A Brief History of ALL of Us Care

ALL of Us Care began as an outgrowth of Project STOP. 1993 was a record year for crime in Allegheny County. There was increasing concern about violence and the potential for escalating gang activity and drug and alcohol use in the Lower Allegheny Valley. In an effort to reach a broad spectrum of people with a stake in the health of the community, the school district initiated a meeting that was the first of its kind in the region. The mayors of all six municipalities, local police chiefs, state legislators, the local magistrate, school board members, the district superintendent, school district personnel, and community members came together to discuss what concerted efforts the municipalities and schools could make to deal with safety issues that would be more effective than each jurisdiction tackling the problems on its own. The outcome of this discussion was the establishment of Project STOP: A Task Force on Community and School Safety, to assess needs and design and implement strategies to promote safe schools and communities. After a period of research and evaluation, the task force recommended forming a community group to coordinate efforts of the school district with existing and new initiatives developed within the communities. That group became ALL of Us Care.

In the almost ten years since its inception, ALL of Us Care has evolved into a unique agency promoting safe schools and healthy communities in a very proactive way. Our volunteer-based organization strives to fulfill our mission by offering a broad array of programs that meet the needs of people in the community and by encouraging cooperation among groups with common goals. Our programs touch all age groups from infants to teens, parents to grandparents. We sponsor programs that are not offered by other agencies, complement and enhance programs that are, and we reach out to others to work together for the good of the community. Incorporated in 1996, we are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We rely on grants and donations to support the programs and services we provide. Our services are open to all 30,000 residents of the six communities we serve: Aspinwall, Blawnox, Fox Chapel, Indiana Township, O'Hara, and Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania.

Milestones and Accomplishments

1996

• Incorporated ALL of Us Care
• Received an $8,500 grant to build a sand volleyball court so that positive police interaction could occur
• Secured $50,000 grant from the PA Department of Education for creation of crime prevention model

 

1997

• Secured another $50,000 grant from the PA Department of Education for creation of crime prevention model
• Received 501(c)(3) nonprofit status from the IRS
• Awarded a $10,000 grant from PCCD for crime prevention programs at Dorseyville Middle School
• Received Pennsylvania state tax exempt status

1998

·        Began Open Gym Recreation Days to give children a safe and supervised place to be during the at-risk hours of the late afternoon 

1999

·        Organized Neon Drunk Driver Simulator car demonstration

·        Received a $5,000 grant from the Grable Foundation for general support

·        Began Safe Homes Pledge to keep teens safe and drug-and-alcohol free

·        Started Homework Helpers program

·        Received $6,000 grant from Fugh Foundation for general support

 

2000

• Received $6,000 grant from Fugh Foundation for general support
• Awarded a $6,530 grant from Pittsburgh Child Guidance Foundation for the Intergenerational Preschool Initiative to encourage positive relationships between preschoolers and older adults while promoting the "12 Caring Habits," an early love of reading, and early computer literacy
• Staged a mock car crash to emphasize the dangers of driving under the influence
• Received $10,000 donation from St. Margaret Foundation for general support

 

2001

• Received $5,000 grant from Fugh Foundation for general support
• Received $7,500 donation from St. Margaret Foundation for general support
• Received $20,000 grant from the Heinz Endowments to increase computer access for low-income families with school-age children
• Initiated first area-wide annual funding appeal

 

2002

• Received $5,000 grant from Fugh Foundation for general support
• Received $7,500 donation from St. Margaret Foundation for general support
• Began offering summer activities program with educational field trips and supervised swimming for at-risk youth
• Brought Girls On The Run program to our area
• Helped organize four evening drug & alcohol awareness programs for parents and students

 

2003

• Received $5,000 grant from Fugh Foundation for general support
• Received a $5,000 grant from the Eden Hall Foundation for general support
• Initiated Fox Chapel Cotillion, a social and educational program for middle school students, also serves as a major fundraiser to support other ALL of Us Care programs
• Moved the ALL of Us Care office to 614 Main Street

 

2004

• Moved ALL of Us Care offices to 1650 Main St.

 

2005

• Appointed new director, Jan Barbus
  
• Began “Let It Out” writing program
• Received $2,000 donation from Fox Chapel Rotary
• Fugh Foundation awarded ALL of Us Care $5,000 for general support, and gave $10,000 for Special Flood Distribution to be sent to Sharpsburg and Etna
• More than doubled the numer of families we served during our Summer Activities Program, from 35 to 78
  
• Started Coffee House Rock at Panera Bread, Waterworks, an open mic night for teens
  
• Brought local bands to Boyd Community Center as part of the AOUC Concert Series
• Awarded $2,200 from York Children's Foundation (through Good Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc.) for After School Activities, the Summer Activities Program, and the Computer Distribution Program
  
• Granted $10,000 from the Mary Hillman Jennings Foundation for general support
  
• Held the ALL of Us Care About Fitness Fair, our annual event that took place of the Community Walk
• Granted $12,000 from the Child Health Association of Sewickley, Inc. for After School Activities and the Summer Activities Program
• Awarded $10,000 from the Earl Knudsen Charitable Foundation
  

 

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