logo
  • News
    • Northside Community Meetings
    • Community Calendar
    • Elected Officials
    • Features
    • Local Business
    • Pittsburgh Police Blotter
    • Public Safety
    • Sports
  • Arts + Culture
  • Real Estate
  • Classifieds
  • Marketplace
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
    • News
      • Northside Community Meetings
      • Community Calendar
      • Elected Officials
      • Features
      • Local Business
      • Pittsburgh Police Blotter
      • Public Safety
      • Sports
    • Arts + Culture
    • Real Estate
    • Classifieds
    • Marketplace
    • Subscribe
    • Advertise
Sarah Heinz House acts as second home for many Northside youth
Education, Features
admin, on
January 17, 2019
Sarah Heinz House acts as second home for many Northside youth

The Sarah Heinz House in Pittsburgh’s Northside offers over a century of service to youth in the community. Its mission is to empower kids to “Laugh, Learn & Lead.”

By Nick Eustis

The name “Heinz” is deeply woven into the fabric of Pittsburgh. From the Heinz History Center, to Heinz Field and Heinz Chapel, it’s hard to escape the legacy of the ketchup giant in this city. Part of this legacy is set on the Northside, and while a little less known, it continues to give back to this city in spades.

The Sarah Heinz House is one of the oldest Boys and Girls Clubs in Western Pennsylvania, with a mission to provide an environment where children can use their leisure time productively, receive quality education and learn the value of community service.

A window on the front entrance of The Sarah Heinz House states its mission: To empower kids to “Laugh, Learn & Lead.” The organization was founded over a century ago to serve kids and the community. Photo by Clifton Loosier

According to Dan Turkovich, senior program director of boys’ education at the Sarah Heinz House, the idea for the organization dates back to 1901, when Howard Heinz, son of ketchup magnate H.J. Heinz, had his shoes shined regularly by a young boy. After asking the boy why he was not at school, Heinz learned that he came from a poor immigrant family and needed the income to put food on the table. Finding a place for this boy to fit into society became the inspiration for what would later become the Sarah Heinz House.

“We’ve been around for 118 years, and it all started with that little shoeshine boy,” said Turkovich. The Heinz family bought a house and named it the Covode House after a friend of the family. It became the home of this program for 13 years. In 1914, construction was completed on the current home of the Sarah Heinz House in East Allegheny where it has remained ever since.

To become a member of the Sarah Heinz House, students pay a $25 annual fee, and must attend two non-mandatory programs every week. They must also have a 50 percent attendance rate for the two mandatory programs, Healthy Choices for Life, and Life Skills Club.

Healthy Choices for Life functions as physical education. Kids are taught teamwork and sportsmanship while playing games designed to work up a sweat. Life Skills Club splits the class into boys and girls, and teaches them the skills and building blocks needed to navigate society, relationships and their own state of being.

“For boys, it’s everything they need to know to become a productive, respectful man in
society,” Turkovich said. This includes discussing tools, mental health, teamwork, cooking and cleaning and even what feminism looks like. “We want to teach boys that you don’t have to be feminine to be a feminist,” he said. “For the girls’ side, it’s the same thing. [Cadedra Burks] is teaching them to be strong, empowered women.”

Non-mandatory programs to choose from include cooking, sewing, cross-stitch and a media lab where students learn the basics of journalism and content creation.
The Sarah Heinz House also has robotics teams that compete at the city, state and national level.

There’s plenty to do at the Sarah Heinz House, even for people who aren’t registered for programs. Open drop-in programs are offered too, including the Cafe, which provides a free healthy meal to students once a day, the gyms and game rooms to blow off steam and “Education Nation,” a quiet place where students can study and finish homework.

“Even if they’re not in a class, we want them to be here,” Turkovich said.

The Sarah Heinz House strongly encourages leadership skills, work ethic and the value of doing good. One way this is done is through the Keystone Club, an academic development and career preparation club for high school students.

Smoke billows from the Heinz Plant behind a colorful Sarah Heinz House mural. Photo by Clifton Loosier

“[Keystone] shows you how to work with people and fundraise,” said Achant’e M., a student in the 11th grade. “It’s teaching you how to prepare for college, save your money and spend it on the right things.” Students can also volunteer to take on various responsibilities around the Sarah Heinz House. Ninth-grader Jamie N., for example, sometimes supervises her fellow students in the game room, ensuring they follow house rules and stay safe.

