WATCH: Refugees Enjoy Thanksgiving at Whitehall Church
You can catch video from the event here.
The Whitehall Church along East Willock Road played host on Nov. 15 to an annual Thanksgiving celebration, and the event's organizers—South Hills Interfaith Ministries (SHIM)—captured video from the event. (See video above.)
Originally organized in 2006 to celebrate both Thanksgiving and the announcement that SHIM was opening the Prospect Park Family Center in Whitehall Borough early the next year, the event has grown by leaps and bounds.
Dinner at the event features meals prepared by families serviced by SHIM, as well as SHIM employees. The choices range from American Thanksgiving staples, such as turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, to items more typical of some SHIM families' native countries.
According to its website, SHIM's Prospect Park Family Center was established through funding from the Allegheny County Department of Human Services after Catholic Charities of Pittsburgh and Jewish Family & Children's Service of Pittsburgh began resettling refugees in the Prospect Park area over a decade ago. Prospect Park has also become home to many immigrant families.
The Family Center is free to all families living in the area and focuses primarily on families with children ages 5 years or younger. All of the family center's programs intend to provide needed services for those adjusting to life in the United States. The programs also promote self-sufficiency through education and help children to succeed in learning, including at Baldwin-Whitehall's public schools.
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In This article
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The Whitehall Church
4935 E Willock Rd, Pittsburgh, PA -
Prospect Park Family Center
1450 Maple Dr, Pittsburgh, PA -
Borough of Whitehall Municipal Complex (Administrative Offices and Outdoor Recreation)
100 Borough Park Dr, Pittsburgh, PA -
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Baldwin-Whitehall School District Office
4900 Curry Rd, Pittsburgh, PA
Tyrion Lannister
10:06 am on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Careful Robert, videos like this that humanize people and show how great humanity can be to one another just might cause some of the Baldwin/Whitehall racists to change their tune. And then where would I get my entertainment? Heck, even Bonita might welcome that homeless shelter she is so proud of railing against.
NE12Ukid
3:56 pm on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
I linked that hate filled thread to this video, wonder if any of them will even watch it.
Regina Danielson
10:16 am on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Are you kidding me???? I know for a fact that there are thousands of Americans who do not have food, or any one to spend the Holidays with. If you come to this country "Have a plan" don't freeload. Enough is Enough, and I guess they were called on their Oboma phones and invited to the event!!!
NE12Ukid
3:54 pm on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
"oboma phones"??? Enough with the misinformation, PLEASE!
Get real, Regina. Surely you know this myth is as incorrect as your spelling.
Since 2009, there has been an urban myth that Obama created a program to provide free phones to low-income Americans at taxpayer expense.
There is, in fact, a government program that will provide low-income people with a free or low cost cell phone. It was started in 2008 under George W. Bush.
The idea of providing low-income individuals with subsidized phone service was originated in the Reagan administration following the break-up of AT&T in 1984. (It was expanded and formalized by the Telecommunications Act of 1996.) The program is paid for by telecommunications companies through an independent non-profit, not through tax revenue.
cc
5:03 pm on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Telecommunications Act of 1996 which created the free cell phones was started by President Clinton. We as tax payers are TOTALLY footing the bill indirectly by companies raising there prices to cover the costs of contributions, which comes from the telephone bills that we pay either from a cell phone or home phone. Go look at your phone bill and you will see a charge Federal Universal Service Charge.
""The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) is an independent, not-for-profit corporation designated as the administrator of the federal Universal Service Fund by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)"
ne12ukid once again proved what a liar he is saying that George Bush started this, as it was Clinton who was President in 1996
NE12Ukid
8:00 pm on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
No lying on my part, read the entire information. It started under Reagan.
Now, about LYING, how about your lies about calling Baldwin police for drug deals you say you repeatedly witnessed on "Brownsville Road up by Brentwood".
What is the TRUTH there, cc?
Did you keep calling the wrong police department, or did you just make up the whole story?
Paula Lim
12:27 pm on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
What a beautiful video and what warm and lovely people! Thank you SHIM for all that you do and for sharing your love for others with us. Ignore the inevitable hateful posts.....
John Williams
3:29 pm on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Very encouraging video. I asked for an encouraging word on this issue and have been getting it. Regina, a little harsh, don't you think? I worry about taxes and the schools and so on. But I am reminded that you gotta have a heart. And I maybe a little humility.
Jon Wain
2:32 pm on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Whitehall nickname "THE DUMP "
Watcher
2:52 pm on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
"The Dump" , Well , at least the prospect park section.
Liz Coll Mastascusa
4:25 pm on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
This is awesome! Good to see face to face humanity instead of Internet bullying and bigotry.
cc
9:57 pm on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
It is great to see humanity to these refugees. But we also have millions of Americans that can't feed their families, pay their bills, have places to live because there isn't any jobs. We need to take care of American Citizens who though no fault of their own lost jobs and are homeless.