Corridors July 2023

The PNRC recognizes its responsibilities to the community. In doing so, we participate in PennDot’sAdoptAHighway program. For the past two years, we have been doing a “clean up” of a two-mile stretch of highway on Rt. 910 from New Community Church toAldi’s. We have collected over 80 garbage bags of trash in that period.

We couldn’t do it without the help of some of our great chamber members. I would like to recognize all those who participated in our latest “Day of Caring” on June 27th.

Curio412 sponsors the program and provides lunch for the participants. Junkluggers provided several volunteers and one of their trucks to coordinate the collection.

Thanks to the volunteers:

Matthew Wiefling

Arvos Schmidtsche Schack

Carolyn Keller Curio412, LLC

Cat Miceli Gateway Rehab

Amy Metz Gateway Rehab

Sheila Talarico Glade Run Foundation

Amanda Mitchell Mr. Electric of Cranberry Township

Holly Conti North Hills Monthly Magazine

Heidi Perkins The Junkluggers of Pittsburgh

David Burk The Junkluggers of Pittsburgh

Mike Delucia The Junkluggers of Pittsburgh

Rakesh Unnithan WesBanco Bank

We greatly appreciate their support.

Sincerely,

Jim Boltz President, PNRC

Jim Boltz, President

NO MEETING IN JULY 11:30AM-1PM

TEQUILA JALISCO GIBSONIA

5517 William Flynn Highway Gibsonia, PA 15044

Register HERE

Tuesdays, 11:30AM-1PM

@ Discovery Christian Church in Mars

Fridays, 7:30AM-9AM

@ Panera Bread in Wexford

Want to present at a Connections Meeting?

Email Kelvin Mack

THURSDAY, JULY 27TH

8AM-9AM

VIRTUAL VIA ZOOM

Come Celebrate Women in Business! Sign up HERE for the Zoom link

Presenting Sponsor:

THURSDAY, JULY 13TH

5PM-7PM

WALNUT GRILL - WEXFORD 12599 Perry Highway Wexford, PA 15090

Register HERE

Zoom link for all virtual meetings will be provided after you register on the event page. Thanks to the generosity of WesBanco's Cranberry Township Branch, we are able to provide virtual networking events.

Mason Lockard

“Mason became a member of the Chamber in March 2022 and in one year has been an active member by getting involved in the Young Professionals Group, HYPE, and the Golf Committee. Mason has attended and sponsored events for both of these committees he sits on. He offers valuable input at committee meetings and is always providing contacts and connections for the chamber with local businesses and universities through his established relationships, always willing to help”.

-Jim Boltz, President PNRC

Upcoming Chamber Signature Events:

Fridays beginning June 2, 2023

Cranberry Township

Farmers Market

Upcoming Chamber Signature Events:

Golf Outing

July 25, 2023

Pheasant Ridge Golf Course

Say Goodbye to Boring Team Building Activities

It may seem counterintuitive, but the truth is that we get furthest in life by helping and working with others.And we’re not even talking about ‘getting furthest in life’in some sort of spiritual, meditative way we’re talking about business success as defined by concrete metrics and heavily bolded dollar $igns.

Studies show that cohesive communication and effective teamwork in the office leads to increased productivity and improved profits. In fact, Forbes reports that highly engaged teams demonstrate as much as 21% greater profitability. To look at it another way, consider that employees are 80% more likely to report emotional wellbeing when engaged in honest feedback, collaboration and mutual respect within teams.And, (according to Harvard Business Review) these ‘happy’employees are about 31% more productive and may account for as much as 37% more sales. In other words, if you want your business to grow and your employees to do their best work, you can’t treat them like a bunch of lone-wolf agents. Unfortunately, despite human social nature, team building within companies takes more than a little nudging.

Here, we take a look at team building: What it is, why it’s so important and what activities and ideas you can use to help teamwork make the dream work.

What Is Team Building?

