Join us at City Council

MONDAY, DECEMBER 1st, 10 am--Four citywide anti-hunger organizations will be speaking at the City Council Public Hearing next Monday, Dec. 1 at 10am asking City Council to fund $434,800 for the Hunger Fund. Just Harvest initiated this budget item in the 80's when we decided to ask Council to take some responsibility to counter hunger.

Joining Just Harvest, the other organizations asking for funding for increasing hunger are: Greater Pgh. Community Food Bank, Pgh. Community Services, Inc. and Hunger Services at the Urban League. Just Harvest uses these funds to reduce hunger by helping working people get tax credits, by recruiting new sites for Summer Food programs and by helping people with Welfare problems.

The public is invited to speak in support of this request. Share your personal experience; tell the City Council to expand the Pittsburgh Hunger Fund, to support funding for anti-hunger organizations, to prioritize safety net issues in the 2009 City Budget. Tens of thousands can't afford to put food on the table. To sign up to speak, call the City Clerk's Office at (412) 255-2138. Each speaker gets three minutes to testify. Join us at the City County Building at 414 Grant St. on the 5th floor next Monday to protect Pittsburgh's safety net.

Unique gifts for a great cause

On Saturday December 6th, Pittsburgh Cares is sponsoring their Nonprofit Marketplace at Chatham University. Each vendor at this one day "shopping mall" of handmade and unique gifts chooses a nonprofit beneficiary to receive a portion of their sales. A part of the proceeds from Dawn Glassworks will benefit Just Harvest. Dawn Wallhausen, our former Administrative Assistant, chose Just Harvest as the beneficiary for the nonprofit share of her sales of her handmade glass-bead jewelry. Come out and support Pittsburgh Cares, Dawn Glassworks and Just Harvest for this family-friendly shopping event with unique gifts for a great cause!

A Blue Collar Black Tie Affair

In recognition of the Peoples' Pittsburgh 250th, join Senator Jim Ferlo and a cast of notable Pittsburgh doers and givers for a lively evening of stories, images and songs from The Point of Pittsburgh book and CD. Dress up your blue collar or dress down your black tie, but wear your pride in Pittsburgh for all to see!

In the spirit of giving embodied by Johnny Appleseed and other historical Pittsburgh heroes, bring a bag of non-perishable food items. Event benefits Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank and Just Harvest.

$35 ticket buys admission, plus book, CD & poster.