming to our reimagined socially distant food pantries are new. And we’ve begun delivering basics to at-risk community members, including homebound seniors. In SHIM’s history, we’ve never seen need like this. But rather than face the continued increase in need with fear, we are unwavering with hope. Because in tough times, the South Hills comes together.
Nearly 1,000 households were served at our Drive-Up Food Distribution on May 16.
Help is here
Get help
Learn more about all the ways SHIM can help.
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Make a donation to ensure SHIM can meet the rising need.
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Celebrate our helping hands
Bibbidi bobbidi SHIM! When Lily Gessel and Reagan McGregor of Upper St. Clair High School were tasked with completing their 10th grade IB service project amidst a pandemic, they decided to bring a little magic to kids in the South Hills. Donning their gowns and masks, they got to work. Dressed as Cinderella and Belle, Lily and Reagan spread cheer by safely visiting local families and collecting items for SHIM along the way! Together, they gathered 300 pantry items and 370 pounds of food. Tiaras off to you, girls!
Royal Goodness
We're truly MOVED by this donation from South Hills Movers. They recently held a Stuff A Truck
event and collected a total of 2,020 pounds of food and supplies for SHIM! Thank you to the
volunteers and supporters for this unplanned homage to 2020. This donation will go a long way
for neighbors in need this holiday season.
A Moving Donation
The Mission Hills neighborhood in Mt. Lebanon is on a mission to help others this holiday season. Neighbors donated hundreds of non-perishable food items ranging from cranberry sauce to stuffing mix, making sure South Hills residents had all of their Thanksgiving favorites on the table this year. Special thanks to Travis and Steve Simpson-Hunt and their sons Michael and Parker for collecting and delivering all of the items and to Gayle Irwin and Jan Bucey for their help in spearheading this incredible Thanksgiving drive! SHIM is so thankful for our Mission Hills neighbors.
Neighbors on a mission
Valerie Rose is a real estate agent in the South Hills, but her role is about so much more than just selling houses; it’s about helping families thrive. For her birthday in October, Valerie tapped into that generous spirit and hosted a Facebook fundraiser on behalf of SHIM. Friends submitted donations to be entered into a raffle for a spooktacular “Hocus Pocus”-inspired decoration. Together, neighbors donated $300 and Valerie matched that amount for a total of $600 raised for SHIM. That’s enough to feed a family of four for six months! Thank you, Valerie, and everyone who donated.
Valerie's Crafty Birthday
When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade! Charlotte raised $160 from a lemonade stand this summer in her Mt. Lebanon community and donated the proceeds to SHIM. Thanks to Charlotte for making our lives sweeter.
Charlotte’s Lemonade Stand
Dried beans are a staple in SHIM’s food pantries and one of the most requested items
from our refugee neighbors. Our friends at the Southminster Presbyterian Church recently held
a Bean Drive where they collected 280 pounds of black and kidney beans. Volunteers then met
at the church to pack the donations for SHIM. We’re honored to have BEAN offered such great
support!
Southminster Presbyterian Church Bean Drive
Nine members of Boy Scout Troop 262, sponsored by Good Shephard Lutheran Church in Scott Township, collected 451 pounds of food and toiletries for SHIM. Through this gracious drive, the scouts received their Citizenship in the Community merit badge. We give these boys a
badge of gratitude!
A Badge of Gratitude
We had a generous 450-pound donation drop-off from our friends at the Rotary Club of Upper St. Clair – Bethel Park. We would like to thank the Rotary Club for being great neighbors and for their continued support of SHIM!
Rotary Club of Upper St. Clair – Bethel Park
The Heitman family rallied their community for a food drive by word of mouth, yard signs and Facebook posts. With wagon in hand, the Heitman kids collected over 1,000 pounds of food for SHIM. We are so grateful to the generosity of the Heitmans and their neighbors!
A SHIM Family Fundraiser
As the coffee poured out, donations poured in! An Urban Trail Coffee Co truck helped caffeinate our friends in the Steeplechase neighborhood of Whitehall as they raised $650 and collected 550 pounds of donations for SHIM. Thanks so much, neighbors!
