Ribbon cutting held at West Mifflin family center

South Hills Interfaith Movement runs the center to provide assistance for people in need.

South Hills Interfaith Movement held a ribbon cutting Thursday morning at its new family center at 1400 Lebanon Church Road in West Mifflin.

The center, which opened earlier this year, expands SHIM’s capacity to serve families in need throughout the area, including West Mifflin, Pleasant Hills, Jefferson Hills, Baldwin, Whitehall, Bethel Park and other surrounding communities.

The mission of SHIM, a nonprofit based in Bethel Park, is to mobilize community resources and implement sustainable programs that compassionately help neighbors meet basic needs, achieve self-sufficiency and build community.

“As we celebrate this new space today, I have been reflecting on how far we’ve come and how much we’ve come,” SHIM Director of Programs Courtney Macurak said. “This new family center is purpose built, welcoming and accessible for families across the South Hills, a place where families can feel supported and safe.”

Since 1968, SHIM has worked to reduce the effects of suburban poverty among the working poor, unemployed, families, single parents, senior citizens, women, and the high concentration of refugee families in its service area.

SHIM aims to empower individuals and families to achieve stability and self-sufficiency by offering short-term help with basic needs (food, clothing, utilities) and longer-term support (employment, financial planning, youth programs, family support) to help people build and sustain promising futures.

The Family Center is part of Allegheny County’s network of 22 family centers, funded by the Allegheny County Department of Human Services. They offer free neighborhood- based programs that strengthen families and support children from birth through school age.

The Allegheny County Department of Human Services was a huge part of why this building and program has come to fruition, Macurak said.

Allegheny County Director of Human Services Erin Dalton said the space is beautiful. She added that partners helped raise money to support SHIM in the new center, including the Hillman Family Foundations and the Jefferson Regional Foundation, and that SHIM has stepped up helping people maintain documentation and more.

“When we are investing in places like this, we’re investing in prevention over intervention, and we know how much more effective that is for everyone,” Dalton said. “Family centers are not just about services, it is also about social inclusion and we know how important that is during these times that can be so divisive.”

Programs in the new center include support groups for parents, dads, women and families, in-home visits for families with children up to age 5, nurturing parenting classes and family engagement activities, immigrant services and connections to help newcomers access housing, health care, education and legal support.

“We didn’t just build this place for SHIM. We also created an accessible, flexible space for our community partners,” Macurak said. “So whether it’s going to be a family support networking meeting, financial coaching, employment assistance or community training, this center is here to serve.”

After years of operating in rented apartments in Prospect Park for 11 years thanks to the Heinz Endowment and later Wallace School in Whitehall, the center was completed in the spring after several renovations. The search for a new center has been a years-long process.

They recently welcomed families to the new facility, which provides more space and amenities for their programs, a bus line running to it, a parking lot and a new playground that is ADA compliant and funded by grants and individuals.

“(The family center) will allow us to meet the community’s needs, invite the communities in and grow with the community as needs change,” said Jim Guffey, executive director of SHIM. “It allows us to think about partnerships with other nonprofits that are needed in the community.”

Guffey said the family center is approximately 8,500 square feet and the food pantry is approximately 3,500 square feet.

The food pantry operations have moved to a separate building with its own parking lot. They serve nearly 1,400 people every month.

There are several rooms in the new building, including a new preschool, classrooms and offices for their growing staff as well as other accommodations for families. There are also several closets throughout the location to store toys, books, games and supplies.

The preschool program will start Oct. 20 as they wait for their official license from the Department of Education, according to teacher Diana Huntsberger, who is very excited for the opening.

“This room, like our center, was designed with care and intention,” Macurak added. “In this room, it’s where preschoolers will be able to build on their gross motor skills and where parents can join parenting classes knowing that their kids are in this room just a step away and they will be with safe, trusted, caring staff.”

Guffey added SHIM went from a $300,000 organization to now over a million dollar program thanks to the help the county has provided over the years. They hope for more help in the future, and they can now reach out to more communities due to their new location.

“Our challenges really lie ahead,” Guffey said. “SHIM cannot control what’s happening in Washington, D.C., or Harrisburg, but we can control what happens here locally, and what our goal is in the years ahead is to continue to evolve as the community changes to meet the growing needs of what this location allows us to meet now.”

Several county legislators were in attendance Thursday, including Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato, State Rep. John Inglis, D-West Mifflin, and West Mifflin Councilman Dan Davis. Davis said he’s excited for SHIM to be in the area to help more people.

“This is going to be an incredible asset and beautiful space throughout the South Hills region,” Innamorato said. “This family center is part of a county network of 22 sites that meet families where they are at. These families give parents and caregivers the tools they need to thrive. We are so grateful to the county to have such a strong partner with SHIM.”

Trina DeMarco, a volunteer and a former SHIM board member, said the opening is a celebration for the entire community, and the new family center is a promise that SHIM is dedicated to the area for years to come.

Guffey added that the new center is not just about the buildings or playground itself, but rather the people they help, the employees and volunteers, the partnerships and those who have supported the organization over the years.

“This location provides greater visibility, accessibility and expanded opportunities for families in the South Hills,” Macurak said. “Being here means we can reach more families, we can deepen our impact and we can evolve to meet the needs of our community.”

For more information and referrals, contact SHIM at 412-892-4673 or info@shimcares.org.