The revival of Braddock and other distressed communities received an important boost at a community celebration held on Saturday, July 11, 2009. Heritage Health Foundation officially dedicated its new headquarters—and new name—during the event.
Sally Wiggin of WTAE hosted the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Congressman Mike Doyle, Senator Jay Costa, Jr., Allegheny County Councilman Charles Martoni and other dignitaries spoke. The event concluded with a high-energy Children’s Festival (see Braddock's Attic stack "Heritage Community Initiatives Children's Festival July 11, 2009" for pictures of that event.
For more than 25 years, Heritage Health Foundation has been an integral part of Braddock and surrounding communities, creating programs and partnerships that transform people’s lives. As the organization responded to urgent community needs, the nature and scope of its work broadened far beyond the original “health” mission, and it created programs that have produced important results in early education, community and economic development, affordable housing, and community transportation.
To better reflect its broadened mission, a new name was needed, so Heritage Health Foundation was renamed Heritage Community Initiatives.
As its programs grew, Heritage had become overcrowded in its previous small offices. That problem was solved with the donation of a building by the A. J. Silberman Company and the Silberman family. The building, at 820 Braddock Avenue, was built in 1906 as the home of Braddock National Bank; it still retains some of the grandeur that brought it national attention when it opened. It had been the Silberman company headquarters for 18 years.
Sally Wiggin_Master of Ceremony leading ribbon cutting | 
WTAE TVs Sally Wiggin | 
Heritage Community Initiatives' Board Chair, Michele Atkins | 
Congressman Mike Doyle and Mimi Falbo | 
Congressman Mike Doyle offering remarks | 
Councilman Matt Thomas | 
Michele Atkins_ Heritage Community Initiatives' Board Chair | 
Dave Kopolovich | 
Sally Wiggin_Master of Ceremonies | 
Congressman Mike Doyle and Deb Lange | 
Heritage Community Initiatives new logo | 
Cindy Elliott_Ron Gaydos |
Heritage Community Initiatives' dedication ceremony | 
Heritage Community Iniatives' dedication participants | 
Jesse Brown_Sally Wiggin_Harold Marcus | 
Heritage Community Initiatives entrance | 
Heritage's ribbon cutting completed | 
Dignitaries cutting Heritage Community Initiatives' ribbon |
Heritage name unveiling | 
Heritage Community Initiatives new name unveiling | 
Heritage's CEO Bob Grom | 
Heritage Community Initiatives' new name and logo | 
Mark Silberman offering remarks | 
Mark Silberman |
MC_Sally Wiggin | 
Ribbon cutting dedication of Heritage's new building | 
Rosie Sallinger_Ernie Dettore | 
Heritage Community Initiatives' ribbon cutting | 
Senator Jay Costa, Jr. | 
Senator Jay Costa, Jr. |
Senator Jay Costa offering remarks | 
Silberman dedication plaque unveiling | 
Silberman family members | 
Stanley Herman_HCI Vice Chairman | 
Tara Pavlocak and Barbara Willard | 
Cutting ribbon |
Bob Grom Heritage's CEO offering remarks | 
Senator Jay Costa, Jr. | 
Congressman Mike Doyle | 
Congressman Mike Doyle | 
County Councilman Charles Martoni | 
Heritage dedication crowd |
Heritage Board Chair Michele Atkins | 
Heritage CEO Bob Grom | 
Heritage dedication guests | 
Heritage Community Initiatives' ribbon cutting | 
Heritage ribbon cutting ceremony | 
Heritage ribbon cutting ceremony |
Heritage's new entrance | 
Heritage's new logo unveiled | 
Heritage's Vice Chairman Stanley Herman | 
Mark Silberman | 
Mark Silberman | 
Michele Atkins_Heritage Board Chair |
Mimi Falbo_Jesse Brown_Jan McManus | 
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Falbo and other dedication guests | 
Sally Wiggin_WTAE TV interview with Heritage CEO | 
Senator Jay Costa, Jr. | 
Bob Grom_Sally Wiggin_Michele Atkins_Congressman Mike Doyle | 
Bob Grom, Heritage CEO |
Heritage CEO Bob Grom interviewing with WTAE TV | 
Silberman dedication plaque | 
Heritage Community Initiatives' new logo |
