Light of Life Rescue Mission is launching a new one-stop shop designed to better serve families experiencing homelessness or struggling to make ends meet.
The nonprofit is consolidating its services into a central hub near its Voeghtly Street shelter location, aiming to create more accessible and streamlined support for those in need. The new outreach center will house the organization’s donation center, free store, food pantry and furniture bank.
In addition to food and household essentials, the 32,000-square-foot center will connect people with health and dental insurance through partnerships with UPMC and Aetna.
For Annie Cairns, senior communications manager of Light of Life, it just makes sense to put these essential resources under one roof.
“Our food pantry is at one location, our donation center is at another location,” she said. “When you think about someone who is low income, they don't always have transportation and they have to go to separate places to get all the things that they need. This allows us to not only serve more people, but serve them better.”
The center’s proximity to Light of Life’s emergency shelter allows residents staying there to easily access resources with a short walk. But it's also designed to serve the broader community, offering assistance to those on the brink of crisis.
“Most American families are one paycheck away from being homeless,” she said. “We can alleviate the pressure of having to buy groceries or just providing clothes for your children for back to school. This will help mitigate the influx of these families that we're seeing in individuals of people who are becoming homeless.”
Earlier this year, Light of Life partnered with Off The Floor Pittsburgh distribute donated furniture and gently used items to help those in need furnish their homes.
These services, which include free pickup and delivery, will be available at the North Side outreach center as well.
“They're getting into their first apartment and they don't have anything,” Ms. Cairns said. “They don't have any clothing, they don't have the furniture, they may not have enough of their own money coming out of homelessness, even for groceries, so this new outreach center will help alleviate that.”
The expansion comes as food insecurity continues to escalate in Pittsburgh. Light of Life’s food pantry, which opened in 2018, has seen a surge in demand for groceries since the pandemic. Just last week, the pantry provided 14,000 meals — typically the amount distributed over the course of an entire month, said Jake Kyriazis, food pantry supervisor.
The pantry is relocating from Light of Life’s former North Avenue shelter about a mile away, which was too small to meet that demand. The new space will allow families to select their own fresh produce, proteins and dry goods.
“Right now, we've been making premade boxes, which is not ideal because it's like pounds of food and some people may not want certain items,” he said. “In the new space, people will be able to come in and shop for themselves.”
Allowing people to choose their own food and clothing from the donation center is an important part of the center’s approach, creating a more dignified experience.
“We take for granted the ability to go to a store and choose what we want,” Ms. Cairns said. “For low-income families, having that experience is a luxury. This new space will be a game-changer.”
With an expanded space, Light of Life is asking for the community’s help to keep up with demand. The nonprofit welcomes donations of nonperishable food items, as well as new or gently used clothing.
“We definitely think that we're going to have way more families coming now,” Mr. Kyriazis said. “The need is definitely there.”
The ribbon-cutting for the outreach center is set for May, with services expected to be fully operational this spring.
First Published: March 14, 2025, 9:00 p.m.
Updated: March 15, 2025, 12:47 a.m.
