Hermanowski Family Foundation Initial Request Form

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Organization Name: The Promise Center of Homewood Inc
Legal Name (if Different):
Also Known As: The Promise Center
Mailing Address: 7825 Hamilton Ave
City: Pittsburgh
State: Pennsylvania
Postal Code: 15208
Main Phone: 7245544157
Main Fax:
Organization Website: www.thepromisecenterofhomewood.com
Employer ID Number: 88-0877638
Organization Tax Status: 501(c)3

Proposal Information

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Today’s Date: March 4, 2026
Requested Amount: 5,000

Project Title: Promise Pathways Literacy and Academic Support Program
Project Description:

The Promise Center of Homewood requests $5,000 to support the educational component of Promise Pathways, a year-round Out-of-School Time initiative serving youth ages 5–18 in Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood.

Founded by Nate Goodson and formally incorporated in 2020, the Promise Center provides a safe, structured environment where young people can strengthen academic skills, build resilience, and develop positive relationships with mentors and peers. The program currently serves 50 youth at a time and approximately 75 unique youth annually.

Youth participating in Promise Pathways face significant educational barriers. Most students enter the program more than one to two grade levels behind in reading, and many struggle with foundational literacy skills including decoding, fluency, and comprehension. In some cases, youth arrive functionally illiterate, limiting their ability to fully participate in school and restricting long-term educational opportunity.

The Academic and Job Readiness branch of Promise Pathways provides structured literacy instruction, tutoring, and academic mentoring designed to address these gaps. Through a partnership with Carlow University and the Reading Out Loud literacy model, youth receive targeted support aligned with the science of reading. Students participate in two hours of academic programming four days per week, where they receive small-group literacy instruction, homework assistance, and individualized support.

Grant funds will support literacy curriculum materials, instructional books, learning resources, and educational tools used during academic sessions. These resources are critical to helping youth strengthen reading skills, build academic confidence, and remain engaged in school.

By investing in literacy support for youth who begin the program significantly behind academically, the Hermanowski Family Foundation will help expand educational opportunity and long-term success for young people in the Homewood community. Specifically, this grant will support the purchase of the program supplies needed throughout the year.

Total Project Budget: $24,000

Other Funding
Sources For The Project (Committed & Potential): We have funding commitments for all but $7145 of this budget line. Funds are committed from the State, the County, and another Foundation.

Project Duration: June 1, 2026 to May 31 2027
Geographical Area Served: Allegheny County, PA (Pittsburgh and the surrounding area)
Age Group To Be Served: 5-18

Contact Information

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Contact Prefix (Mr,Mrs etc.): Ms
Contact First Name: Joy
Contact Last Name: Braunstein
Contact Title: Development Consultant
Contact Phone: 7245544157
Contact Email: joy@pchpgh.org