Allies for Children

05/22/2026

Engagement with Out-of-School Time programs has been shown to increase positive outcomes for students, and Pennsylvania is investing $2 million to support these vital programs in Allegheny County. Read more in our new blog:

In April, Lt. Governor Austin Davis announced roughly $2 million of grant funding to Allegheny County specific to OST programs via BOOST funding. The dollars from BOOST give many OST locations greater capacity to serve Pennsylvania students.

05/21/2026

Heather had the opportunity to meet with Curtis Miller and Jahi Jackson at HEIRS Barbershop, where the business is built on a foundation of community, mentorship, and mental health. Read about their goals and community impact in our new blog:

I first met Jahi Jackson at Manchester Academic Charter School (MACS) where he was cutting a student’s hair. I was interested because I believe when young people look good, they feel good—and that confidence can make a big difference in their mental health.

05/06/2026

Allies for Children was honored to join our partners in the Thriving PA Coalition in Harrisburg today to raise visibility for Early Intervention.

PA’s Infants and Toddlers and their families deserve timely, quality services, and the providers who serve them deserve to be fairly compensated. A recent rate study found Infant/Toddler EI is underfunded by nearly 40%. We need sustained investment, starting with a $14 million increase in this year’s state budget. Please contact your PA legislators and ask them to support Infant/Toddler EI. https://tinyurl.com/mptrkj89

04/24/2026

We hope that all of the amazing home visitors who support our children and families felt the love during ! Home visitors play an important role in the lives of families across the country. As members of the Childhood Begins At Home campaign, Allies for Children is proud to support home visitors in Allegheny County and across PA, this week and every week.

Institute FSP

02/27/2026

At the end of , we're excited to share a blog post written by our friends at the PA Bureau of Career and Technical Education and the Education Resource Center. Read about how CTE can prepare PA students to join the workforce our future needs:

As technological advancements disrupt our traditional understanding of work, learners in Pennsylvania see value in attaining resilient skills, such as those taught throughout career and technical education (CTE) programs in Western Pennsylvania and across the Commonwealth.

02/24/2026

Have you ever wanted to know more about Medicaid? Allies for Children is releasing a Medicaid Toolkit, with the introductory section being released today!

Check it out here: https://tinyurl.com/ycwu8rz2 - and stay tuned for more updates and information!

Allies for Children advocates for access to affordable and public insurance for children and families. In an effort to help stakeholders, advocates, and those who work with Medicaid participants understand it better, we are releasing a Medicaid Toolkit. Sections of the toolkit will address specific....

02/10/2026

Did you see Governor Shapiro's proposed budget for FY 2026-27? Check out our newest blog for a summary of some of the investments that would have an impact on Pennsylvania children and families:

(February 10, 2026) On Tuesday, Feb. 3 Governor Josh Shapiro released his proposed budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year. The...

02/02/2026

Allies for Children knows that childcare is an essential policy issue for children and families to thrive. Although we don’t participate in the Start Strong campaign, AFC stands alongside our partners, such as PennAEYC Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children, who lead this important child care advocacy work in Pennsylvania.

Check out this new guest blog post by PennAEYC about how investment in the recruitment and retention of child care teachers helps children and families succeed:

(January 30, 2026) This Bold Voices blog post was written by one of Allies for Children’s partners about a subject...

01/26/2026

Last week, Allies for Children was honored to join Senator Devlin Robinson and other advocates for the Family Care Act (FCA) for a tour of the Women's Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh. Along with organizations such as Women and Girls Foundation, Healthy Start, Inc. Pittsburgh/Allegheny County, YWCA Greater Pittsburgh, and Standing Firm, we had the opportunity to discuss with Sen. Robinson how the FCA would support the populations we serve.

The FCA:
- Allows family members to provide critical care and rehab services to elderly loved ones
at home, without risking their jobs and financial security.
- Grants parents the ability to care for their son or daughter who is recovering from a
serious illness.
- Allows workers to care for themselves following a major surgery or illness.
- Grants new moms and dads the chance to be there for the critical period following the
birth or adoption of a child.
- Allows victims of violence to take care of themselves and their families (Safe Leave).

Thank you to Sen. Robinson and everyone who was able to attend the event last week! To learn more about the Family Care Act, visit www.familycareact.com

01/14/2026

We're so pleased to share that Allison Sizemore, Allies for Children's Board President, has been appointed Managing Partner of Reed Smith's Pittsburgh office. Congratulations, Allison!

Allison Sizemore has been appointed Office Managing Partner of the firm’s Pittsburgh office. In addition to this role, she serves as Chair of the U.S. Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Group.

Allison’s deep knowledge of the market, strong leadership, and strategic vision will help drive continued growth and expansion in Pittsburgh and the broader region.