Cara Jette ReClaim South Ambassador, 2014 A Web Developer by day and future community leader by night. Cara is originally from Haverhill, MA. She joined ReClaim South in order to help improve her current neighborhood. Her favorite part of Allentown is her peaceful street with amazing views of the city. Click here to learn more about her project, The Historic Knoxville Incline Trail Entrance. ReClaim South Sustaining Momentum Ambassador, 2016 Cara is a driven Allentown resident who aims to brighten people's days as they travel…Read More
Robin DeVaughn ReClaim South Sustaining Momentum Ambassador Originally from Beltzhoover, Robin enjoys engaging her community through street clean ups and church events. She is a very active member of the St. Paul AME Church in Beltzhoover and has been assisting with the church's garden since its inception. By joining the Ambassador program, Robin is eager to learn more gardening skills so she can share her knowledge and healthy food with her community. She hopes to inspire her friends, family and neighbors to stay focused, work hard and…Read More
Heather Messiah ReClaim South Sustaining Momentum Ambassador Heather is a very active resident of Beltzhoover. She has helped her community through different church functions, participated in Feed the Community at the Warrington Recreation Center, assisted with clean up days and worked at the Voices Against Violence summer camp. She will be partnering with ReClaim South Ambassador Cheryl to enhance the St. Paul AME Church garden. She hopes that her work will help this space continue to be a place of peace and better provide…Read More
Brian Fallet ReClaim South Sustaining Momentum Ambassador Brian loves the views from his neighborhood of Allentown and the potential for Allentown to develop through the low cost of housing. He is a member of the Allentown Facade Committee and the Property Stabilization Committee. He hopes to inspire his friends and family by becoming a ReClaim South Ambassador. He looks forward to the day that his local community gains the recognition it deserves. This year, Brian will be assisting his Ambassador colleague Linda with her side lot community garden…Read More
Lila Scogdins ReClaim South Sustaining Momentum Ambassador Lila will be partnering with original ReClaim South Ambassador Natalie on her Ambassador community garden plot in Beltzhoover. Lila hopes to inspire peace through the garden space and is excited to work directly with her community.Read More
Jamie Balser ReClaim South Sustaining Momentum Ambassador Originally from Virginia, Jamie loves the Southside Slopes because its proximity to so many amenities. Jamie will be creating a welcoming trail head entrance to the South Side Park near the Bandi Shaum Garden. He hopes to inspire people to use this part of the trail and increase foot traffic into the park. He is excited by the activity in his neighborhood and is excited about making his community even more livable. As an experienced ReClaim South…Read More
Natalie Thomas ReClaim South Ambassador A lifelong resident of Beltzhoover, Natalie took the initiative to start the "Positive Effect Garden" across the street from her house. During her time in the ReClaim South program, she hopes to learn more about gardening and continue to encourage the creative do-gooding of the neighborhood kids. Click here to learn more about her project, The Beltzhoover Unified Positive Effect Garden.Read More
Gordon Hodnett ReClaim South Ambassador, 2014 For nearly 50 years, Gordon has lived in Beltzhoover, and he can vividly recount how the community used to be a thriving, active place. Today, there are less people and more vacancy and his favorite spot is his back porch and enjoys walking around McKinley Park. Through the program he wants to grow green things to beautify his block. Click here to learn more about his project, The Garden on Gearing. ReClaim South Sustaining Momentum Ambassador,…Read More
Linda Piso ReClaim South Ambassador, 2014 Like a true Pittsburgher, Linda left for a number of years, only to boomerang back to the 'burgh. She is excited to see her Library being more active and plans to partner with them to create a community garden. Her hope is that it will bring together different groups of neighbors (including her newest neighbors from Bhutan) together to socialize, work and eat together. ReClaim South Sustaining Momentum Ambassador, 2015 As a resident of Knoxville, Linda…Read More
Cheryl Ruffin ReClaim South Ambassador, 2014 As a Pastor at St. Paul AME, Cheryl is already dedicated to the enhancement of her neighborhood. She moved back to Pittsburgh from San Francisco with her family to come back to a very vacated Knoxville. Although her neighborhood is a little rough around the edges, she is quick to point out the quality of her neighbors and congregation. Click here to learn more about her project, the Beloved Community Garden of Hope. ReClaim South Sustaining…Read More
Suzanne N. Photos ReClaim South Ambassador, 2014 Suzanne has lived in her neighborhood for 38 years and has seen the changes that it has gone through. In particular she misses the former St. Joseph church and the sense of community there was when she was growing up. Through this program, she hopes to restore neighborhood togetherness and increase the number of those residents engaged in the community. Click here to learn more about her project, GameStop at the Corner. ReClaim South Sustaining Momentum…Read More
John Niederberger ReClaim South Ambassador, 2014 As an avid antique glass collector, John can tell you all about the glass that used to be produced in his neighborhood at the turn of the century. Cousins with Suzanne, they have reconnected recently to tackle a greening project together. He is interested in improving the quality of life of his neighbors by "declucking" vacant lots in his community. Click here to learn more about his project, St. Joseph's Garden. ReClaim South Sustaining Momentum Ambassador,…Read More