UNITED SOMALI BANTU COMMUNITY OF GREATER PITTSBURGH
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to build community amidst the Somali Bantu of Greater Pittsburgh through enabling individuals and families to successfully acclimate and transition to self-sufficient life in American society, particularly from a socio-economic and civic perspective, by both providing direct practical assistance and connecting people to other resources and opportunities.
VISION FOR THE FUTURE
Our vision is to see a unified, deeply connected, self-sufficient Somali Bantu community in the Greater Pittsburgh Region that is fully adapted and integrated into American society, while maintaining its unique cultural heritage and identity.
SERVICE COORDINATION
This service helps connect families in the Somali Bantu community to other resource providers in the Pittsburgh area who are better suited to assist their needs. Our Service Coordinator and Intake Coordinator serve as the connectors to these resources and will help families navigate the application processes necessary as well as help them understand any requirements for these programs. The Service Coordinator also continually finds organizations who provide the resources needed by families. Below are some of the resources we help connect families to:
Practical and logistical assistance in setting up a new place of residence for families.
Assistance helping those seek and discover employment opportunities that match a person’s skill set.
Facilitation and distribution of donations of furniture, clothing, and food for families in the Somali Bantu community.
Professional counseling services, diagnosis, & treatment of mental health from traumatic events.
Assist community members in navigating the systems and structures of American society.
One-on-one instruction in home environments in the basics of conversational English.
We partner with the Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank to provide diapers for families with young children or for elderly individuals.
CURRENT PROGRAMS
Below are our current, future, & coordinated programs for the Somali Bantu Community. To Sign up for a program you can click the button below and you will be taken to a sign-up form. Fill out your information and select the program you would like to sign up for. A volunteer will contact you if they need more information.
A place for school-age children to go after school and receive homework help as well as hang out with other children and have healthy role models to influence their lives.
Seasonal events that are designed to draw the community together around cultural heritage.
Financial assistance for those in the Somali Bantu community. Help with rent, child care, and transportation.
Access to resources for small-plot urban vegetable and fruit farming. Creating self-sufficiency.
Location for community members to gather in a safe environment and for events & other services.
After-school & weekend classroom for children and youth (aged 6-17) educating the cultural and religious heritage of the Somali Bantu community.
Adult classroom education for new families to the US to assist them in understanding the new culture.
FUTURE PROGRAMS COMING SOON
Day Care Center (targeted implementation 2024)
Community-based, culturally-sensitive day care option during employment hours.
Transportation option for those in the community who need a means to travel to their place of employment.
Travel Agency Services (targeted implementation 2022)
Booking option for community members who desire to travel to see family domestically or internationally.
Resettlement Services (targeted implementation 2023)
A direct provision of resettlement services for those who are arriving as refugees in the US.
United Somali Bantu of Greater Pittsburgh 2020/2021 Board Roster
Board Of Directors
Halima Hassan (Chairman) (Community Elder)
Siraji Hassan (President) (Director USB)
Fatuma Muhina (Vice President Board) (Service Coordinator USB)
Muna Adan (Treasurer) (Secretary) (Housing Authority City Pittsburgh, Northview Heights)
Dadiri Molambo (Community Elder)
Hassan Ahmed (Community Elder)
Haji Sundi (Community Elder)
Hamadi Mahitula (Community Elder)
Advisory Committee
David Groetzinger Organizational (In the Steps of Boaz)
Adam Argondizzo Design (Antlers to Peaks Photography, II-VI Inc.)
Ryan Driscoll Legal (Christian Immigration Advocacy Center (CIAC)