Newsmaker: Homewood Children’s Village Day

City of Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl proclaimed Dec. 11 as “Homewood Children’s Village Day,” honoring an initiative that was cofounded in 2008 by John M. Wallace, a professor and the Philip Hallen Chair in Community Health and Social Justice in Pitt’s School of Social Work, and Pitt alumnus Aliya Durham (A&S ’99, SOC WK ‘02G, GSPIA ‘02). The Homewood Children’s Village partners with Homewood residents, faith- and community-based organizations, state and local governments, the public school system, and Pitt to bolster the socio-emotional and physical environment of Homewood. It has served more than 600 children and their families. Standing in the mayor’s conference room, Downtown, are, from left, Kannu Sahni, director, Pitt Community Relations; Derrick Lopez, president and CEO of the Homewood Children’s Village; Mayor Ravenstahl; Wallace and Durham, Homewood Children’s Village board president and vice president, respectively; and John Wilds, Pitt’s assistant vice chancellor for community relations. (Photo courtesy of Mayor of Pittsburgh’s Office)