ByDougRoot,vicepresidentofCommunicationsatThePittsburghFoundation SpurringChange IN THE HARRISBURG SUBURB OF MIDDLETON, Wendy Loranzo has dedicated herself to helping people in her community understand the realities of drug addiction and the need for treatment services. But her credential for reaching them is one that she would give anything not to have. Months aftertheterriblefact,shestillfinds itdifficulttospeakthewords:“My daughter, Liz, died of a heroin overdose.” Aside from her work leading the I Care Foundation that she founded after her daughter’s death at age 25,Wendy also cares for Liz’sinfantson,Carson,and fiancé, Kyle. Shealready hasmetwithPennsylvania’sattorney generalandseverallegislatorsinherefforttoensurethat fundingfordrugandalcoholservicesisincludedinthestate’s budget.“Wehavetodosomething — thisisanepidemicin Pennsylvania.Therearepeoplewhoneedhelp,whowanthelp, andtherearen’tenoughbedsavailable.Thesearepeoplewho literallycoulddiewaiting.” IN FORKS TOWNSHIP,a residential community in northeastern Pennsylvania, Donna Scrafano was struggling to managethe careofherelderlyparentsandholddowna demandingjobasamanagerforahumanservicesagency. After thedeathsofhermotherandbrotherin2015,Donna’s father,Edward,wantedtocontinuelivinginhisownhome,but heneededdaily assistance. After caringfor her father full timeforafewmonths,Donnahadtoreturntowork.What enabledhertodoitwithouthavingtomovehimtoaskilled nursingfacilitywasSharingtheCaring,aprogramproviding adultdaycarethroughNorthamptonCounty. Costs are defrayedthroughstatefundingtocountiesforhuman services.Theprogram“giveshimexcitementandsomethingto talkabout,”saysDonna.“Hewouldhavewastedawayinskilled nursing.Hewouldn’tbealivetodaywithouttheprogram.” ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF PENNSYLVANIA, in Warminster, acommunity near Philadelphia, LynnPlewes managesthecomingsandgoingsofhusband, Len, andher children: Emily, 26; Sarah, 23; andAnthony, 16.Theirsisafamily movingforwardinmany ways, thanksto crucialassistance intheformofcomprehensiveservicesfor Emily, who was diagnosedwithschizophreniaasachild, andSarah, who has autismandintellectualdisabilities.Fundingcoveredmedication, testing, doctors, hospitals, treatmentand, eventually, counselingfor theentirefamily. Lynnattributesher family’s perseveranceto faith, friendswho “walkthesamewalk”and effectivestate-fundedservices. “Therearechallenges … but well-staffedprogramsareabsolutely phenomenal,”shesays. “Withoutthemwecouldn’thavemadeitthrough.” IN O’HARA TOWNSHIP, anortheastPittsburghsuburb popularwithyoungfamilies,AbbyTorresdoesn’ttalkabout herdaughter,Maya’s,cerebralpalsyasthemostimportant thingintheirlives.Shetalksfirstabouthowfortunateshe istohavethreehappychildren—LandonandCarsonare Maya’syoungerbrothers—andagoodlifeinacomfortable homewithhusbandandfather,Peter.Loveisclearlythemain forceallowingtheTorresfamilytoflourish,andalongwith it,state-providedmedicalservices,includingasupports coordinatortoassistinMaya’scare.“Itreallytakesavillage,” says Abby. “Maya requires a lot of therapy, equipment andmedication,somedicalassistanceisreallyimportant.” Abbysaysshebelievesthestate-fundedservicesprovided forMaya’scarebenefittheentirefamily.“Wewantallour childrentoenjoywhatlifehastooffer,”shesays.“Thesethree kidshavesuchaspecialbond.We’relucky—blessed,really.” to fund #FamilyFirstPA, an awareness building and influencing campaign targeting representatives from key districts as well as legislative leaders and Gov.TomWolf. The goal: to make funding for vital human services a priority in the next budget. TheCampaignforWhatWorks,alobbying and advocacy movement working for years through the Foundation and UnitedWay to shape public policy for the benefit of vulnerablegroups,tookonthehumanservices protection cause.The Campaign recruited leaders in nearly every sector of life across the statetomakethecasewithstateofficials. But the most powerful influencers have been the dozens of Pennsylvania families whose members agreed to tell their personal stories of how human services have helped their families thrive. Thecampaignhasbeencitedasafactor instateofficialscomingtoanagreementona spendingplanthatincludesprotectionoffunding foressentialhumanservices. The following are selected excerpts of the #FamilyFirstPA stories told from the viewpoint of mothers and daughters: 34 35 RE P ORT TO THE COM M UNI TY THE P I TTSBURGH F OUNDATI ON