Out of the Dark

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Have you ever wondered -

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Where do the homeless go? How do the hungry eat? Who helps the addicted recover? What do single mothers in crisis do when their family is falling apart?

When the dark place inside begins to take over, that dark stemming from the hopelessness and despair of situations that put a person out of control in their own life, there is an open door in Pittsburgh at the Light of Life Rescue Mission to bring light back to their lives.

The Light of Life Rescue Mission has a holistic approach. They help people to get the education and skills they need to recover from addictions, become stronger, better parents, and overcome poverty, among other issues. They work to “empower men, women and children to overcome extreme adversities and gain essential tools for lifelong achievement.” They provide services for creative learning, treatment referrals for mental health, activities for developing social skills, Bible studies, after-care and mentoring.

Pittsburgh Gives Day of Giving is upon us – today, October 3, 2012. Light of Life needs your support to light the way for others in crisis.  Help them with an online donation and have your gift proportionally matched by The Pittsburgh Foundation’s $750,000 match pool!

“We radiate life by empathizing with the needs of the communities we serve, partnering in the healing process, as we share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and make spirit-filled disciples,” is a message of positivity found within the Light of Life website.

Jessi Marsh, Director of Development at Light of Life, says, “We serve people in crisis from all over the Pittsburgh area. People come to the mission through many places. They come in from the street and from rehab facilities. They will come to Light of Life for a meal and learn about the additional services offered. Some people come right after being released from incarceration and others are referred to Light of Life by other nonprofits.”

Wherever they come from, their lives have gotten to a really dark place. Many people may sit back and think, “that could never happen to me. I could never be homeless; never become addicted, never be so down and out that I need a rescue mission to provide a roof and meal for my survival.” But if you ask the people finding strength and services through Light of Life, many of them would tell you they thought the very same thing.

I like this video that highlights their walk event while giving us some statistics to think about.

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Light of Life also operates a Christian recovery program for single mothers and children in crisis. The Mission offers a  9–18 month program and assists women and their families with subsidized apartments, assistance with transportation, household and childcare needs, and 20 hours per week of counseling, education and training.

“Suffering the effects of abuse, addiction and poverty, most women enter the program incapable of functioning in a parental role. This need is addressed by teaching recovery and parenting skills and strengthening the family unit through outings and activities,” Marsh adds about the program.

The following is a story of hope and determination resulting from Light of Life’s help:

Debra’s struggle with drugs and alcohol began when she was 21 years old. Using alcohol and crystal meth to ease inner turmoil, she found herself in jail in 1987, charged with vehicular homicide and DUI.

After spending three years in jail, Debra was determined to lead a better life. Her faith was stronger and her self-esteem had improved. Debra remarried, had four children and attended college—graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in psychology and art.

However, her 21-year, second marriage was dangerously unhealthy—racked with emotional and physical abuse. Then, in 2007, Debra started using crack cocaine and immediately became addicted. Once again, her life spiraled downward.

The situation worsened. But in 2009, Debra mustered the courage to leave the situation. Settling her children in with a friend, she entered Light of Life’s recovery program for women and children.

“The program forever changed and saved my life. The counseling, parenting, and co-dependency classes were incredibly helpful; Bible studies were crucial to my recovery.”

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Light of Life continues to change lives and positively impact communities year after year. Support them on Day of Giving and mark your calendar for their upcoming event:

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More Than a Meal Gala,, October 25, 2012

Come join us at this year’s “More Than a Meal” Gala, being held October 25, 2012, at the beautiful LeMont Restaraunt in Pittsburgh!

The evening will feature delicious food, a silent auction, and inspirational testimonies of life transformation. This is a great opportunity to partner with Light of Life and to celebrate 60 years of providing services to poor and homeless men, women, and children.

You can register for the Gala at LightOfLife.org

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There are so many facets to the work at Light of Life that can’t possibly all be shared in one post. Please read more in their latest newsletter to see how others, like Pittsburgh-area native and former Pittsburgh Pirate, Sean Casey are pitching in to make a difference with the Light of Life’s mission. You can also check out and follow the Light of Life blog,

Simply Put – We can talk about the problems in the world. Or we can set out on a mission to fix them right here in our communities. Take part in being a solution and give to Light of Life on Day of Giving or find volunteer opportunities in their Mission.

Changing Lives as Fellows For Life

What if we lived in a world where doctors, lawyers, social workers, dentists, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, and others specializing in health care focused careers cared about the world enough to understand the social disparities in their patient’s or client’s lives?

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What if we lived in a world where these professionals looked at us as a whole person and searched for underlying causes of health inequalities, such as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age when determining the state of their health?

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What if they then worked to build treatments, programs, and resources to overcome the challenges faced  to address those health disparities and the social determinants of health?

