MEDIA ALERT
Pittsburgh Junior League Teams With Propel Schools
To Combat Food Insecurity
$10,000 Donation will provide weekend meals for Propel East students.
Check Presentation - Thursday, November 19 -- 9:45 AM
Propel East - 1611 Monroeville Ave -- Turtle Creek, PA 15145
For students across the nation and right here in our Pittsburgh region, weekend days can be
synonymous with hunger. Many students and families count on school breakfast and lunch
programs as mainstays of sustenance. Weekend days in households that are food insecure can
leave students hungry, tired and discouraged.
Propel East is challenging food insecurity with the "Backpack Program." This program will help
ensure that students will not be hungry on the weekends.
The Junior League of Pittsburgh (JLP) will partner with Propel East to help mitigate childhood
hunger in our local area via a generous financial contribution as well as volunteer support. JLP's
community impact focus is to decrease childhood hunger in the east end of Pittsburgh
On Thursday, November 19, 2015 at 9:45 AM, JLP will present a check for $10,000 and a
pledge of volunteer support to the Propel East Backpack Program. These contributions will
help to establish the program and provide for its success.
Stephanie Hoogendoorn, President, Junior League of Pittsburgh, explains that this project is both
necessary and one piece of a multi-step process. "After completing a two-year assessment of
community needs, the Junior League of Pittsburgh is excited to join with local agencies and
organizations to address food insecurity in Allegheny County. This is a relevant need that our
members are anxious to help solve. As a first step, the Junior League is delighted to partner
with Propel East to launch a backpack feeding program. Junior League volunteers look forward to
helping Propel East provide students access to food so that these students can simply focus on
being children."
Dr. Tina Chekan, Superintendent/CEO of Propel Schools is excited about this initial partnership
with the Junior League. "We value the financial support for the Backpack Program and are
equally excited about the volunteerism that is being modeled to our students by Junior League
members. We thank the Junior League for their dedication to both community and students
affected by food insecurity."
Candid photo opportunities available during the event. Formal photo
opportunities with stakeholders available immediately following the 15 minute
event. Photos will also be made available by request post-event.
###
About Propel Schools:
Propel Schools, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to catalyze the
transformation of public education so that all children have access to high performing public schools. Propel has become
one of the largest, fastest-expanding set of charter schools in the state, with the highest levels of student achievement
among Pennsylvania public school districts serving high poverty areas. Propel is serving 3,600 students this year at ten
Allegheny County locations; 3,700 students are on the waiting list. Visit www.propelschools.org to learn more.
About The Junior League of Pittsburgh, Inc.
The Junior League of Pittsburgh's 350 women volunteers collectively contribute 7,500 volunteer hours
annually in the Pittsburgh community. Throughout the past ten years, the League has donated nearly
$500,000 to support children's health, literacy, and development. The League trains its members to
collaborate with community partners to identify our most urgent community needs and address them
with meaningful initiatives. Members who choose to participate in leadership opportunities often go on
to make lasting contributions within the Pittsburgh region and beyond. Additional Junior League of
Pittsburgh information is available at www.jlpgh.org.
Maura DeRiggi
Manager of Internal Communications
mauraderiggi@propelschools.org