A Cup of Coffee and Caring
You don’t have to be big to have a big impact! Addie recently held a food drive on behalf of SHIM and collected $450 and 350 pounds of food from her neighbors in Upper St. Clair. Thanks, Addie, for putting your neighbors first this summer.
Addie’s Food Drive
Gardens typically inhabit open fields or backyards, but this one has reached new heights! On the roof of St. Clair Hospital, this garden is one of 15 plots maintained by the SHIM Community Garden Program. The bountiful vegetable garden is full of greens, beans, cucumbers, eggplants, bell peppers, hot peppers and tomatoes. SHIM is excited to partner with the hospital to bring fresh veggies to our neighbors!
St. Clair Hospital Garden
Vidhur Senthil
The Bethel Park High School LadyHawks soccer team may not be on the field, but they’re kicking up goodness in our South Hills community. With the help of their families, coaches, friends and neighbors, the team raised $200 in monetary donations and collected over 500 items (including non-perishable foods and toiletries) for SHIM. Thank you, LadyHawks, for your generosity and good work for the community!
Bethel Park LadyHawks
Wow! First United Methodist Church hosted a donation drive-thru that collected $650 and 500 pounds of food for our neighbors in need. We're so thankful for our kind and generous faith community.
First United Methodist Church Drive-Thru
The amazing and creative folks at TELEO Performance created 'Stronger Together' t-shirts to rally the community, honor frontline healthcare workers and help support our South Hills neighbors. Thanks to their great idea, more than $4,000 was donated to SHIM.
TELEO T-shirts
Wanting to do what she could to help during the pandemic, Paula DeClaudio rallied a team of six (including a college student and a 12-year-old whose dad is an RN) to put their needles to work and sew masks for the community. So far, the Mask Makers Project has crafted an incredible 12,500 masks that have been distributed at local fire companies, personal care homes, veteran’s associations, police departments and more. Paula’s specialty is making communicator masks that feature a clear panel for those working with the deaf and hard of hearing. The group has received donations and support from their families and caring community members, receiving supplies and even lunch to help them along the way. We’re inspired by Paula and the Mask Makers Project!
Paula and the Mask Makers Project
For many kids, summer vacation may look very different this year. To make sure they're having fun and staying busy, SHIM's office staff prepared and delivered summer activity kits to each of the 58 families in our Early Childhood Program (ECP). The kits included coloring pages, activities, paper, crayons, scissors, glue, play dough, bubbles, seed packets, snacks and more.
ECP Summer Activity Kits
Sewing goodness. The incredible ladies in SHIM's Sewing Class have been hard at work making fabric face masks for neighbors visiting our three food pantries. So far, they’ve completed more than 30 masks and they’re working on more!
Sewing Class Mask Making
Join us in thanking Massey Charitable Trust for their support of our driveway renovation project at SHIM Center. With the increased need these past few months, our drive-thru food pantry has been vital for so many. If you've come through recently, you know how necessary this repair is. Thanks, Massey Charitable Trust!
Massey Construction
The Baldwin-Whitehall Education Association and the South Park Education Association came together and donated $3,000 to support SHIM's work and help neighbors who are struggling. Due to COVID-19, the need in our community is greater than we've ever seen before and we are endlessly grateful for this – and all – support.
Education Associations
Staying connected with our elderly neighbors is now more important than ever. Mary Jones, who wanted to get involved with volunteer work after her husband passed, is a long-time volunteer with our CheckMates program. She calls five or six seniors each week to check in and ensure they have enough resources and support, especially now during the pandemic. Mary is grateful for the bond she has formed with the seniors she calls, sharing that “anytime anybody volunteers, you get so much more for yourself than you’ve probably given.” Thanks, Mary, for sharing your caring heart with our seniors!
Mary Jones
To celebrate our young learners, SHIM's After School Program teachers and staff joined together for a special parade featuring WQED's Nature Cat. We traveled the South Hills cheering, honking and delivering After School Kits that included books, crayons, frisbees, bubbles, bandanas and more! Learn more about SHIM's After School program.
