Pittsburgh LGBTQ Charities has three major projects right now

Trans media inite

Dr. John P. Ruffing VMD Pet Food Pantry

Community Safety – Whistle Kit Assembly

And we need help. Our current volunteers have taken on the Herculean task of delivering food to all of our pantry caretakers every month, a decision made necessary after someone stole our stuff from our distribution bins. Delivering pet food parcels to 30 households is a lot.

Here’s what we need, whether a one time task or ongoing commitment.

Pet Food Pantry

Volunteer to deliver non-foot items (shelters, bowls, etc) to about a dozen households, mostly in McKees Rocks/West Side and the Northside. Some items are a bit heavy. This needs to happen very soon.

One of our non-food item is a shelter that needs to be assembled. I don’t think its difficult just beyond my ken. Then it needs to be delivered to McKees Rocks.

Ongoing – we have a monthly route that is basically the Allegheny Valley with stops in New Kensington, Arnold, Natrona Heighs, Penn Hills, and so forth. Pick up on the Northside. Should be able to lift 20 lbs. No contact, curbside dropoff. Once a month.

We also need a driver to do Homestead, West Mifflin, Port Vue, McKeesport

Ongoing – our existing routes are getting too big so we need to find another driver to pick up Hilltop households (Carrick, Mt. Oliver, Southside, Hazelwood), a Northside route (we have two drivers already there) and a backup person for the “outer South Hills’ communities.

Staffing tables at pet events or general events. You can be trained in 15 minutes.

Graphic design – we need a logo for the pet food pantry. Gertie is our mascot.

We’ve been asked to support food distros throughout the community with pet food. A coordinator for that effort would be great.

Whistleblowers

Immediate need to pick up items from Greenfield and bring to me in Manchester. Just a few boxes, nothing real heavy.

We need spaces that will accept donations of gently used lanyards – dropoff spots. Allegheny City Brewery is on board. It would be ideal to be spread out geographically.

Volunteer to pick up these donations on a regular basis. You can call the contact to see what they have and drop off in Manchester.

Bring someone to help us on March 22 10-2 at Allegheny City Brewery

Help us connect with events/organizers in the LGBTQ+ community, rescue groups, vaccine clinics, etc.

I’d really like to get the whistle kits distributed in our home neighborhood of Manchester.

Trans Media Project

This project has been turned upside down by a simple, horrifying fact – fatal violence against trans folx in the United States is being erased from mainstream media, government and nonprofit databases, and the core conversations. It is patently absurd to think people just stopped dying in the wake of legislative nightmares around the country. So we are pivoting to be useful. This is ongoing. We’d value your input.

To volunteer, go to bit.ly/PLCVolunteer or email folx@pghlgbt.org

One of our favorite supporters and volunteer is award-winning international cartoonist and maze maker, Joe Wos. He created the Gertie image, then recently created Gertie blowing a whistle and Gertie with a trans pride flag. His talents are enormous and we are very lucky to have his support.