Pittsburg, PA
How Christopher’s Kitchen is helping the community | Sunday Spotlight
Inside the Children’s Home of Pittsburgh and Lemieux Family Center everyone knows Joni D’Alessandro. She worked professionally doing hair and nails and she’s Italian, so food is her love language, and she keeps this kitchen packed with non-perishable food.
“If you have the need, we’re there,” D’Alessandro said.
She’s there providing more than just sustenance while simultaneously keeping her stepson, Christopher’s, memory alive. She said, “There’s not anything that I do, that Christopher isn’t in it.”
Christopher was only 16 when he committed suicide. “Only anybody that is in that club, and nobody wants to be in that club knows the hurt,” said D’Alesandro.
Early on in her grief, she volunteered to paint nails at UPMC Children’s Hospital.
“They would tell me about their children, about their life, about coming in as a middle-class family and leaving bankrupt,” she added.
D’Alesandro said parents would spend money every day to get necessities like water bottles and food. So, that’s when she got the idea to open a free 24-7 community pantry and kitchen, in medical settings, for the parents and guardians of pediatric patients.
Now there are two Christopher’s Kitchens at UPMC Children’s Hospital, and two at Children’s Home where pediatric patients stay as a transition after leaving the hospital.
“Families are so focused on their child’s care, which they should be, but they still need to be nourished. That’s what Christopher’s Kitchen is providing,” said the Children’s Home of Pittsburgh and Lemieux Family Center, Director of Development, Taylor Dozier.
“From a few days, if they’re just here to get some feeding training, or they could be here for months, depending on if they’re waiting for something like at-home nursing care.”
So, Christopher’s Kitchen now helps 13,000 families on average, every year with only volunteers. “We’re not doctors, we’re not nurses we’re not care workers. We’re not case managers we’re just there to help out in that moment that you need something quick,” Christopher’s Kitchen volunteer, Kate McDermott, said.
An even quicker necessity the non-profit opened 16 water stations at local hospitals. Parents show their gratitude for the food and nourishment when they’re spending countless hospital hours by their kid’s side.
Christopher’s Kitchen is completely funded by donations. “Pittsburgh is just such an amazing town for that kind of thing, and it allowed us to come into here who is like, I think the ultimate,” D’Alessandro said.
Every cent goes back into the non-profit to provide more food to feed the caretakers of hospitalized kids, in a time of need. It’s ultimately saving our community time, money, and stress while keeping Christopher’s memory alive.
The non-profit can always use volunteers, donations, or community members hosting a food donation drive. For more information on Christopher’s Kitchen and how you can help click on this story, click here.
Pittsburg, PA
Get PFL Pittsburgh results for the Eblen vs. Battle event Saturday night.
MMA Fighting has PFL Pittsburgh results for the Eblen vs. Battle fight card and more from UPMC Events Center in Pittsburgh on Saturday night.
In the main event, former Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen tries to earn another title shot with a win over Bryan Battle, who makes his PFL debut. Eblen (16-1) suffered his first career loss against Costello van Steenis in a PFL title bout in his most recent outing.
Dalton Rosta and Impa Kasanganay clash in a middleweight contest in the co-main event.
Check out PFL Pittsburgh results below.
Main Card (ESPN2 at 10 p.m. ET)
Johnny Eblen vs. Bryan Battle
Dalton Rosta vs. Impa Kasanganay
Ariane Lipski da Silva vs. Sumiko Inaba
Alexei Pergande vs. Julio Arce
Lazaro Dayron vs. Jacob Thrall
Prelims (ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET)
Allan Begosso vs. Jack Cartwright
Natan Schulte vs. Jakub Kaszuba
Robert Watley vs. Dakota Bush
Ernesto Rodriguez vs. Masayuki Kikuiri
Tatiana Postarnakova vs. Elora Dana
Josh Fremd vs. Jarrah Al Salawi
Ethan Goss vs. Fred Dupras
Pittsburg, PA
Pittsburgh has rainiest March in nearly 60 years as flooding causes issues across area
Several areas across western Pennsylvania were hit by flooding as overnight rainfall pushed Pittsburgh past a nearly 60-year-old record.
Pittsburgh has recorded 6.18 inches of rain in March, breaking the record of 6.10 inches, which was set in 1967. The rain caused issues in several communities on Friday, including some in Washington and Westmoreland counties.
Major road flooded in Washington County
Communities across Washington County spent Friday cleaning up after flooding from Thursday night’s storms.
Roads were closed, and ballfields were wrecked because of the rain. Ponds that aren’t supposed to be there could be found all over the county.
“As long as it rains and the creek is flooded, then the road is flooded,” Ruth Mahoney, the owner of The Glass Place in Cecil Township, said.
Georgetown Road in Cecil Township turned into a lake at the bottom of a hill and underpass. Dispatchers said the driver of a car stuck in the water didn’t have to be rescued or taken to the hospital. The flooding ties up the area as the road connects Interstate 79 to Route 19.
“It’s a main artery,” Mahoney said. “Tons of cars come down here every day.”
North Strabane Township saw more of the same. The Lindenwood Golf Club had some new water hazards on the course on Friday. As the water receded into the Linden Creek, a mess was left behind.
It was the same story in Houston.
“When I looked out the window, I was like, ‘woah.’ It’s just rising fast,” said Rogelio Esteris. “My daughter was here playing baseball yesterday because she’s on the softball team and now the field is ruined.”
South Strabane Township had a landslide on Locust Road as well. Mother Nature didn’t take it easy on Washington County. Mahoney said it’s affecting her business.
“When people call, they want to know how to get here,” she said. “You have to tell them, you can’t come because it’s closed today or there’s a backroad, but they don’t understand how to come on the backroad.”
Mahoney said the water should take about a day to recede. Officers told KDKA the car would have to wait to be towed until the water goes down.
Loyalhanna Creek rises, flooding yards
As dawn broke on Friday morning and the rain from the previous night began to cease, some residents of Westmoreland County who live close to the Loyalhanna Creek saw flooding around their homes and along their local roads.
Paul Faust, who lives in the Darlington area of Ligonier Township, has a small tributary to the Loyalhanna Creek in his backyard, but on Friday, that run was acting less like a stream and more like a moat.
“I was up probably about 5 a.m., and it was high,” Faust said. “But it wasn’t over the bank like this and then the next following two hours it started going up. But that is always how it is after it rains.”
Faust says that he and his wife have a system for when their area floods, including tying down outdoor furniture and moving their cars to the top of their driveway.
Many people that KDKA spoke with in Ligonier Township on Friday who live in low-lying areas said they are used to this type of thing and while this flash flood was unexpected, it was not out of the ordinary.
Some water had already begun to recede by Friday afternoon, but Ligonier Valley Police Chief Michael Matrunics still wanted to urge caution, especially for people driving on side roads that may still be flooded around the township.
“It might not look it, but it could be deeper than you expect,” Matrunics said. “And keep in mind, if you go past signs that are posted here, you could be cited for that. Also, if emergency services have to come out and rescue you or tow companies, you’re responsible for the cost. And your safety. Let’s put that at number one. So don’t drive through standing water on these bad weather dates.”
Pittsburg, PA
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