Heinz Endowments commits $10 million to support young children, families

The Heinz Endowments has committed $10 million over three years for programs that target the health and well-being of children from prenatal to 3 years old and their families.

Among the larger grants already allocated are $200,000 for the Allegheny County Health Department to address infant and maternal mortality and $750,000 for a pilot research project that will study disparities in early childhood education in Allegheny County.

The Heinz Endowments — the second-largest philanthropy in Pittsburgh — hands out about $70 million annually in grants that support education, health, the environment, the arts, culture and community development.

Its $10 million commitment to very young children and their parents “is integral to our vision of a Just Pittsburgh where all have an equitable opportunity to reach their fullest potential,” said Grant Oliphant, the endowments’ president.

The philanthropy said the funding will support education needs of children and families identified through research done by the county, the City of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Public Schools.

“Kids show up to kindergarten at age 5, and we expect them all to be ready,” said Michelle Figlar, the endowments’ vice president of learning. “But the reality is that access to quality health care and child care, clean air and water, and early learning opportunities can vary greatly from family to family. … We hope to help level that playing field and prevent the need for future interventions down the line.”

NurturePA, a North Shore-based nonprofit that supports new mothers, received a $50,000 grant from the Heinz Endowments to expand assistance to mothers in recovery from drug and alcohol abuse.

The 5-year-old organization has a team of volunteers who visit new mothers at four regional hospitals to offer them information about parenting, maternal health and child development milestones.

Mothers who want ongoing support are matched with mentors who communicate with them via text messages.

About 100 volunteer mentors currently support about 650 new mothers, said Kate Brennan, director of operations for NurturePA.

With its $50,000 grant, NurturePA will partner with Pennsylvania Organization for Women in Early Recovery to develop a program to enhance parenting skills for mothers in recovery, Ms. Brennan said.

“With the opioid epidemic and a growing number of women in recovery who are also parents in recovery, we’re becoming more intentional around our support for these women,” she said.

Other grants the endowments has made as part of the new initiative include:

• $250,000 to Women for a Healthy Environment to engage schools and early learning centers in addressing environmental risks.

• $200,000 to Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania for family planning and reproductive health services to uninsured and underinsured women.

• $750,000 to Research for Action, a Philadelphia organization, to study disparities in education in Allegheny County.

• $180,000 to establish an early learning classroom at Carnegie Science Center.

• $175,000 to Partner4Work for early childhood education apprenticeships.

• $150,000 to the Women and Girls Foundation for GirlGov, a program that connects young women with the government process, and for a public education campaign about paid family and medical leave.

Joyce Gannon: jgannon@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1580.