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Education Policy

Imagine Allegheny County as a place where all children have access to high quality...

Health Policy

All children in Allegheny County should have access to quality healthcare and health-promoting services....

Build Alliances

Just as a rope becomes stronger with each new strand, an advocacy network becomes...

Allies for Children Announces Jamie Baxter as Executive Director

October 20, 2021 at 9:20 am

The Allies for Children Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Jamie Baxter will become the organization’s new Executive Director effective November 1, 2021. In the search for a new executive director, Allies for Children created a search committee that included both board members and key stakeholders. In partnership with Marcum-Raffa, the committee conducted a nationwide […]

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How has COVID Impacted Students’ Visions for the Future of Learning?

October 1, 2021 at 11:40 am

Over the past year, Covid has rocked our communities particularly in our Black and Brown neighborhoods across Allegheny County. Covid has impacted every aspect of our children’s lives, impacting how they learn, communicate, socialize, and ultimately thrive. With generous support from the Grable Foundation, over the last year 1Hood Media and Allies for Children partnered together […]

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State Budget; Increases for BEF, level funding for CTE and Home Visiting

June 29, 2021 at 3:47 pm

State Budget Finalized Late last week, the General Assembly and Governor Wolf finalized a budget for FY 2021-22. Overall, the budget continues to invest in Basic Education Funding, Special Education and early childhood programs, but falls short in not increasing allocations for Career and Technical Education and Evidence-based Home Visiting. Additional advocacy work needs to […]

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Local and State Partners Come Together for Our Youngest Community Members, Prenatal to Three

June 21, 2021 at 10:45 am

Allies for Children is a proud partner of Pennsylvania’s new campaign, Thriving PA, to expand access to high-quality services for our prenatal-to-age-three population. The first three years of life are a period of incredible growth in all areas of a baby’s development. Along with local and statewide partners, Allies for Children is striving to improve health outcomes […]

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Allegheny County picks first head of Department of Children Initiatives

May 26, 2021 at 10:27 am

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Rebecca “Becky” Mercatoris was announced Tuesday as the first director of Allegheny County’s new Department of Children Initiatives. Ms. Mercatoris, of Ben Avon, will head the department after it was formed earlier this year with a 2021 budget of $443,476, described as its funding for “year zero” of the program. Allegheny County directors make […]

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Allies for Children

Build Alliances

Just as a rope becomes stronger with each new strand, an advocacy network becomes more powerful with each new voice.

Health Policy

Connect all children in Allegheny County to quality healthcare and health promoting services

Education Policy

Ensure all children in Allegheny County have access to quality schools that are equitably and adequately funded and do not prevent daily attendance.

Children are Our Future