Allegheny Valley School

Allegheny Valley School
Founded 1960
Purpose Provide care for those with disabilities
Location
Area served
Pennsylvania
Owner Independent (1960-2008)[2]
NHS Human Services (2008-present)[2]
Fundraising activities for the Allegheny Valley School
A view of the 2008 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix
Steelers fans waving The Terrible Towel at Heinz Field on October 15, 2006

Allegheny Valley School is a private non-profit organization based in the Pittsburgh region that provides services to individuals with disabilities.[2] All told, the Allegheny Valley School operates more than 125 programs across Pennsylvania, with locations in Allegheny, Beaver, Bucks, Butler, Dauphin, Lebanon, Mercer, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties.[1] Of the 125 programs statewide, 67 are based in Western Pennsylvania, 17 in Central Pennsylvania and 44 in Eastern Pennsylvania.[1] The headquarters are based in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania.[1]

It was established in 1960 to care for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities; when the Pittsburgh Home for Babies, an orphanage, closed, the Allegheny Valley School accepted the 10 children with intellectual disabilities who had been there.[2]

In 1983, Pittsburgh sportscaster Myron Cope founded the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix to raise funds for the Allegheny Valley School and The Autism Society of Pittsburgh.[3] Cope said "My son, who was born brain-damaged and can neither speak nor otherwise function normally, has lived at Allegheny Valley School since 1982. For my late wife Mildred and me, Allegheny Valley School was a Godsend. My son is happy and is cared for with expertise, understanding and love."[3] In 1996, Cope gave the rights to the Terrible Towel to the Allegheny Valley School, the proceeds from which continue to fund the school.[4][3]

In 2000, the Western Center, a state-run facility for disabled persons, closed and some residents were moved to the Allegheny Valley School.[5]

In 2008, Allegheny Valley School was acquired by NHS Human Services.[2]

As of 2013, it was serving more than 900 children, adults and senior citizens; residents have a variety of physical disabilities, medical complications, behavioral management needs.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Locations". Allegheny Valley School.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Locations". Allegheny Valley School. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  3. 1 2 3 "The Terrible Towel®". Allegheny Valley School.
  4. ↑ THE TERRIBLE TOWEL
  5. ↑ Rotstein, Gary (April 12, 2000). "Group homes set to receive Western Center residents". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 9, 2013.
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