In the more than 120 years since the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth first provided shelter to three orphaned children, Holy Family Institute has become a beacon of light to children and families in Allegheny County and the Greater Pittsburgh region. Holy Family Institute provides a continuum of care through comprehensive and culturally responsive services for children and families throughout Southwestern PA and serves roughly 40,000 individuals each year.

Holy Family Institute operates a wide range of social services for children and families, including alternative and specialized education, family counseling, shelter services for immigrant children, and energy assistance. Holy Family's programs are based on the belief that the family is key to the holistic development of the child. This perspective guides Holy Family to empower each family to cultivate an environment conducive to the well-being of all its members.

Some of our programs include:

• In-Home Family Services is a counseling program that empowers families to handle a wide array of challenges related to abuse, substance use, attachment disorders, grief, depression, anxiety, family issues, or relationship problems. This program is designed to support families facing removal of their child by Children Youth and Family Services so that they can improve their home life and keep their family together.


• Stop Now and Plan (SNAP) is an early intervention program for children ages 6 to 11 and their families to work together on improving serious behavioral challenges. SNAP participants learn skills and strategies for managing behaviors and work directly with caseworkers to support their individual goals.


• Visit Coaching works with families who have had children removed from the home by Children Youth and Family Services, helping them to make the most of supervised visits. Visit Coaches meet with parents prior to their visits to plan meaningful and age-appropriate activities for their children to ultimately create a safe and loving environment for the family. In 2023, 78% of clients that completed the Visit Coaching program reported improved parenting skills.


• Parents and Children Together is a 90-day intervention program that meets regularly with families to identify barriers that contribute to truancy, work to decrease those barriers, and locate vital community support and resources. Last year, 84% of children in the program improved school attendance.


• The Customer Assistance Program provides year-round energy assistance to local residents who are struggling to pay their utility bills. The Customer Assistance Program operates out of offices in Aliquippa, Beaver Falls, McKeesport, McKees Rocks, and Swissvale. Last year, the program supported more than 38,000 families in the Greater Pittsburgh Region.

As these programs help families through times of difficulty and transition, basic needs items can make a world of difference. Critical Needs Alert funds will support the purchase of diapers, children's clothing, cleaning supplies, books, furniture, transportation, and other critical needs for the families we serve.