A once booming glass producer now showing signs of depression and blight, set in the heart of a county struggling with rising drug and overdose statistics, Jeannette has a rich history and is a community of warm people.

Despite this, there is an urgency that if something isn’t done now, Jeannette may go the way of many of the Pittsburgh River towns - into economic depression, crime, and addiction. The fire for change has not quite gone out, and there is a small flame still waiting for a little fuel to set it ablaze. We believe the fuel that will set ablaze the change for a new day in Jeannette is the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is our hope for Jeannette.

Jeannette, located about 20 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, was built around glass manufacturing; and in fact, its name comes from the wife of one of the original glass factory’s owners. It is estimated that, at one point, four factories in Jeannette were producing upwards of 80% of the world’s glass. That is, until the industry began to succumb to foreign competition and the businesses moved overseas, crashing the local economy and beginning Jeannette’s slow descent into decay, blight, and poverty. There are areas in the city today that have poverty rates as high as 34%. While the community is made up largely of retired folks that used to work in the factories, many of their children have moved away to find jobs and the demographic has slowly shifted to include a significant African-American population and the working poor.

A significant part of our hope for Jeannette lies in our greatest asset, the potential of our young people to be the next generation of community leaders. Our vision is to invest in our children and youth, instilling in them a love for Jesus and love for their community that is greater than the desire to leave. By doing this, we think we can see our community transformed for generations to come.

Check out our Kids and Youth club (linked below)!