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What if these people considered their career, skills, or passions as a vehicle to live a life of professional and vocational service?

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There are those people. And many of them – 2500 across the US to date – do this thanks to their acceptance to and involvement in the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship(ASF) Program. In Pittsburgh, over 200 Schweitzer Fellows have provided over 44,500 hours of service, since 1997, to Pittsburgh’s most vulnerable communities by partnering with area community-based organizations.

This Fellowship Program brings together some of the best and brightest graduate students as they develop into leaders who transform and bring positive change for people and their surrounding communities.

This year, the 23 fellows have implemented projects “working with children with asthma, refugees, seniors, LGBT people, and other under-served groups to improve their health and lives,” says Joan Haley, Program Director, Pittsburgh Schweitzer Fellows Program.

These projects and the work of the fellows needs the support of donors tomorrow, October 3, 2012 for Pittsburgh Gives Day of Giving. Day of Giving is a 24-hour online donation drive, hosted by The Pittsburgh Foundation..

The Pittsburgh Schweitzer Fellows Program is grateful for any gift on this day where your donation will be partially matched by the Pittsburgh Foundation and fully matched by the PSFP Advisory Board if you are a new donor or you’re a previous donor who has increased the amount you give.

Says Haley, on the matching funds for donors given by The Pittsburgh Foundation on Day of Giving, “donations for the efforts of these emerging professionals, who do so much to improve our community, will be magnified.”

Now, maybe you’ve never heard of Albert Schweitzer.  For many of the Fellows, neither had they. But, by learning about Schweitzer’s work in Africa to improve the health and lives of people there, and by connecting with the spirit of his attitude of serving vulnerable and under-served populations, the fellows find ways to use their disciplines and talents to improve the lives of people in our communities.

The following video highlights the 13 ASF Programs across the US, including fellows from Pittsburgh, while giving a great understanding of what they do.

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“Schweitzer Fellows focus on health as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO): a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.  Rooted in this holistic understanding of health, Schweitzer projects address not only clinical health issues, but also the social determinants of health.”

In order to become a Fellow, potential candidates must complete a competitive application process that includes a description of a project that reflects their passion and interest.

Some of the past Pittsburgh initiatives include:

• Setting up permanent TB and Hepatitis B screening programs for homeless and jobless adults
• Educating parents and caregivers of special need children on oral health preventive measures
• Establishing an OB/GYN clinic that provides both preventative and acute reproductive care services for under-served women
• Training a network of community health liaisons for Pittsburgh’s Burmese refugee population
• Providing culturally competent legal counsel and referrals to Pittsburgh’s Hispanic community
• Coordinating care for inmates with mental health and substance abuse issues

Says past Schweitzer Fellow, Elizabeth Cole, Pittsburgh, “[The Fellowship] has changed the way I view myself as a future dentist; it has broadened my knowledge about the lack of access that many people in my community experience on a daily basis; it has expanded my network of relationships in the healthcare sphere; and it has allowed me to grow, develop, and learn from my amazing peers in the other health disciplines. I honestly feel like Pittsburgh might possibly be better from our year of service, but that we, as Fellows, are forever changed.”

Pittsburgh fellow Samantha Teixeira, a member of the inaugural Environmental Fellows cohort for PSFP’s Class of 2011-2012, was  the focus of a Pittsburgh Post Gazette article. Sam helped Homewood teens advocate for environmental changes in their community. By using PhotoVoice, the teens took pictures of what is positive in their community and what they would like to change.

Strong Women, Strong Girls of Pittsburgh was a winner of a Youth Service Challenge National award (one of seven in the nation) for the “Support a Cause” project developed and delivered by Pittsburgh Schweitzer Fellow, Jonelle Saunders as her Schweitzer project. After writing a curriculum about safe, healthy, and natural personal care products, Jonelle taught 3rd – 5th grade girls how to make them. The girls sold their products and donated their proceeds ($200) to Pittsburgh’s Homeless Children’s Educational Fund. While a Schweitzer Fellow, Jonelle was a graduate student at CMU’s Heinz College.

The overwhelming majority of Pittsburgh Fellows are not originally from southwestern Pennsylvania, but almost half of the fellows each year stay in SW Pennsylvania to launch their careers, or further their education.

And for these participants, once a fellow, always a fellow is the motto. Upon completion of the program, they are invited and choose to become Fellows For Life (FFL). The FFL Network of Schweitzer Fellowship alumni includes 2,500 physicians, nurses, lawyers, public health specialists, social workers, pharmacists, occupational therapists, and others in health related fields.

Simply Put – Your donation on Day of Giving to The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship Program will continue to support the efforts of young professionals as service leaders AND the valuable work they do through other community organizations.