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Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh has begun accepting
applications for two new programs designed to help low income
homeowners with repairs to their property.
"A Brush with Kindness" assists families with minor
repairs to the exteriors of their homes. Activities covered
under this program include painting, minor roof repairs, window
repair or replacement, handicap ramp repair, mending fences
and other volunteer-friendly activities.
Habitat's Weatherization program assists families struggling
with the cost of high utility bills. Habitat conducts an in-home
energy audit to identify energy inefficiencies, which are
then corrected through repairs and renovations to the home.
The repairs result in lower utility bills and may increase
the safety or air quality of the home.
For both programs, volunteer labor allows Habitat to offer
repairs at a very low cost to homeowners. The fundraising
efforts of Fox Chapel Area School District has enabled Habitat
to target funds specially for homeowners living in the six
boroughs served by FCASD; Aspinwall, Blawnox, Fox Chapel,
Indiana, O'Hara and Sharpsburg.
Habitat is also accepting applications for its homeownership
program. Low-income families in need of affordable housing
may be eligible to become homeowners through Habitat for Humanity.
Partner families have interest-free mortgages and have no
down-payment on their home. Current rehabilitation projects
include homes in Observatory Hill, McKeesport and Braddock
Individuals interested in applying, or seeking additional
information can contact Daniel Webb at 412-351-0512 x10 or
e-mail DWebb@PittsburghHabitat.org.
Applications can also be found online at www.pittsburghhabitat.org
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Meals on Wheels
Aspinwall Meals-on-Wheels provides service in O'Hara Township
as well as Sharpsburg, Fox Chapel, Blawnox, and Aspinwall. We
are looking for angels in our community. For less than $3 per
meal, you can provide ten delicious and nutritious meals each
week to someone in our community who could not otherwise afford
it. Your donations are literally what keep our kitchen doors
open. Aspinwall Meals-on-Wheels receives no other funding. Earn
your wings by becoming a Meals-on-Wheels angel.
Did you know that for as few as three hours a month you can
become a volunteer? Join an amazing organization, make new friends,
and help make our community a better place. For more information,
to donate or volunteer, please call (412) 820-8350. Aspinwall
Meals-on-Wheels operates out of St. Edward Church, 450 Walnut
Street, Blawnox, PA 15238.
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Fox Chapel District
Association
Thirteen may be an unlucky year for doubters and pouters,
for skeptics and kleptics, but for us in the Fox Chapel District
Association, it is nothing but excitement. We have finished
an amazing year of raising over $140,000 for the Aspinwall
Riverfront Park. We have donated $5,000 for a pocket park
in Sharpsburg, over $25,000 to the Boyd Community Center,
$5,000 to the arts program in the public schools, and $10,000
to the new landscaping in the front of the Cooper Siegel Library,
in addition to donations to Aspinwall Borough, St. Margaret’s
Foundation, the High School and the University of Pittsburgh.
Our small but mighty organization looks forward to even greater
growth in 2013 as we continue to help develop the Park now
that the plans are finalized. The $2.3 million took six months;
we need over $5 million to make it the vibrant place it was
meant to be. Now let’s see: doing the math, that should take
just over a year. Don’t smile; I could be serious.
Thirteen also means for us a return of the Fox Chapel Follies.
Save the dates (Nov. 14 - 16 and 21 - 23), don’t leave town
(even for an invitation to the Turks and Caicos), invite all
of your relatives, and enjoy the rollicking irreverent fun
of this every three year event. We have been totally sold
out for the past six years. If you are not currently a paying
member of the Fox Chapel District Association, you may miss
the invitation list. Go on line to join us not only for the
Follies but to support all that we do in this area.
The Fox Chapel District Association is a community-sponsored
organization that supports Fox Chapel, Aspinwall, O'Hara,
Sharpsburg, Blawnox, Indiana, and Harmar. The FCDA plans and
implements projects to enhance and beautify the community
but which are not taxpayer funded. The FCDA Board is comprised
of 21 of your friends and neighbors from the communities serviced
by the association who serve three-year terms. The FCDA is
committed to enhancing the quality of life in this area that
we call home.
