Volunteers help get Hosanna House ready for summer camp

CBS News

18-04-2025

Hosanna House in Wilkinsburg is gearing up for a season of inspiration for thousands of local kids, but first, they need to do some spring cleaning and a few improvement projects.
It's that time of year, rain or shine, that Hosanna House gets its 14-acre Sherwood Event Center ready for three months of fun and learning for thousands of kids.
The Wilkinsburg-based nonprofit is committed to helping families reach their maximum potential. Leon Haynes, the founder of Hosanna House, says the change can be felt in the community.
"This was abandoned when we found it, literally abandoned," Haynes said.
Currently, Hosanna House is maximizing its revitalization and clean-up efforts with the help of some volunteers in the area.
About a dozen employees from Pittsburgh-based HRT Solutions joined for a volunteer day.
"We've partnered with other local nonprofits in the past and this year we're working with Hosanna House, and we love volunteering, we love giving back to the community, taking time at our busy schedules to do something like this and we just really enjoyed it," said Emily McKenry, of HRT Solutions.
"Corporate outreach means the world to us. We never could make things happen the way they happen without that type of help," Haynes added.
A few of the duties include landscaping, weeding, and constructing new play spaces. They help ensure the space measures up for the youngsters who will play, explore and grow at the Hope Academy and Summer Camp.
"So we want to give our children an outstanding summer adventure that they can talk about. So they're coming from low to moderate incomes mainly coming here and then we open it up for other surrounding communities that don't have green space, that don't have a swimming pool," said Haynes.
"So lots of children are touching this asset, getting a variety of different tools that they need to be better as they go forward in life," Haynes said.
"We are super passionate and excited about what's to come here. We can't wait to see what it looks like when all the kids are running around, having a safe place to go and play and swim in the pool, play different sports. It's just really exciting and we're just really touched to be part of this opportunity," McKenry added.
It's the kind of service that is good for the soul because that service leads to smiles.
"So I think it goes two-fold, there's a win-win for everyone when something like this happens," Haynes said.