Providing Hope Through Learning
Our mission –
to serve as a voice for homeless children in Allegheny County and to ensure that they are afforded equal access to the same educational opportunities and experiences as their peers.
What is HCEF?
The Homeless Children's Education Fund (HCEF), a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, was established in 1999 to supplement federal
funding for the educational needs of local homeless children. Over the years, HCEF's role in the community has developed and expanded to meet these needs.
HCEF has three full-time employees – Sara McNally, Office and Event Manager; Carlin Christy, Education Coordinator; and Courtney Ford, Development and Special Events Manager – as well as independent contractors for specialized services.
The Board of Trustees and the Board of Advisors are each composed of some 30 prominent community leaders. HCEF's founder Dr. Joseph Lagana remains active as a trustee and volunteer executive officer.
The annual operating budget is supported through corporate sponsors and foundation grants. The HCEF bylaws
dictate that unless a donor requests otherwise 100% of all private donations are invested in an endowment fund to support mini-grants for educational innovations that benefit homeless children.
As centers throughout Allegheny County struggle to serve the various physical and familial needs of children who are homeless,
they must also ensure the access of these children to a free and appropriate public education.
HCEF endeavors to serve as a community advocate, building coalitions
of support among corporations, foundations, hospitals, institutions of higher education, religious organizations, and government agencies.
In short, HCEF seeks to leverage community resources toward serving an urgent community need.
Read the story of why and how Dr. Joe founded the Homeless Children's Education Fund.
Our Vision
That all children and youth living in residential facilities receive the necessary materials, guidance, and support that will help them keep up in school and make the most of their education – providing hope for a better future for them and for the community.
We invite you to read our annual reports
(These are in .pdf format. If you do not have Adobe Reader, you can download it free.)
