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Every year, as March (hopefully) brings green back to our city , we invite our community to take part in something simple, joyful, and deeply impactful: Share a Shamrock . With the purchase of a digital shamrock in honor or memory of someone you love, you help fill our virtual “field” with symbols of hope while directly supporting our Community Food Services program. By sharing a shamrock, you help us provide groceries to more than 11,000 individuals each year through our food pantry and serve three nutritious meals every day to residents staying in our Emergency Shelter and Recovery House. Each shamrock added to our digital field represents the compassion of our community. Whether you dedicate one to a friend, a family member, a colleague, or simply as a gesture of generosity, your gift helps ensure that no one in our community goes hungry. This season, we invite you to Share a Shamrock and grow something meaningful. Together, our field will bloom!

East End Cooperative Ministry is temporarily halting its Community Meals program starting January 19. The daily lunch open to all in the community at no cost will no longer be available for the foreseeable future. With limited resources and funding, EECM is concentrating its efforts on its food pantry, where the need has surged dramatically throughout 2025 as more neighbors slipped into food insecurity. “This was not an easy decision,” said Dr. Diona Jones, President and CEO of EECM. “After realizing our economic position, we decided that it was in the best interest of the people we serve to amplify our efforts in the pantry vs. the community lunch. We hope to bring the Community Meals program back in its entirety once funding stabilizes.” The decision comes after a tumultuous year of funding cuts and delays, which impacted the operation of the Community Meals program. Rising costs to keep the kitchen open also played a part in the decision. EECM will still provide daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner to all residents of its Recovery House and Emergency Shelter. Anyone in need of groceries may visit the EECM food pantry from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. every weekday. To learn more about EECM and its programs, visit eecm.org . For more information regarding the Community Meals program closure, please email Emily Wentworth, Associate Development Director, at emilyw@eecm.org .

Julianna Roman is the heart of a busy household. A 30-year-old mother of five living in Pittsburgh’s Morningside neighborhood, she relies on SNAP benefits for half of her family’s groceries and visits EECM’s food pantry each week to stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables — ingredients she transforms into healthy smoothies her kids love.  Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Julianna found joy and pride in her career in construction — until an accident four years ago left her paralyzed from the waist down. Suddenly unable to work, she turned to EECM for food and support. As she recently regained the use of one of her legs and is starting to get use in the other, Julianna is now walking. Her next goal? Finding a job where she can use her construction skills to build things again, just like she used to.  With deep federal cuts to food programs like SNAP, families like Julianna’s are facing impossible choices between groceries, rent, medical bills, and utilities – not to mention  gifts and meals for the holidays. This year, Julianna received help with Thanksgiving dinner through our Thanksgiving gift card program. All five of Julianna’s kids, ages 1 to 17, will receive Christmas presents through EECM’s annual gift drive.  This holiday season, your gift can make all the difference in ensuring moms like Julianna have the basics to keep their families happy and healthy, while also providing them with those little extras for the kids that make the holiday season so special.    It is with your help that we will keep the spirit of the holidays alive in the hearts of the families we serve.   This holiday season, we ask that you help families like Julianna's by supporting the work of EECM. Over 5,000 families use our food pantry for groceries at least once a month. Any monetary donation is worth six times the purchasing power of the average shopper because of our partnership with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, enabling us to procure more food for our clients at a lesser financial cost. Learn more about how to donate. Visit eecm.org/give . Happy holidays from all of us at EECM.

From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on November 20, East End Cooperative Ministry will serve its annual Thanksgiving meal to the public at its Community House in East Liberty (6140 Station St., enter through entrance G).   Hundreds of people, including residents of our Emergency Shelter and Recovery House, homeless community members, and other participants of our various programs will receive a free meal complete with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. All are welcome to attend.   EECM President and CEO Dr. Diona Jones and Chief Program Officer Dr. Nicole Harrington are expected to speak between 11 and 11:30 a.m.   For more information on this event, please contact Emily Wentworth at emilyw@eecm.org  or 412-345-7121.