All of these programs serve the overarching goal of Sarah Heinz House, which is to provide a wholesome, productive environment for kids to find themselves.”

“I had a hard time opening up to people,” said ninth-grader Amari H. “Here, there’s a lot of positive people, there’s nothing negative.”

“It keeps you out of trouble, in a good, safe environment. It makes you feel like you’re a part of a community, because there’s always somewhere here that you fit into,” Jamie said.

“You can come here and feel like you’re at home,” said Achant’e. “I feel like this is my second house, for real.”

Donate today to help support the Northside community newspaper's mission to provide hyperlocal coverage for our neighborhoods, neighbors, and their future.

Related Posts
First in-person CCAC graduation since 2019 held at Heinz Field
Education, North Shore
First in-person CCAC graduation since 2019 held at Heinz Field
There were close to 3,000 candidates for graduation. By Ashlee Green Photos: Gene J. Puskar for CCAC The Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) ...
July 14, 2022
New electrostatic drones could disinfect Heinz Field in three hours
North Shore, Sports, Video Features
New electrostatic drones could disinfect Heinz Field in three hours
Each unit weighs approximately 50 pounds and can disinfect up to 20 acres per hour. Photo by Eric Santoyo via Pexels By Mario Cosentino In the wake of...
August 11, 2020
Northside ballpark and sports bars remain empty amid start of baseball season
North Shore, Restaurants, Sports
Northside ballpark and sports bars remain empty amid start of baseball season
Season ticket and North Shore restaurant sales will both take hits this year, but sports fans still have hope for the fall. Photo of PNC Park by Laure...
July 22, 2020
Northside Happenings October 17 to 20, 2019
Allegheny Center, Allegheny City Central, Allegheny West, Historic Deutschtown, North Shore, Troy Hill
Northside Happenings October 17 to 20, 2019
This weekend in the Northside: Learn about startups at Cafe Innovation, take part in Mayfly Market's one year anniversary party, join a Diwali celebra...
October 16, 2019
Coffee and community converge at Kaffeehaus
East Deutschtown and Spring Garden, Event Coverage, Historic Deutschtown
Coffee and community converge at Kaffeehaus
Kaffeehaus Cafe regularly raises money for community causes. This time, they decided to return a regular customer's goodwill. By David S. Rotenstein P...
October 1, 2019
New class of Pitt Hall of Famers to be honored at Heinz Field
North Shore, Sports
New class of Pitt Hall of Famers to be honored at Heinz Field
The University of Pittsburgh unveiled its 2019 Athletics Hall of Fame class. Here's a list of some of the men who will be honored at the Sept. 21 game...
September 1, 2019
e-Edition
Northside Neighborhoods
Northside Guides
FORMS + SUBMISSIONS
Events Letters to the Editor News Tips
POLL
MOST READ
Town Talk: Pizza! Pizza! Not your typical pizza chains
Allegheny City Central, Business...
Town Talk: Pizza! Pizza! Not your typical pizza chains
March 20, 2023
Most Northsiders are likely familiar with the phrase “Pizza! Pizza!” from the TV commercial promoting a national pizza chain. Yet (and to our benefit)...
this is a test
February poll results
Editor Picks, Features...
February poll results
March 18, 2023
February saw the launch of an exciting new feature on The Northside Chronicle’s website: polls! We asked our visitors to cast their votes on a variety...
this is a test
PREVIEW: Northside company launches program to promote robotics startups
Allegheny City Central, Business...
PREVIEW: Northside company launches program to promote robotics startups
March 17, 2023
Robots are perhaps one of the most common ideas people think about when they envision the future. And one Northside company is seeking to bring the fu...
this is a test
Ask An Attorney
Local Business, News...
Ask An Attorney
March 16, 2023
This month’s article will focus on insurance, namely car insurance. Car insurance is a necessary evil as it allows us to compensate others for injurie...
this is a test
BREAKING: Perry graduate to add books to school’s library
Arts + Culture, Features...
BREAKING: Perry graduate to add books to school’s library
March 16, 2023
A Perry High School graduate will install two of her own books in the school's library in an event this Friday. Maisha Howze , who graduated from Perr...
this is a test
Neighborhood Community Development Fund
Northside Leadership Conference
Donate

The Northside Chronicle

thenorthsidechronicle.com
Phone: (412) 321-3919
Email: [email protected]

About Us

Stay tuned with us

Copyright ©2022 Northside Chronicle. All rights reserved.