Upcoming Events

Bloomfield-Garfield First Friday
Friday, August 5th, 5-10 PM, Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation 

We will be joining in the fun at the Bloomfield-Garfield Neighborhood First Friday celebration on Friday, August 5th from 5-10 PM at the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation, 113 N. Pacific Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224. Meet Senator Williams and our staff, ask any questions about state resources, and pick up some information about upcoming events and programs at our table while you enjoy the excellent food, music, and vendors!

Etna Community Day
Saturday, August 6th, 12-4 PM, Etna Community Pool

We will be celebrating with The Etna Neighborhood Association at the Borough of Etna’s Community Day on Saturday, August 2nd, 2022, 12-4PM. Come out with the family to enjoy the free swimming, games, DJ, basket raffle, 50/50, Bingo, and stop by our table to talk with Senator Williams. Our staff will be there with information about state programs and resources. See you there!

Sharpsburg Community Opioid Overdose Response Training 
Saturday, August 6th, 2 PM, Roots of Faith

Join Senator Williams and Representative Sara Innamorato at Onala Recovery Center’s Overdose Response Training at Roots of Faith, 800 Main St. in Sharpsburg on August 6th at 2 pm! The event is free and open to anyone over 18. This training involves education, discussion, and hands-on training. Participants will go home with free Narcan, a training certificate, and all the necessary skills to save the life of someone experiencing an overdose. The training will also include rescue breathing instruction. Walk-ins are welcome or participants can pre-register at www.onala.org.

 

Small Business Resource Fair
Wednesday, August 10th at The Union Project, 10 AM - 1 PM

Attention small business owners! We are hosting a Small Business Fair on Wednesday, August 10th from 10am-1pm at the Union Project at 801 N. Negley Ave. This event is for both new and established small business owners who are looking for more opportunities to help them grow and succeed!

Featuring:

• Department of Community and Economic Development
• University of Pittsburgh SBDC
• Bridgeway Capital, Inc.
• URA of Pittsburgh/Invest PGH
• Innovation Works, Inc.
• Honeycomb Credit
• Keva Loans
• The Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence
• And more!

Register online at SmallBusinessFair2022 - Senator Lindsey Williams. Register over the phone at 412-364-0469 or 724-224-2131. 

For information on attending as a vendor, please email [email protected].

Aspinwall’s Big Night Out
Thursday, August 11 at Aspinwall Baseball Fields, 6 – 9 PM

Aspinwall’s largest community event is returning after a two-year hiatus! Aspinwall’s Big Night Out is Thursday, August 11th from 6 - 9 pm on the Aspinwall Baseball Fields. The event is family friendly and includes entertainment, education, and samples of the best that Aspinwall and its surrounding neighborhoods have to offer. Stop by our table to share your thoughts and concerns with Senator Williams and her staff or play a little plinko with the kids!

 

Free Shredding Event
Lauri Ann West Community Center, O'Hara Townshipm Saturday, August 13, 10 AM - 1 PM

Protect your identity by shredding your sensitive paper documents at the free shredding event we are hosting! The event will be held at the Lauri Ann West Community Center, 1220 Powers Run Rd in O’Hara Township on Saturday, August 13 from 10 am – 1 pm (or until the truck is full). Shredding will be performed on site and is limited to 2 boxes per car. This is paper only shredding – please remove all metal fasteners other than staples. No books or binders, please!

Legislative Update

Extending Access to Free School Meals

This week, my Democratic colleagues on the Senate Education Committee and I sent a letter to Governor Wolf asking that he take any administrative steps available to temporarily extend access to free school breakfasts and lunches for all students for the upcoming 2022-23 school year. This follows recent federal Congressional action that extended current school meal waivers through the summer but reinstated the pre-pandemic requirements for the 2022-2023 school year, leaving many of Pennsylvania’s students at risk of going hungry.

Beginning this month, students will return to school, and many of them will once again be required to pay for school breakfast and lunch. This will be especially difficult for families who fall just outside the USDA’s income-eligibility guidelines of a family income of 185% of the poverty level.  

We’ve taken modest steps in the most recent budget to eliminate lunch debt shaming and help families enroll in free and reduced meal programs. But as our families are facing higher costs at the grocery store, now is not the time to take away reliable, nutritious meals from our students. Hunger is a major barrier to education—we’re asking the Governor to help break down that barrier for all students.

