Sarah Heinz House

Sarah Heinz House is a Boys and Girls Club's incorporated after-school and summer programs organization. During our after-school program year, we conduct over 100 programs for membership-age youth (1st-12th grade) and over a dozen Pre-K programs. The dedication, skill and care of 203 adult volunteers, 53 youth volunteers, 60 youth staff and 14 full-time staff make this possible. The annual cost of membership per youth is only $25; SHH estimates our underwritten cost to be $2,000 per youth.

Our after-school and weekend programs take place in our 75,000-square foot facility on Pittsburgh's North Side. Seasonally, we also operate a 100 + acre residential camp north of Pittsburgh in Ellwood City, PA. There, youth have fun as they experience nature, develop friendships, advance independent responsibility, and build relationships with mentors.

In addition to our free, universal programs in life skills and healthy choices, we offer swim lessons for youth as young as 3, nearly two dozen dance classes, sports leagues, and STEAM programming in robotics, sustainable design, and digital arts. Our teen members are given a unique level of agency at our organization. Members gain leadership experience and are then empowered to lead younger members through volunteering and part-time employment.

In 1901, Howard Heinz, the son of prominent businessman H.J. Heinz, started a small boys club on Pittsburgh's North Side called the Covode House, which would later become Sarah Heinz House. Howard's passion for helping young children was inspired while he was a college student at Yale and saw the tough life of boys on the streets of New Haven, Connecticut.

Girls were later admitted in 1903, making the club the first of its kind to include them.

By 1913, the club outgrew its space. A new building was constructed and named in memory of Howard's mother, Sarah. The building still stands today at our current location and features a brick and stone exterior with stained glass windows depicting the concepts of character and virtue.

In 2007, construction began on an environmentally green-certified structure connected to the original building. When finished, we gained a state-of-the art gymnasium and swimming pool as well as a dance studio and fitness center. We also added a commercial kitchen and cafe, where we served 20,000 meals last year. Today our 75,000 square feet structure serves more than 1,000 youth each year through our after-school and summer programs.