Member Highlight: Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation

Name: Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation (BGC)

Founded: 1975Executive Director: Rick SwartzNumber of staff: 3 full-time senior staff membersNeighborhoods serviced: The BGC focuses on the Bloomfield, Garfield, and Friendship neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, though many of its services reach across the city.Mission Statement: The Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation exists to improve the quality of life for all in the Garfield and surrounding neighborhoods through active community engagement.Program you are really excited about: In addition to working on housing and commercial development deals, the BGC is very involved in human development because our neighbors are our greatest community asset. We are very excited for the high school students in our College and Career Readiness Program to begin internships at TechShop in Bakery Square and other worksites across the city. As part of this Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board Funded program, youth participants gain internship experience in their career interest areas and receive assistance in applying to college, completing financial aid applications, and determining their Pittsburgh Promise eligibility.Recent Accomplishments: The Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation partnered with Neighborhood Learning Alliance, University Prep High School, and Pittsburgh Prep to deliver 10 weeks of SAT instruction leading up to the November, 2014 SAT test thanks to the support of the Pittsburgh Promise.

The BGC recently partnered with Get Covered America and Pennsylvania Health Access Network to train 20 volunteers as Certified Application Counselors who can help individuals enroll in health insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace. Organizations represented include Hill House, A Second Chance, the University of Pittsburgh's School of Social Work, and Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh.

Must-see/do:  On the first Friday of every month Penn Avenue hosts its regular Unblurred gallery crawl. Live music, food trucks, art installations, and much more create a festive atmosphere on Penn Avenue, even during the ongoing reconstruction of the roadway.Best kept secret:  The view from the top of Garfield. From the top of Garfield you can see a broad stretch of the surrounding region, including the Cathedral of Learning in Oakland.Business that partners with your organization: West Penn Hospital is very active in hosting participants in the BGC’s various youth employment programs as interns in the hospital. Several outstanding interns have even been hired on as staff members at West Penn!The Eastside Neighborhood Employment Center partners with BGC to help youth in Garfield and surrounding neighborhoods prepare to enter the workforce. The ENEC offers resume building assistance, job and computer skills training, and regular on-site interviewing programs with local employers.Neighborhood Learning Alliance partners with BGC to bring their Reading Warriors (reading tutors from local high schools) into the BGC’s afterschool programs at Pittsburgh Woolslair and Pittsburgh Arsenal elementary schools to offer tutoring and mentoring support to K-5 students.Interesting fact about the organization:  The BGC was founded to combat public safety issues in the Garfield, Bloomfield, and Friendship neighborhoods. The BGC continues its public safety initiative through its Public Safety Task Force which gathers law enforcement, community leaders, probation and parole officers, and public officials to develop a unified approach to public safety in our neighborhoods. The BGC also hosted its first ever gun buyback in 2013, taking over 130 guns off of the streets.Upcoming events: The Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation is having its community holiday party on December 5^th, 5:30 to 8 pm at the BGC Community Activity Center, 113 N. Pacific Avenue. All are invited to take a photo with Santa, make a Christmas card, and hear carols from the King of Kings Baptist Ministries Choir. On Friday December 5^th there will also be an Unblurred art gallery crawl on Penn Avenue in the Bloomfield/Garfield area.Every Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. through February 15, 2015 in the BGC’s Youth Development Center, health insurance enrollment counselors will be available to guide individuals and families through the process of enrolling in Affordable Care Act and Medicaid health insurance plans. To schedule an appointment call 412-206-1298.Contact information: Aggie Brose, Deputy Director412-441-6950 ext. 155149 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224www.bloomfield-garfield.orgFor updates on BGC's work, please “like” their Facebook page (http://bit.ly/facebookbgc) and follow them on Twitter (@BloomGarCorp).