Pennsylvania residents who rely on SNAP benefits for food assistance  will soon face a difficult reality. Beginning in November 2025 , millions of Americans—including over 160,000 Allegheny County residents —will not receive their usual monthly payments due to the ongoing government shutdown. For thousands of families across the Pittsburgh region, this will mean empty pantries, skipped meals, and impossible choices  between food, rent, and medicine. At East End Cooperative Ministry (EECM) , we are preparing for what may be the largest surge in food insecurity since the height of the pandemic. Before the shutdown, food insecurity was already rising because of deep federal cuts and restrictions to essential nutrition programs. Now, the strain on food pantries and community kitchens  will intensify dramatically as families seek emergency support to stay fed. Every weekday, EECM provides a free, hot lunch to anyone in need  through our Community Kitchen  in East Liberty. Our Food Pantry  operates twice daily, offering groceries and fresh produce to neighbors who would otherwise go without. Already, we are serving more people than ever before , and we expect that number to climb sharply in the weeks ahead. We need your help to ensure no one in Pittsburgh goes hungry. Your donation directly feeds your neighbors in crisis: $4.22  provides one hot, nutritious meal. $20  provides groceries for an individual for a week. $50  provides groceries for a family of four for a week. We also welcome new and returning volunteers to help us meet the demand. Our food pantry and kitchen will be busy and we'll need extra hands! Food drives are another great way to ensure we have food stocked for our increased service population. We understand that times are tough for many Pittsburghers. But if you’re able, please consider making a donation today .

Read the latest news from EECM !

In the next two years, EECM envisions a stronger, more equitable Pittsburgh community. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE East End Cooperative Ministry Unveils Bold Strategic Direction for 2025–2026: Focused on Centering Dignity and Building Equity PITTSBURGH, PA (July 15, 2025) - East End Cooperative Ministry (EECM), a trusted anchor of support in Pittsburgh’s East End for over 50 years, has announced its new 2025–2026 Strategic Direction , a two-year roadmap to deepen its impact in the community through a renewed focus on dignity, equity, and transformational care . Amid escalating challenges in housing insecurity, food access, and social isolation, EECM’s new strategic direction boldly reaffirms its mission: "To change the lives of people facing the impacts of poverty."  The organization aims to be not only a provider of vital human services, but a leader in building a more just and connected community . Four Strategic Focus Areas EECM’s plan is organized around four key priorities that will guide the organization’s work over the next two years: Centering Dignity EECM will integrate trauma-informed, person-centered approaches across all services, emphasizing respect, autonomy, and compassion in every interaction. Building Equity Committed to racial, economic, and social equity, EECM will expand access to housing, food, and stabilization resources for historically marginalized communities. Strengthening Organizational Health To meet growing demand sustainably, EECM will invest in its staff, infrastructure, and systems to ensure long-term resilience and impact. Growing Community Partnerships EECM will broaden its collaborative network across Pittsburgh to co-create solutions and elevate the voices of people with lived experience. A Vision for Transformation “This strategy is not just a plan—it’s a promise,” said President and CEO, Dr. Diona Jones. “A promise to meet people where they are, to honor their dignity, and to stand beside them in their journey toward stability and empowerment. We are shifting from service delivery to human connection.” The strategic direction was shaped by months of input from community members, partners, staff, and board leaders, with special attention to the lived experiences of the people EECM serves. To read the full strategic direction, click here . Call to Action As part of this bold new chapter, EECM invites individuals, funders, volunteers, and partners to join in advancing its mission. The organization seeks support to fund core programs in housing, food, and youth programming—areas where federal resources have now become limited. About East End Cooperative Ministry Founded in 1970, EECM serves thousands of individuals annually through integrated services in housing, food, reentry support, youth programming, and crisis intervention. Operating out of its East Liberty Community House, EECM is a place where compassion and practical support come together to help neighbors survive and thrive.

On May 10, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., EECM will host its fourth semi-annual food drive event, Help Deliver Hope. Donors can stop by to drop off food and monetary donations without ever getting out of their cars. We encourage our friends and neighbors to host a food drive to collect items for this food collection event. These include shelf-stable, non-perishable grocery staples that will help feed families in and around the Pittsburgh area. NEW THIS YEAR, a lineup of local food and craft vendors will be on-site to celebrate the East Liberty community. Simply drive through and drop off your donations or enjoy the festivities at 6125 Harvard St. near the East Liberty Target location on Centre Ave. To donate money to our Community Food Services program, please click here . For questions, email emilyw@eecm.org . Register your food drive here .