Look, we’re not going to insult you by giving you a dictionary definition of “what is team building” the answer is right there in the term.Any strategy, protocol, initiative, tool or action designed to bring individuals together to collaborate towards a common goal could fall under the umbrella of team building. But team building takes on even more significance in the business world, where the individuals that will be working together may not always be a natural fit in terms of personality, interest, work styles, etc.

And while you can certainly hire for team cohesion, just staffing your business with social, outgoing people isn’t always the answer. For one thing, some of the best talent may be perfectly content working safely inside of their comfort zone. For another, too many strong personalities in one unit can lead to a ‘too many cooks in the kitchen’situation, where everyone is so busy fighting for the stove that dinner never actually gets made.

As such, the most-effective team-building activities for work are those that actively include introverted and extroverted employees in a way that is natural, structured and goal-oriented.

But before we get into how to turn your diverse groups of employees into a workforce to be reckoned with, let’s talk about why you should bother.

Why Is Team Building Important?

Chime in if this sounds familiar: You have a lot of projects, tasks, concerns, etc. on your plate and you have people working under or alongside you that could take some of the burden off of your shoulders. But rather than delegating your overflow and more evenly distributing the work, you buckle down, put on a pot of coffee, and just take care of everything on your own. Why? Well, if you’re being honest with yourself, it’s probably because you know that you’ll do it right and you don’t know if your team would do as good of a job.

It all comes down to trust or lack thereof. When there’s a lot at stake (as there so often is in business), you need to know that you can depend on those around you before you can feel confident putting the future of your project in their hands.And in most cases, if there’s a lack of trust it has little or nothing to do with past job performance; it’s simply a matter of not yet having had the opportunity to get to know those who share your objectives. It takes communication, networking and understanding to build the trust necessary for effective teamwork.And that’s what team building activities aim to deliver.

By working together to enjoy activities and accomplish low-stakes tasks, employees learn how individual team members operate. They establish and strengthen lines of communication. They build connections not only with those they work alongside, but also potentially across departments and management levels. With those connections comes a clearer picture of everyone’s strengths, weaknesses and collaborative ability.

Authored by: GymPass Editiorial Team (April 26, 2023)

When that information becomes clear, trust is sure to follow.And socializing together is the key. Interacting in social settings builds communication patterns by as much as 50% At the same time, when we establish social relationships within our teams, we generate the kind of enthusiasm that directly combats the stress and defensive coping that so often leads to burnout

But beyond even that, team building is just fun. It demonstrates to your employees that you appreciate them and that you value them enough to set aside work time for them to get to know each other. This helps create a powerful company culture which may do more for attracting and retaining top talent than anything else; Glassdoor reports that 77% of job applicants consider company culture before applying for a position and 56% say that company culture is more important than salary when it comes to job satisfaction, making it a viable solution for avoiding the Great Resignation.

The bottom line is that team building should be a priority. No matter what business or industry you represent, creating strong team foundations is always worth the effort.

12 Team-BuildingActivities

Ok. You know what team building means and you know why it’s important, so let’s get to the fun stuff. Here are 12 different team-building activities designed to get even the most introverted team members eagerly participating:

IndoorActivities

If you’ve got a local team and you’d rather not risk a sunburn (or frostbite, depending on the season and climate), then meeting in the office may be just the thing. Here are several activities you and your team can get into while indoors:

Shipwreck. Ready to exercise your imagination while collaborating to creatively solve problems? Then consider giving “Shipwreck” a try. Separate into teams and imagine that each group has been shipwrecked on a desert island. Have the groups each identify 10 items from around the office that they would choose to take with them, ranking each in order of importance to survival. Teams will need to discuss their choices and come to a group consensus before making a final decision.

Two Truths and a Lie. “Two Truths and a Lie” is a low-key team builder that can be dropped into the middle of meetings or used as an icebreaker to enhance employee lunch-time get-togethers. In this game, every participant shares (either verbally or by writing them down) three ‘facts’about themselves two of these will be true facts and one will be a complete lie. The other team members then discuss and vote on which of the three facts is untrue. This not only gives less-vocal members a chance to share what makes them unique, it also improves interpersonal awareness in the company.

