Mindful Connections™

for Black Families

Awaken Pittsburgh has partnered with the Homewood Children’s Village and the University of Pittsburgh's Center on Race and Social Problems to offer mindfulness training to nonprofit professionals, parents, and educators in Homewood.

Parents: Parents and children ages 5-17 can join a weekly group that combines Awaken’s Mindful Connections curriculum with the University of Pittsburgh’s Parenting While Black curriculum. Each session starts with a provided meal and then divides the children and parents into two separate groups. The program lasts 12 weeks, and as part of their participation parents are offered weekly incentives, as well as three free visits with a Black therapist.

Educators: Homewood-area teachers can participate in a weekly group focusing on mindfulness and trauma-sensitive practices in schools over 18 weeks.

Awaken Pittsburgh, the Homewood Children’s Village, and the Center on Race and Social Problems are specifically introducing new mental health resources in the neighborhood by inviting three different groups that care for children to join weekly groups tailored for them at the University of Pittsburgh’s Community Engagement Center in Homewood:

Community and out-of-school care providers:

Staff at community organizations and childcare centers can participate in

weekly Mindful Connections for Helpful Professionals and Mindful Connections for Trauma-Sensitive Practices classes over 18 weeks. The first group to go through these programs in 2023 included staff representing Bible Center Church Pittsburgh, Legacy Arts Project, Trying Together, Urban Academy of Greater Pittsburgh Charter School, the University of Pittsburgh’s Community Engagement Center in Homewood, Brothers and Sisters Emerging, YWCA Homewood-Brushton, the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work, and Operation Better Block.