90% of those attending said they would definitely attend a future Summit.
Among their comments were these:
"Awesome overall experience, powerful; speakers and presenters were great."
GREAT JOB by the HCEF Staff on organizing a very successful event."
"I'm so glad I came today. I am inspired to do more to help those in need - especially in schools!"
"Thanks for the organization of the summit. Presenters were excellent. Great idea to present students from Sto-Rox High School! Also the song and story from Terrance and Tiann! Unbelievable but true."
"Well done, well balanced with local to national. Thank you Terrence and Tiann for sharing a part of yourselves with us!
"This was my first and it was filled with information everyone should {use} to help reduce the stigma of homelessness, as well as provide awareness in order to work together to reduce the causes of homelessness.
"I truly appreciate the entire day. The presentations invigorated one as a teacher - I am leaving refreshed and remembering that I can make a difference in the lives of my students!"
Dr. Ralph da Costa Nunez, Keynote Speaker
President and Chief Executive Officer
The Institute for Children, Poverty, and Homelessness (ICPH)
In his post-event blog, Pittsburgh - A Model for Addressing Child Homelessness, Dr. da Costa Nunez described the event as HCEF's bringing together "individuals on the front lines at shelters and school systems, those crafting the policies, those researching the solution, and those children who are formerly homeless and whose voices are too often left out of the conversation. The summit was a model for connecting the dots of research, policy and practice, with everyone coming from different perspectives, but sharing the same goal." See Dr. da Nunez's blog here.
Other Summit speakers were David J. Hickton, U.S. Attorney, Western Region of Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania State Senator Wayne Fontana; Denise Ross, Supervisor, Homeless Education Program – Prince George’s County Public Schools, Maryland; Sto-Rox High School "Anti-Bullying Association" Skit; Rich Fitzgerald, Allegheny County Executive; Dr. Michele Sellitto, Assistant Director - Bureau of Teaching and Learning Support - Pennsylvania Department of Education; Dr. Ed Vollbrecht, Director, Bureau of Teaching and Learning - Pennsylvania Department of Education; Dr. Stephen J. Bagnato - Professor of Psychology & Pediatrics and Director, Early Childhood Partnerships - University of Pittsburgh/Office of Child Development; Mark Bagnato, Student - Integrated Marketing/Communications at Duquesne University and HCEF Service Learning Participant; Jeremiah Jackson, Director of Diversity - Sewickley Academy; Terrance and Tiann Moses, Students at Pittsburgh Technical Institute. HCEF's Charlie LaVallee, Director - Homeless Education Network (HEN) served as event moderator and Rob DeOrio, Chair of the HCEF Board of Trustees, provided closing remarks.
AND we say a fond goodbye to Charlie Lavallee, who leaves HCEF after 3 years of innovative, effective, and successful "ways of doing" on behalf of children caught up in the very many challenges of living homeless. He has taken his passion and extraordinary insights for serving children to Variety - The Children's Charity where he has been named Chief Executive Officer. God bless you, Charlie.
Charlie, you are a hard act to follow - in uncountable ways. You've set the mark for all of us, and we'll surely miss you.
We are most grateful for the ongoing support of The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Heinz Endowments and their commitment to addressing the very many needs of children unstably housed in our communities.
(6/5/12)
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