SHIM nurtures neighbors to build healthy lives through family support, immigrant and refugee assistance, parenting classes, support groups and more!
Because a strong community starts at home, SHIM’s team works with parents on health and well-being, positive parenting, economic self-sufficiency and keeping their children safe at home.
SHIM Family Center is free to all families and provides home visits, child development screenings and group activities to families in need with children up to age five.
Families also participate in field trips, discussions with guest speakers, a weekly Family Group and monthly Family Council meetings. These activities allow families to spend time together, foster community and provide opportunities for English language development.
The South Hills is home to the largest community of refugees in the Pittsburgh region. For 20 years, SHIM has been providing comprehensive support to refugee and immigrant families who have resettled in the United States, helping them make a better life.
Programs for refugees include Immigrant Services and Connections, in addition to programs for our whole community that benefit refugees like SHIM’s Family Services, Youth Mentoring Program, Early Childhood Program, After School Program, Ruling Our eXperiences and more.
Immigrant Services and Connections (ISAC)
ISAC assists refugees and immigrants in accessing existing services like shelter, education, healthcare and legal support in Allegheny County.
As one of five sites in the multi-agency partnership coordinated by Jewish Family and Community Services of Pittsburgh, interpreters are available to enhance communication.
Parenting can be tough, but SHIM’s Nurturing Parenting Class empowers parents to bond with their children and develop healthy relationships.
SHIM’s Nurturing Parenting class helps local families learn the ins and outs of parenting. This is especially useful since so many of SHIM’s families include foreign-born parents, who may be working to adapt to the culture of family life in America.
Once a week, SHIM’s instructors lead a curriculum focused on enhancing nurturing skills for parents and enabling families to flourish. The lessons are centered around positive self-worth, empathy, empowerment and strong will, structure, discipline and laughter, humor and play. The class is typically held at SHIM’s South Hills Family Center, though even during the pandemic, parents continued to come together virtually.