Game Tournament. Sometimes getting to know people is all about getting to know how to take them down in friendly competition. Set up a ping pong table, break out the board games, fire up a Nintendo Switch or even just see who’s the best rock-paper-scissors player on the payroll.Agame tournament gives team members a chance to focus on something that feels important and high stakes, but without the stress of work.As an added bonus, team-based games (possible between departments) give players a chance to socialize and learn how to rely on one another while facing challenges.

Office Pinewood Derby. Why should Cub Scouts have all the fun?Apinewood derby (a race where participants build their own miniature cars from wood blocks) can be an amazing opportunity to promote creative problem-solving and collaboration. Divide the employees into small teams and give each group a pinewood derby kit along with some basic tools. They will have two hours to design the fastest car possible. Once those two hours are up, race the cars down a parallel track made from two 20-foot plastic rain gutters. Incentivize your racers with an award for the final bracket winners.

Check out our full list of indoor team building activities.

Conclusion

Your business is only as strong as your employees and your employees are only as strong as the bonds they share. Effective team building activities at work helps you promote the kinds of positive interactions that cement strong relationships built on trust.And when that happens, improved productivity, profitability and employee retention are sure to follow.

But team-building events are only the beginning.Are you ready to take your company culture further? Talk to a Gympass wellbeing specialist today and give your most valuable assets the support they need to remain healthy, happy and engaged in improving themselves as they improve your business.

To read the article, click HERE

COMMUNITY BUILDERS

Thank you to our Members who have generously contributed to furthering the mission and vision of the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber!

Ace Handyman Services Pittsburgh North

Alliance for Nonprofit Resources

Ameriglide

Another Level Ministries

Arvos Schmidtsche Schack, LLC

Atria McCandless

Atria’s Restaurant & Tavern- O’Hara Township

Axis Business Consultants

Big Spring Spirits - Seven Fields

Bill Few Associates, Inc.

Bosland Electric, LLC

Bruster’s of Ingomar

Butler County Symphony Orchestra

CHROME Federal Credit Union

Clean Express Auto Wash

Clearview Federal Credit Union

CTR Payroll Services

Charles P. Leach Agency, Inc.

Charter Homes & Neighborhoods

Choice Restorative Medicine

Coldwell Banker - Jan Stevens

Cole Management, Inc.

College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving

Community Bank

Compass Self Storage- Gibsonia

Concordia

Cranberry Highlands Golf Course

Cranberry Supply Co.

Cranberry Township

Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Co.

Cranberry Men’s Choir

Cranberry Village Estates

Crea Excavating, Inc.

Creese, Smith, Hune and Co.

Creative Real Estate Development Co.

CTR Payroll Services

Curio412, LLC

C.W. Howard Insurance Agency, Inc.

Direct Payment Consultants, LLC

Dairy Queen- Cranberry

Dollar Bank

Drayer Physical Therapy - Cranberry

Dukovich & Associates

ECCA Payroll +

Encompass Health and Rehabilitation

Express Employment Professionals

EZ Storage

Fairfield by Marriott Pittsburgh North/ McCandless Crossing

Federated Mortgage Corp.

Find Your Destination, Travel Agency

First City Company- McIntyre Square

Fun Fore All Family Fun Park

Goddard School- Hampton

Goldfish Swim School Wexford

Greater Pittsburgh Masonic Center

Guardian Storage- Hampton

Guardian Storage- Ross

H2R CPA

Handel's Ice Cream McCandless

HEARTH

Heritage Hospice

Highmark Caring Place

Holsinger

Home Depot - Cranberry

House of 1000 Beers

I-Clean, Inc.

IMA | ESS

Innovate E-Commerce, Inc.

