In this monthly column, Pittsburgh District 1 Councilman Bobby Wilson shares his message for Northsiders.

Photo of Pittsburgh’s City Council Chambers by Ashlee Green

Hello everyone,

Throughout this novel coronavirus pandemic, my office is hearing stories from businesses struggling to keep their doors open, parents concerned about their children’s educations, and Northsiders awaiting their unemployment checks. My office has been looking to help in any way that we can. 

Even in regular times, paper products and cleaning supplies are vital for folks in need. Moreover, such products cannot be purchased with an EBT card nor are they distributed by food pantries. So, we reached out to our partners at Cityview Church, the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank, the University of Pittsburgh, Office Depot, and the Housing Authority. With their help and collaboration, we were able to provide a care package to over 400 households at Arch Courts Senior Housing, Pressley Street High Rise, and Northview Heights High Rise. We wanted to take this moment to profusely thank each and every Northsider who donated to this drive. We especially want to thank Pastor Leann Younger of Cityview Church for collecting all these donations and organizing their distribution at Arch Court and Pressley. Thank you to all the Housing Authority employees and residents that worked with us to coordinate and distribute these essential items. Thank you to our partners at the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank, the University of Pittsburgh, and Office Depot for stepping up and helping us meet these essential needs of our neighbors in these three communities. I recognize that such donations pale in comparison to the dire need that the pandemic has brought to the Northside, but our hearts are full right now because we got to witness and participate in the extraordinary generosity and neighborliness of my Council District. 

I hope you have a relaxing and enjoyable Fourth of July this summer. I certainly know that if your kids are anything like mine, you should take them to Marmaduke Playground in Brighton Heights this summer, where they can enjoy running through the sprinkler that has been turned back on at the spray park. But in all seriousness, every Fourth of July we celebrate the fact that we live in a free country that protects and enshrines our rights as citizens and human beings. However you choose to enjoy your Fourth of July during this summer of social distancing, I hope we can all take a moment to reflect on the hard conversations we need to have and the hard work we need to do to make sure that our laws and our government work fairly and equitably for everyone. 

In the meantime, please feel free to contact my office if you have any questions, concerns, or stories. You can call my office at (412) 255-2135, email us at district1@pittsburghpa.gov, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We look forward to hearing from all of you.

Happy Fourth of July!

Bobby Wilson
Councilman, District 1

Related posts:

June 2020 newsletter from Northside Councilman Bobby Wilson

May 2020 newsletter from Northside Councilman Bobby Wilson

April 2020 newsletter from Northside Councilmen Bobby Wilson and R. Daniel Lavelle