Pittsburgh DSA has prided itself in providing and maintaining community services to the city since its founding in 2017. We seek to help out our community in several different ways:
- Free Food Pantry: The Ecosocialist Committee maintains free food pantries near our office in Wilkinsburg and at the Planned Parenthood Health Center in Downtown. Chapter members and other donors give money, food, and hygiene products so the pantries can remain well-stocked year round.
- Community Garden: Down the street from our Wilkinsburg free pantry, our Ecosocialist Committee also maintains a few beds for the Stone Soup Community Garden. Since 2018 the committee grows produce to give out for free to neighbors. Along the way the committee hopes to increase awareness of the garden and educate the community in how to grow their own produce.
- Brake Light Clinics: The Abolition & Anti-Imperialism Committee has organized a few Brake Light Clinics, which invites drivers to get their brake lights replaced for free to prevent unnecessary stops and possible confrontation with police.
- Abortion Fundraising: Every year the Socialist Feminist Committee hosts several fundraising events to provide funds to Western PA Fund For Choice. This fundraising provides abortion access to communities all around Western PA, Ohio, and West Virginia.
- Education Events: Our chapter provides multiple ways to educate the community through forums, night schools, and roundtable discussions in addition to the political education presentations we have at monthly general body meetings. Past topics include: gardening, basic home repairs, unionizing, fracking, disaster preparedness, the philosophies of scholars such as Karl Marx and Rosa Luxemburg, and more.
- Childcare: The Pittsburgh DSA aims to offer childcare at any event where a caregiver would like to participate but cannot leave a child at home or with a paid service. Our Socialist Feminist Committee provides guidance to volunteers on getting their PA state childcare clearances and matches volunteers with childcare opportunities, whether at Pittsburgh DSA events or for partner organizations.