Pittsburgh charity party 100 years in the making set for Aug. 21 in Verona

Travelers Aid of Pittsburgh, a nonprofit agency focusing on removing transportation barriers for those in need, is celebrating a century of helping people in the Steel City area.

A party is planned from 4 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 21 in Railroad Park in Verona.

It will be hosted by Pittsburgh Bar Trivia and feature food trucks, such as Streets on the Fly and Baires Grill & Progression Bistro; silent auctions; raffles; and beer provided by Verona-based Inner Groove Brewing.

The cost is $25. Proceeds benefit various programs, such as Mobile Moms and ICU Baby, as well as efforts to support veterans, seniors, employment and training.

Each ticket includes access to a trivia game and two beers. Participants must have a valid ID to be served alcohol.

Charity officials said it took a long time to reach the milestone and the hope is to have more celebrations in years to come.

“Travelers Aid has had a unique place in the history of the Pittsburgh area as the only organization to address the transportation needs of financially struggling families,” said Travelers Aid’s Executive Director Robert Lindner. “As the needs of the community have changed over the decades, so have the services provided by Travelers Aid. Travelers Aid will continue to address the ever-changing needs of the less fortunate for the next 100 years as well.”

The charity began assisting stranded travelers in 1920 and became incorporated in June 1921. When the agency began operations, the focus was on assisting travelers returning home or going to a place where resources were available to them through Amtrak train assistance. Over the years, the charity remained focused on its mission. It started using Greyhound Bus services to assist in travel. Travelers Aid also held a presence at the Pittsburgh International Airport for many years.

In 1998 the focus shifted to include local transportation assistance in Allegheny County. Mobile Moms was a program created to assist women with travel to attend pre-natal care and appointments related to pregnancy. Transportation could be obtained at the time of their visit at the hospital or health care center. Travelers Aid has created more than 20 programs to assist seniors, veterans, moms, families and those seeking employment.

“For the past 100 years, Travelers Aid has been an integral member of our Pittsburgh community,” said treasurer and board member Shea Zebert. “Through (its) various programs, our veterans have been able to receive transportation to job interviews, moms have been able to receive prenatal care and seniors have been able to have access to grocery stores. (We have) also transformed in today’s fast-paced environment, leveraging ride-hailing services such as Lyft and Uber, and providing gasoline gift cards for those out of the range of public transportation to expand their outreach and impact. Our event will serve to celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of Travelers Aid and its hard-working staff, as well as introduce the organization to others in Western Pa. Everyone is welcome to come celebrate Travelers Aid and learn more about its impact to our community.”

More information is available at eventbrite.com.