We worked closely with the School Nutrition Association of Pennsylvania in making this request. “Currently, 1 in 7 children in Pennsylvania are experiencing food insecurity,” said Melissa Froehlich, SNS, SNAPA Public Communication Chair. “Studies have shown that school meals reduce childhood hunger, decrease childhood obesity, enhance development, support learning and contribute to positive mental health outcomes. Free meals for all students in Pennsylvania would strengthen child nutrition programs, address equity and stigmas around school meals and eliminate issues surrounding unpaid meal debt so more children would have access to nutritious meals.”

You can read the full letter below:

Good News

Food Bank’s Farm at Chatham University

Last week, I had the best time exploring the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank Farm at Chatham University’s Eden Hall Campus. This garden is in its early years, but thanks to the help of interns and devoted volunteers, it produces hundreds of pounds of produce for distribution. Fresh fruits and vegetables are in high demand at the Food Bank and this farm provides a valuable local source. Thank you to all the volunteers that keep the farm producing for the region’s needy families!

McCandless National Night Out

We had a wonderful time at McCandless’ 2nd annual National Night Out on Tuesday. Everyone enjoyed getting to meet K-9 Officer Joy and exploring the fire trucks, ambulances, and police vehicles. We even got to see a MedEvac helicopter land in the field! Thanks for coming out to support our first responders and for stopping by our tent to talk!

Unemployment Compensation Update

Unemployment Services Now Available at CareerLink Offices 

In-person assistance is now available by appointment at PA CareerLink Centers! These services are designed to assist individuals who:

• Don't have proper technology, equipment, or technical skills;
• Don’t have access to home Internet or broadband;
• Have limited-English proficiency.

Call a CareerLink office near you (see graphic above) to schedule your appointment or call our office with any unemployment questions you might have at 412-364-0469 (Ross) or 724-224-2131 (Natrona Heights).

Free Mission of Mercy Dental Clinic Friday and Saturday!
David L. Lawrence Convention Center, August 5-6, 6 AM

The annual Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh free dental clinic will take place this Friday and Saturday, August 5-6, 2022, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. Doors open at 6 AM! In addition to dental services, attendees will have access to hearing care and an eye exam. There are no eligibility requirements and services are rendered on a first-come, first-served basis until capacity is met. Go to http://www.MOMPGH.org/ for more information before the clinic.

Pittsburgh Regional Transit is Hiring!

Are you interested in becoming part of a great team that provides a needed service to the Community? Do you have the drive for new challenges and enjoy working with the public?

Pittsburgh Regional Transit is hiring operators! Operators start at $21.94/hour after training, with flexible schedules; generous vacation, holidays and sick days; medical, dental and vision coverage and the ability to further your career.

If you are at least 21years old with a high school diploma or GED and a valid state driver's license, then a career as a Port Authority operator might be in your future. No CDL is required to apply.

To learn more, visit www.portauthority.org/hiringoperators.

Lightning Strike Safety - Stay Indoors!

Summer brings lots of outdoor activity and big thunderstorms. Pennsylvania sees over 240,000 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes per year and we average five lightning strikes for each square mile in any given year. Lightning is dangerous and unpredictable, with bolts able to stretch over ten miles from the storm. It’s no wonder every Pennsylvanian is at risk for lightning strikes. When you head out to enjoy camping, fishing, boating, or gardening this summer, keep the following in mind:

Staying Safe from Lightning:

• Being outside is your greatest risk factor. Seek shelter in an enclosed, permanent building or a metal-topped vehicle. 
• At the first rumble of thunder, head to shelter and stay inside for 30 minutes after the last rumble. 
• Bring pets inside. 
• Corded electronics and plumbing can carry lightning current. Avoid water and corded electronic activities during the storm. 
• BEFORE a storm, purchase power strips with lightning arresters and surge protection. For the utmost safety, simply unplug appliances. 
• Consider installing lightning rods on your property. 

Tips if Stuck Outside:

Find a sturdy shelter, but if you have no other options, do the following: 

• Avoid elevations such as hills, ridges, peaks, and wide-open areas. 
• Do not lie flat on the ground. 
• Stay away from tall objects, including isolated trees, power poles, or radio towers. 
• Avoid water, including pools, rivers, lakes, and ponds. 

For more information go to Ready PA’s Article (pa.gov). To sign up for Ready PA weather and traffic alerts or to receive their emails go to Ready PA Home.

As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions you may have by phone at 412-364-0469 (Ross Office), 724-224-2131 (Harrison Office) or by email at [email protected]. My staff will return your call/email within 24 hours (Monday-Friday).

Senator Lindsey Williams