Fresh produce, eggs, and meats are all costing much more these days. We are working hard to keep providing the same level of service to each client as our service numbers increase. For over five decades, East End Cooperative Ministry (EECM) has stood as a pillar of hope and compassion in Pittsburgh, offering critical support to individuals and families facing the harsh realities of poverty, food insecurity, and homelessness. What began in 1970 as a small coalition of faith communities has grown into a vital resource for thousands of our neighbors, ensuring that no one in our community is left without shelter, nourishment, or opportunity. Today, our mission is more urgent than ever. Across Allegheny County, 12.1% of residents experience food insecurity , meaning they do not have reliable access to enough nutritious food to sustain a healthy life. At EECM, we operate the only food pantry in the region that remains open five days a week , serving as a crucial safety net for those in need. Every month, we witness nearly 1,700 visits  to our pantry, with more than 4,000 registered individuals  relying on our support. Many of them—especially seniors on fixed incomes, and the working poor—face heartbreaking decisions between paying for rent, utilities, or food. As inflation continues to drive up the cost of basic necessities, the pressure on our pantry has never been greater. But together, we can ensure that our most vulnerable neighbors do not go hungry. Your generosity is more than a donation, it is an investment in the dignity and well-being of our community. Here’s how your contribution has a direct impact: 🔹 $50 provides a week's worth of meals for an individual. 🔹 $150 ensures a family has food for an entire week. 🔹 $500 sustains five families for a full month. 🔹 $1,000 feeds ten families for a month. Pittsburgh has always been a city defined by resilience, generosity, and a deep sense of community. We know what it means to support one another through tough times. Today, we ask for your partnership in this mission. Your support keeps our pantry doors open, our shelves stocked and hope alive for those who need it most. Whatever you can give—large or small— makes a profound difference  in the lives of the people we serve. Thank you for your kindness, your generosity, and your unwavering commitment to building a stronger, more compassionate community.   To donate today, click here . To sign up to volunteer, click here . For more information on hosting a food drive at your organization, please email development@eecm.org .

Imad Moussa loves to chat. A long-time EECM food pantry client, Imad visits the pantry every couple weeks to collect grocery staples for the home he shares with his wife in Morningside. During his visits, he entertains staff and volunteers with his love stories about Pittsburgh. Imad came to live in Pittsburgh in the 1990s from Syria after his father immigrated here and started work in the steel mills. He pursued a career in medicine until his father became ill and he could no longer afford to put himself through school. The ups and downs in Imad’s life took him from med school to cleaning jobs around the city to anti-terrorism translation work for the US government after 9/11. Now after several decades in PIttsburgh, Imad is a proud US citizen. He is grateful to “the best city in the world” that helped him through thick and thin, and the food pantry that kept him afloat in times of need. “There are no words. The love that you get before getting food helps so much.” The EECM Food Pantry is experiencing the highest levels of demand since its beginning. In these uncertain times, more and more people are using the food pantry to keep their families fed. In the words of Imad, “We are responsible to help each other.” EECM asks that you donate to our Have a Heart for Hunger campaign to help the thousands of community members like Imad keep food on their tables and hope in their hearts. Every dollar counts in the fight against food insecurity. Please help us in that fight today.

EECM's Youth Empowerment Project tackles the issue of violence with a set of performances in "Operation Rescue." Pittsburgh, PA (April 8, 2025)  – East End Cooperative Ministry (EECM) invites the community to a powerful evening of storytelling as members of its Youth Empowerment Project present “ Operation Rescue : Teen Tips for Resisting Youth Violence Today” on  Friday, April 11 at 6:30 p.m.  at  6175 Harvard St., East Liberty. Operation Rescue  is a series of original skits written, produced, and performed by local teens, aimed at preventing youth violence. Sponsored by the City of Pittsburgh’s Stop the Violence initiative, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, and Allegheny County’s Department of Human Services, this free event offers an unfiltered look into the challenges young people face—and the choices they make—in confronting violence in their communities. Over the past month, about ten student participants have worked collaboratively to write scripts, rehearse performances, and build sets. “The students have worked hard on these performances,” said Reverend Darnell Leonard, Vice President for Children and Youth Services at EECM. “ Operation Rescue  sheds light on the real-life pressures teens grapple with daily. It will be eye-opening for everyone who attends.” Violence prevention remains a critical priority for the city and county. While recent data shows a decline in youth gun deaths, Allegheny County recorded 97 homicides in 2024 , with 80  of them involving firearms (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2024). The event is part of EECM’s Project Impact, a violence prevention initiative under its Children and Youth Services (CYS) division. Through Project Impact, thousands of K-12 students are learning conflict-resolution strategies and alternatives to violence. The Youth Empowerment Project includes a core group of students, ages 14–18, dedicated to raising awareness and advocating for safe schools and communities. Reserve your free spot  by registering at https://shorturl.at/Z2MdU . About East End Cooperative Ministry East End Cooperative Ministry (EECM) is a nonprofit organization serving Pittsburgh’s East End through programs that address food insecurity, housing, and youth development. Its Children and Youth Services division works to empower young people with tools for academic success, emotional well-being, and violence prevention. Learn more at eecm.org/childrenandyouth .