b'LEADING SUPPORTSSUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIESTHE PITTSBURGH AFTER SIGNIFICANT PLANNINGlast year, Neigh-PROMISE borhood Allies and the City of Pittsburgh in March launched the Pittsburgh Financial Empowerment Center, which provides free financial counseling to all city residents. The NOW IN ITS 11TH YEAR,The Pittsburgh Promiseone-on-one sessions are tailored to individuals received a $1 million grant from The Heinzand families whose goals include paying down Endowments, which has donated nearlydebt, increasing savings, establishing good $20 million since the scholarship programscredit, and opening safe and affordable bank inception. The Promise also received a $1 mil- accounts. Local grants from BNY Mellon Foun-lion grant from Pittsburgh-based Americandation of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Hillman Eagle Outfitters, the companys second giftFoundation and PNC Bank total $280,000. of that size. The grant was announced at thisThose funds are supplemented by $30,000 years signing day, an event in which Promisefrom the City of Pittsburgh and a $250,000 scholars, like the two students pictured above,grant from the national Cities for Financial announce and celebrate their posthigh schoolEmpowerment Fund, based in New York City. plans. Since its first year, the Promise hasPittsburgh is the eighth city to implement the provided about $130 million in scholarshipsFEC model. to more than 8,800 graduates of the PittsburghThe organizations Grassroots Grantmak-Public Schools network.ing Committee funded 47 resident projects Also this year, Point Park University, Lathis year totaling $96,073 through its Love Roche University and Chatham UniversityMy Neighbor! grant program, which aims to announced extending support to Promiseimprove communities. Funded were arts and scholars attending the institutions gradu- culture projects, civic education programs and ate schools. The scholarships are equal togardens such as the Carolyn Holmes Zara 20%30% of tuition per semester.Street tire garden in Knoxville, above. 28'