New Name and New Building for Heritage
07/13/2009
Sally Wiggin of WTAE emceed the event
Congressman Mike Doyle talks with Sally Wiggin
State Senator Jay Costa addresses the audience
Mark Silberman talks about his family's donation of the building
BRADDOCK, PA – The revival of Braddock and other distressed communities received an important boost at a community celebration on Saturday, July 11. At 11 am, Heritage Health Foundation officially moved into its new headquarters—and took on a new name.
Sally Wiggin of WTAE hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Congressman Mike Doyle and other dignitaries spoke, and the event concluded with a high-energy Children’s Festival.
For more than 25 years, Heritage Health Foundation has been an integral part of Braddock and surrounding communities, creating programs and partnerships that transform people’s lives. As the organization responded to urgent community needs, the nature and scope of its work broadened far beyond the original “health” mission, and it created programs that have produced important community results:
- Through the nationally known 4 Kids Early Learning Network, more than 3500 young children have been headed toward success, in school and in life.
- The WorkLink Community Van Service has provided more than 500,000 rides to people, so they can get to public transportation, jobs, and job training. There is no charge for the rides.
- The Hospital Park Housing Initiative has developed and renovated affordable homes for low-income first-time home buyers—and helped stabilize neighborhoods in the process.
- Heritage’s community and economic development efforts have ranged from image and beautification work to organizing the Tri-Boro Development Forum, which brings businesses and individuals together to deal with important issues.
To better reflect the broadened mission, a new name was needed, so Heritage Health Foundation has been renamed Heritage Community Initiatives. The 7/11 event will be the first formal announcement of the name change. A new website is in development; a temporary page is at www.HeritageCommunityInitiatives.org.
As its programs grew, Heritage had become overcrowded in its previous small offices. That problem was solved with the donation of a building by the A. J. Silberman Company and the Silberman family. The building, at 820 Braddock Avenue, was built in 1906 as the home of Braddock National Bank; it still retains some of the grandeur that brought it national attention when it opened. It had been the Silberman company headquarters for 18 years.
Tours of the building were offered after the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The Children’s Festival highlighted health, fitness, and safety for children and families. There were food, games, activities, and entertainment. More than 20 organizations participated.