Abney announces a total of nearly $370,000 in multi-faceted school grants

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 12 – State Rep. Aerion A. Abney, D-Allegheny, announced today that a total of nearly $370,000 in state grants is being awarded to colleges and public schools throughout Pittsburgh.

Abney said the first set of grants, totaling slightly above $150,000, will be utilized to promote and strengthen university campus security, with a special emphasis on curtailing acts of sexual violence. These grants are part of Pennsylvania’s It’s On Us campaign, launched statewide by Gov. Tom Wolf in 2016 following President Obama’s national initiative.

Beneficiaries of these grants include:

  • Bidwell Training Center Inc.: $8,000
  • Community College of Allegheny County: $55,000
  • Duquesne University: $40,000
  • Point Park University: $40,000
  • Vet Tech Institute: $7,600

Per Abney, a second grant, nearly $217,000 and made possible by the Schools-to-Work Program, would help prepare Pittsburgh Public Schools students for careers in trades. Specifically, these monies will go to the Pipeline Into The Trades Pre-Apprenticeship Program which aids students seeking to enter the Carpenters’ Union Apprenticeship Program upon high school graduation.

“Maintaining a safe space for students to pursue their dreams and goals is paramount to not only their success but to their overall well-being,” Abney said. “Furthermore, students deserve every and all opportunities to thrive in their chosen careers.”

Additional information about Pennsylvania’s It’s On Us campaign can be found here, while more details about STWP can be found here.