Meet the Ambassadors: Homewood Children’s Village

About Homewood Children’s Village

Our mission is to improve the lives of Homewood’s children and simultaneously reweave the fabric of the community in which they live. Through holistic approaches and strong partnerships, we create and deliver opportunities for children to succeed throughout their lifetime. We engage with youth from birth providing year-round in-school and out-of-school supports which include mentoring, tutoring, case management, field trips, job training programs, project-based learning, and college guidance. Our initiatives are based on the theory that improving adult capabilities to handle life’s challenges improves overall child outcomes. We connect families to resources that include continuing education, case-management, job training, and anti-poverty programs.

Raymond Robinson
I have been working with youth and families for over 20 years. I’ve worked with youth in out-of-home placements, schools, and in the community. I currently supervise youth working as Healthy Ride Community Ambassadors as part of our Partner 4 Work summer work program.

Erica Lewis
I am a life long Pittsburgh resident who grew up in Wilkinsburg. I am passionate about working with youth and families in the communities like the one I grew up in.

Why did Homewood Children’s Village apply to become a Healthy Ride Community Ambassador this year?

Our Learn and Earn program manager was looking for potential worksites when she came across the Community Ambassador posting. She knew Erica and I were into biking and asked if we’d be interested. A few weeks later she informed me that we were selected.

What are you (and your team) most excited about for this year’s Ambassador program?

With COVID-19 impacting many of the summer work sites, we are thrilled we can offer this experience for some of our youth. We’re looking forward to watching our youth develop community organizing and advocacy skills as they promote Healthy Ride Pgh. It will also be pretty cool to get to ride bikes as part of our job!

Where is your favorite place to bike to in or around Homewood?

One of our favorite places to ride in and around Homewood is on streets that still have the grand old homes from Pittsburgh’s industrial past. Riding to and through Frick Park is also a fun trip.

Complete the following sentence. I love Healthy Ride’s bike share program, because…

It provides an opportunity for people to get on bikes and see the city from so many different vantage points.

Any improvements you’d like to see in order to make Pittsburgh or Homewood a better place for people to bike?