November 20, 2009, National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week event
Sponsored by the Homeless Children's Education Fund and The Pittsburgh Foundation
Summit partners in addition to HCEF and The Pittsburgh Foundation were:
Allegheny County Department of Human Services, Allegheny Intermediate Unit, Diocese of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University, Education Law Center, Jewish Healthcare Foundation, Operation Safety Net, Pennsylvania Department of Education, Pittsburgh Public Schools
Program
- Introduction: Grant Oliphant, President and CEO, The Pittsburgh Foundation
- Awarding of scholarships to Annual Diocese of Pittsburgh Middle School Homelessness Awareness Essay and Poster Contest winners by Superintendent Dr. Robert Paserba and Assistant Superintendent Dr. Ron Bowes
- Introduction of Keynote Speaker: Sarah Keisel, HCEF Advisor
- National Perspective on Educating Homeless Children: Keynote Speaker Barbara Duffield, Policy Director, National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth
- One Mother's story of becoming homeless and of support received
- Regional Perspective on Educating Homeless Children: Dr. Peter Miller (drawing on a study by Dr. Miller and Dr. James Schreiber, principal investigators, entitled "Educating Homeless Children in Allegheny County: An Evaluation of Families, Agencies, and Services)
- Follow-up Panel Discussion: "What does this research mean for the education of homeless children in Allegheny County?" with Reginald Young, Allegheny County Department of Human Services; Mary Ramirez, Pennsylvania Department of Education; Dr. Linda Hippert, Allegheny Intermediate Unit; Dr. Patricia Gennari, Pittsburgh Public Schools;
Carlin Christy, Homeless Children's Education Fund
- Next Steps: Nancy A. Hubley, Managing Attorney, Education Law Center
Picturing the event
Many HCEF volunteers as well as members of the Boards of Trustees and Advisors worked behind the scenes in the weeks leading up to the Summit and help welcome attendees to the event itself.
Convener Grant Oliphant and Sarah Keisel, who will introduce the keynote speaker, are ready to assume their roles.
The Summit provides the first-time opportunity for a public presentation of Diocese of Pittsburgh Scholarships to winners of the Diocese Middle Schools' annual Homelessness Essay and Poster Contest. This year's theme: " If I were homeless . . . ." A number of representative posters are displayed and the winning essay and poster contestants and their parents are special guests of the Summit.
HCEF's newly appointed Executive Director Bill Wolfe greets Dr. Robert Paserba.
Gail Odorcich, retiring coordinator of the Allegheny Intermediate Unit's Homeless Children's Initiative, receives a plaque of appreciation for her years' long efforts to ensure that children experiencing homelessness know of and receive their educational rights.
Keynote speaker Barbara Duffield is welcomed by Rob DeOrio, Chair of the HCEF Board of Trustees, as well as by Mary Ramirez, Pennsylvania Department of Education, and HCEF Founder Joe Lagana.
Although unable to attend the Summit and present his remarks in person, Dr. Peter Miller is "live" electronically.
The panel discussion that follows is moderated by Grant Oliphant.
HCEF Board member Rose Moriarty converses with Nancy Hubley after Nancy's "Next Steps" Summit-concluding presentation.
The Summit provides an opportunity for Joe and Bill to celebrate a long-term and on-going working relationship with the Allegheny County Department of Human Services' Deputy Director Reginald Young and Housing Program Administrator Michael Lindsay.
See also: The December 27, 2009, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette feature story: Region's homeless children on the increase
Go to Advocacy page
(12/27/09)
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