If you are not a member, use this as your chance to join
an organization that is committed to enhancing the quality
of life in our area. For an annual fee of only $35 per family,
you can join the FCDA by sending your name and annual fee
to PO Box 111595, Pgh., PA 15238. To further explore what
FCDA is all about or to join please visit www.foxchapeldistrictassociation.org.
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Fox Chapel Area Land
Trust
The Fox Chapel Area Land Trust plays a central role in conserving
our community's natural heritage. Since 1978, we have been actively
acquiring and preserving properties in their natural condition.
The Land Trust has grown to become the third largest landholder
in the Squaw Run Watershed.
The Land Trust is responsible for more than 200 acres throughout
O'Hara Township, Fox Chapel Borough, and Indiana Township. Uniquely,
our holdings consist of properties and conservation agreements
(easements) that literally serve as oases for our region's animals,
birds and flora, and protect the sights and sounds that we associate
with our home.
O'Hara Township continues to be a focus. The Land Trust already
holds a number of properties in O'Hara Township and is interested
in identifying and securing additional properties and conservation
agreements (easements). As the Township grows, it is increasingly
important to protect green space and sites of ecological importance
for future generations.
As stewards of the land and executors of generously donated
properties, the Land Trust volunteers and Board of Directors
are fully committed to respecting these gifts by shielding these
properties from encroachment, maintaining these sites in a natural
state, combating invasive species and litter, and adding additional
land holdings that complement existing sites.
In addition to preserving our environment for future generations,
land donations may qualify grantors with significant income,
estate, capital gains, or gift tax savings.
If you are interested in learning more about the Fox Chapel
Area Land Trust, the benefits of land trusts and conservation,
and how you can support the organization, please visit our website
at www.fcalt.org.
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Fox Chapel Newcomers'
Club
The Newcomers' Club is open to residents of the Fox Chapel Area
School District, Forest Highlands and Forest Manor who have
lived in the area for five years or less.
Discover Pittsburgh through Ladies Day Out, Couples Night Out,
and Social events. Enjoy activities offered monthly such as
Book Club, Moms and Tots, Tennis and Bridge.
Monthly meetings are held September through May usually on the
second Friday of the month at 9:30 a.m. The meetings are held
in the Fox Chapel Episcopal Church. For more information and
meeting dates, please visit our website at vwww.foxchapelnewcomers.org.
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American Association
of University Women
AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy,
philanthropy, education, and research. The Fox Chapel Area
branch holds its monthly meetings and programs at 9:30 a.m.
at the Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church Chapel from September
through May on the second Tuesday of each month. The meetings
are free and open to any interested person. In addition to
the monthly meetings, the branch offers members a wide variety
of interest groups as well as numerous opportunities for community
service involvement. For more information go to www.aauwfoxchapelareapa.wordpress.com.
For childcare during the meeting, call the Presbyterian Church
at (412) 963-8243 and speak to Little Blessings, a curriculum-based
program for 1-5 year olds at Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church
to ask if space is available. Reservations are a must.
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Parent Advocates for
Learning Support (PALS)
PALS is a support group for parents and caregivers of children
with learning differences formed by a few parents who recognized
the need to share information and resources.
We invite you to attend our monthly meetings. Meetings often
include a guest speaker to discuss the special education process,
the Individual Education Plan (IEP) and implementation issues,
legal and educational rights, and other educational resources
and options available. We discuss successes, problems and
concerns in the classroom. We provide an opportunity to meet
with parents and caregivers who understand and can offer some
insight, ideas and support.
Details about upcoming meetings can be found on the PALS
website at www.palsinfo.org
and also on the FCASD website at www.fcasd.edu
, then click on "Community Info", and then select "FLYERS".
For additional information contact: Sarah Nickel - 412-977-9690
or e-mail: scncpa@aol.com
or Chris Baldwin - 412-963-9860 or e-mail: gcbaldwin@aol.com
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