After School Program Parade
During these tough times, Mt. Lebanon’s Karen Krieger and her husband David Montgomery are helping the community stick together – literally! They created a “Stay at Home Hero” sticker featuring the famous Rosie the Riveter with a mask, television remote and bottle of wine. The stickers are selling two for $5, with proceeds benefiting SHIM and the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. More than $700 has been raised so far. Read more in Mt. Lebanon Magazine.
Karen Krieger and
David Montgomery
Prepare to be wowed. The great neighbors from Project CovidCare donated 2,000 fabric masks for SHIM's staff, volunteers and those visiting our food pantries. This amazing donation will help keep us, and our visitors, safe.
Project CovidCare
We've never been more grateful for those working in grocery stores than we are right now. Especially local businesses like Eden's Market. Not only are they fully stocked and staying safe, they've also collected nearly 700 pounds of food for SHIM's pantries.
Eden's Market
December marked Fleet Feet Pittsburgh’s 10th Annual Holiday Lights Run and Charity Raffle. Throughout the month, runners dressed in their best holiday attire, captured photos of dazzling light displays and made donations to SHIM along the way. Together, they raised more than $1,200 for SHIM to help South Hills families directly affected by the pandemic. We are so grateful to Fleet Feet Pittsburgh and those who ran their hearts out to help neighbors in need.
Happy Feet
From the heart of Mt. Lebanon's business district, Salon Vivace & Spa stylist Jennifer organized a food drive with salon staff and delivered the donations to SHIM. Thanks for being a good neighbor!
Salon Vivace
For her birthday, Aubrey, from the Spencer Family YMCA Y-Princesses Wampano Tribe in Bethel Park, asked her fellow members of the Princess Program to drop off food donations instead of gifts. Her kind heart and birthday wish collected an incredible variety of items for SHIM. Happy Birthday, Aubrey!
Aubrey and the Spencer Family YMCA Y-Princesses
In the true spirit of neighbors helping neighbors, Bethel Bakery donated 180 loaves of fresh-baked Italian and homemade bread to SHIM to help feed families who are struggling in the wake of COVID-19. In addition to traditional pantry items like rice, beans, lentils and fresh produce, the bread was a welcome treat for visitors to the SHIM Center food pantry in Bethel Park. Read more in The Almanac.
Bethel Bakery
All we can say is “Wow!” Jason Flinn of Bill Flinn Insurance Agency purchased 1,750 pounds of potatoes, onions, and oranges from Ruthfred Market for distribution in SHIM’s three food pantries. But he didn’t stop there. Jason’s friends at Pepperidge Farm helped deliver the food AND donated 420 pounds of Goldfish snacks.
Jason Flinn
We all have skills we can use to give back. If your lawn is looking a little shaggy, let Zavary Isner help! This awesome neighbor is donating 5% of all his landscaping sales to SHIM. To make an appointment, call 412-628-8507 or email yourstudentservices@gmail.com.
Zavary Isner
Giving back is a win-win. Mr. Magic Car Wash held a special promotion where members of the community could bring a donation for SHIM and receive a $5 car wash. Thanks to you, they have donated nearly one ton of food to SHIM. That’s a lot of clean cars and caring neighbors!
Mr. Magic Carwash
“I just knew I had to help those in need!” Abigial Neal, Bethel Park High School freshman, is baking up delicious treats to raise funds and help her neighbors in need. Learn more about her business, Abibakes, in The Almanac.
Abigial Neal
A dedicated public servant, PA State Representative Natalie Mihalek and her staff volunteered at SHIM’s food pantry distribution on April 23. Together with SHIM’s staff and volunteers, they packed boxes and distributed them to hundreds of neighbors who visited our drive up food pantry.
PA State Rep. Natalie Mihalek
The Pagliai-Busch family wanted to find a way for the community to support SHIM and stay safe during the current pandemic. In a stroke of absolute genius, they partnered with Upper St. Clair School District to host a donation drive-thru that raised more than $7,000 in gift cards and donations to SHIM.
