In this edition:

• Announcements: Last DHS Digest of 2023
• Ask DHS Leadership: Code Blue Events
• Equity Corner: Winter Solstice Traditions, and Holiday Grief
• Open Positions
• Press Release
• Safety: Winter Driving

If you have any items to include in the digest, please send them to [email protected] by Thursday at noon for inclusion in the next day's email. 

We wish you a safe and happy holiday! This DHS Digest will be the last Digest for 2023, as we will not be sending one next week.

Additionally, the Office of Equity and Engagement will be lightly staffed over the next week. Please continue to submit work requests to our support form, but know that our response time may be delayed.

Thank you to everyone who sent in questions for this Digest section! If you have any questions that you would like to see answered in our next Digest, don't wait. Send them in NOW to: [email protected]

This week we are answering the question:

“I’ve heard about Code Blue as the new shelter resource for nights below 26 degrees. What other shelters are available? What about cold nights that don’t meet that threshold?”

This answer is paraphrased from DHS Director Erin Dalton:

Thanks to our strong partnerships, we’ve expanded shelter capacity significantly. We’ve been bringing on additional shelter beds over the past few months, including an additional 32 overflow beds just in the past week. That brings our current total number of beds for single individuals experiencing homelessness to 489, plus we have the Code Blue capacity (75 individuals) on colder nights.

We expect to expand the Unity Recovery Drop-In Center on the South Side to 24/7 hours by the end of the year, which will be an important support for people struggling with homelessness and/or addiction. That expansion, plus additional overflow beds that we expect to come online, will bring our total capacity to approximately 640 (including Code Blue) by the end of the year. (For reference, we had 557 beds available at this time last year.)

We continue to work on expanding shelter resources while also focusing on investing supports in getting people out of shelter and into housing, which is what everyone really wants.

To view the current list of available shelters, including Code Blue, visit Allegheny Connect: https://connect.alleghenycounty.us/housing-shelter/

The winter solstice is the shortest day and longest night of the year. In the Northern Hemisphere, it takes place between December 20 and 23, depending on the year.

Being the shortest day of the year, winter solstice meant more daylight was coming soon. That was a really big deal in the past. 

Winter solstice traces back to ancient history. People noticed the shortening of the days and were terrified that one day there would be no more daylight left. With time, people realized that after this day each year, the sun began moving towards them, again. They began to observe the day in various ways and created traditions to entice the sun to come back, known as solstice celebrations.

Cultures around the world have long held feasts and celebrated holidays around the winter solstice. Fire and light are traditional symbols of the celebrations. Click on the links associated the various photos below to learn more about how winter solstice is celebrated in different countries. 

Soyal - Hopi Tribe

Stonehenge gathering - England

Yalda Celebration - Iran

Dongzhi Festival - China

Santo Tomas Festival - Guatemala

Inti Raymi - Peru

Karnak Temple - Egypt

St. Lucia Day - Scandinavia

Toji - Japan

A few short winter solstice videos, each about 3 minutes or under.

• How Winter Solstice Is Celebrated Across Different Cultures
• Why Do Holidays Fall Around The Winter Solstice?
• What Does The Winter Solstice Mean In The Cree Tradition?  

Navigating grief during the holidays poses a unique set of challenges, as the festive season intensifies emotions without offering a convenient 'pause' button for the intricate process. It becomes crucial to consciously acknowledge and manage these complex feelings while practicing a delicate balance between participating in holiday events and setting necessary boundaries. Embracing both the negative and positive emotions that arise, and recognizing their coexistence, becomes vital for navigating the holiday season.

Creating new traditions emerges as a healing mechanism that doesn't erase cherished memories but instead honors them in a different light. Identifying coping skills, seeking support, and understanding the profound impact of grief on one's health become pivotal aspects of this transformative journey. Importantly, there is no prescribed right or wrong way to approach the holidays after a loss; allowing happiness into the grief space, being present, and taking each moment one step at a time form the guiding principles to navigate this emotionally charged season.

Grief, a deeply intricate and emotional human experience, extends beyond the realms of the mind, often manifesting physically as overwhelming waves crashing against the shore. Amidst sorrow, simple yet practices, such as placing a hand on the heart, emerge as poignant tools to navigate the sea of emotions associated with grief. This mindful gesture serves as a physical connection to one's heartbeat, grounding the grieving individual and providing a soothing rhythm. Such actions, emphasizing the heart as the emotional center, symbolize not only vulnerability but also resilience and strength. Concurrently, caring for one's health through preventative self-care becomes paramount, acknowledging the profound impact grief can have on the immune system, sleep patterns, and overall well-being.

Be encouraged to find strength in offering gentleness to both you and others during this season—a time that seamlessly intertwines moments of joy and somber reflection.

Explore the following shows and movies for an illuminating winter streaming binge, and give a listen to the recommended podcast episodes to navigate challenging emotions associated with the holidays.

Continued Learning Resources

An All Things Racial Equity Binge List:

In Search of Soul Food (Hulu)

Stamped From the Beginning (Netflix)

Rustin (Netflix)

Selma (HBO)

High on the Hog (Netflix)

Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am (Netflix)

Navigating Tricky Emotions During Holidays Podcast List:

Navigating Painful Emotions Around the Holidays (Therapy for Black Girls, Dr. Joy Harden Bradford)

Holiday Emotions Meditation, Finding Your Holiday Joy (Therapy for Black Girls, Dr. Joy Harden Bradford)

The Equity Corner is curated by the Equity Program Manager Team: Demetrius Baldwin, Jessica Burdick and Nneka Hawthorne.

The DHS HR Team is pleased to share vacancies for your consideration.

PITTSBURGH – Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) announced today that last evening, an additional 32 overflow beds were added to the emergency shelter system.

"We appreciate the efforts of our shelter providers in helping us to increase the capacity within our system. Last night we had more than 30 unused spaces, along with significant capacity in our Code Blue Shelter," said DHS Director Erin Dalton.

The additional capacity included 20 beds for single women at the Salvation Army Family Caring Center and 12 overflow beds for any gender at Unity Recovery commUNITY Place shelter, with an additional eight beds to be added there soon. A list of shelters and addresses can be found at https://connect.alleghenycounty.us, but those seeking shelter during a Code Blue Event are asked to present at Second Avenue Commons (700 Second Avenue, Downtown).

With cold temperatures and winter weather in full swing, safe driving requires extra preparation and caution. This week, we provide some winter driving safety tips to ensure you get to your destination as safely as possible.

Before You Go

• Check tire pressure and tread
• Ensure wiper blades are in working order
• Pack an emergency car kit

On the Road

• Slow down and increase following distance
• Avoid sudden stops, acceleration or turning
• Don't use cruise control on slippery roads 

If You Get Stuck or Stranded 

• Stay with your vehicle and put up visual alerts
• Run engine sporadically to keep warm 
• Drink fluids and snack lightly to conserve food 

Allow extra travel time this winter and focus on safe driving. Stay safe and have a wonderful winter!