In order to prepare for a season of inspiration for thousands of local children, Hosanna House in Wilkinsburg must first complete a few improvement work and some spring cleaning.
Hosanna House prepares its 14-acre Sherwood Event Center for three months of fun and education for thousands of children during this time of year, rain or shine.
The nonprofit organization with its headquarters in Wilkinsburg is dedicated to assisting families in realizing their full potential. The community is feeling the transformation, according to Hosanna House founder Leon Haynes.
“This was abandoned when we found it, literally abandoned,” Haynes stated.
With the assistance of a few local volunteers, Hosanna House is currently making the most of its cleanup and restoration initiatives. For a volunteer day, about a dozen staff members from HRT Solutions, based in Pittsburgh, joined.
“We’ve partnered with other local nonprofits in the past and this year we’re working with Hosanna House, and we love volunteering, we love giving back to the community, taking time at our busy schedules to do something like this and we just really enjoyed it,” Emily McKenry, of HRT Solutions stated.
“Corporate outreach means the world to us. We never could make things happen the way they happen without that type of help,” Haynes continued.
Among the tasks include creating additional play areas, weeding, and landscaping. They assist in making sure the Hope Academy and Summer Camp has enough space for the children who will play, explore, and develop there.
“So we want to give our children an outstanding summer adventure that they can talk about. So they’re coming from low to moderate incomes mainly coming here and then we open it up for other surrounding communities that don’t have green space, that don’t have a swimming pool,” Haynes stated.
“So lots of children are touching this asset, getting a variety of different tools that they need to be better as they go forward in life,” Haynes stated.
“We are super passionate and excited about what’s to come here. We can’t wait to see what it looks like when all the kids are running around, having a safe place to go and play and swim in the pool, play different sports. It’s just really exciting and we’re just really touched to be part of this opportunity,” McKenry continued.
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Because it makes people smile, it’s the kind of service that is excellent for the soul.
“So I think it goes two-fold, there’s a win-win for everyone when something like this happens,” Haynes stated.