InVision Human Services

Jason's Deli- Cranberry Twp

Jeff Brooks Landscaping

Jireh Mobile

Joe Palmieri Construction, Inc.

Junior Achievement of Western PA

Juniper Grill

Just In Thyme Catering and Events, Inc.

Kress Restoration

Laurel Business Institute

Laurelwood/West Realty Land and Development Co.

Leathem Creation Co.

Legal Shield & Identity Theft Protection

Liberty Insurance Agency

Limbach Company

Link to Visibility, LLC

Lisowski Tree Service and Landscaping LLC

Lou Negley’s Bottled Water Inc.

Masonic Village at Sewickley

MEDIA - The Creative Agency

Maria Valdez - In Memory of Bruce Conley

Mars Bank

Mascari Auto Body, Inc.

McCall Scanlon & Tice, LLC - CPA

McCandless Corporate Center

McGuire Memorial Foundation

MHY Family Services

MSA - The Safety Company

Muhlenkamp & Company, Inc.

Mullin Landscape & Winter Management

Myers, Patsy & Associates, LLC

Newt & Ruby Interiors

COMMUNITY BUILDERS

Thank

NexTier Bank

NFP

Nick Scotti Concrete Contractor Inc.

Nicole Zirnsak State Farm Insurance

North Hills Family Dental

North Pittsburgh Greeting Company

North Star Buick GMC

Olive Garden - Cranberry

Oliver Outdoor

OMEGA Federal Credit Union- North Hills

OMEGA Federal Credit Union- Wexford

Once Upon A Hero

Organic Remedies, Inc.

Owl Cleaners, Inc.

Passavant Hospital Foundation

Pawlowicz Dentistry

Pearl Insurance Agency, LLC

Penn National Insurance

Piatt Sotheby’s International Realty

Phelps Nursey PGH, North Inc.

Pittsburgh Business Times

Pittsburgh Jet Center

Pittsburgh Skin

Pittsburgh Mercy

Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Pittsburgh Job Corps

Polesky Agency - Erie Insurance

Pressley Ridge

Priority2Work

R.M. Stoof & Associates Inc.

Restart, Inc.

Richard Goettle Inc.

Richland Mall

Right Electric, Inc.

RiteRug Flooring

Riverview Carpet & Flooring, Inc.

Rj Community Management

Salem Media Group

SAM’s Club

Sarver Landscape Maintenance Co.

Scolieri Beam Law Group PC

Sechler Law Firm, LLC

Seneca Valley School District

SERVPRO of Southern Butler County

Sheeley Agency - Allstate Insurance

Sheetz Communications

Sherwin Williams - Cranberry

SPARK SIGNS & GRAPHICS

Special T Electronics LLC

Specialized Staffing and Industry Recruiters, Inc.

Staples- Cranberry Twp.

Terry’s Plumbing, Inc.

The Arc of Butler County

The Block Northway

The Chadwick

The Exercise Coach - Cranberry Twp.

The Haven at North Hills

The Lynch Law Group

The Pavilion at Star Lake - Live Nation

The Payroll Shoppe

The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School

The Waters of Wexford

The Wilson Group, LLC

Thought Process Enterprises

Three Rivers Paintball, Inc.

Tierra Realty Management

TownePlace Suites by Marriott

Township of Hampton

Township of Ross

Treasure House Fashions

Treesdale Golf & Country Club

Trib Total Media

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK

Ultimate Granite Surfaces, Inc.

Urish Popeck & Co. LLC

Vincentian

Vitalant (Central Blood Bank)

Wain Landscaping, LLC

Walnut Grill Wexford

Weber Insurance Agency

WesBanco Bank -Cranberry

WesBanco Bank -Perry Highway

West Penn Multi-List, Inc.

White Deer Run Treatment Network

Wichman Landscape Construction, LLC

Win-Son Inc.

Wine Concrete Products Inc.

Young Adult Survivors United

Your CBD Store - North Hills

you to our Members who have generously contributed to furthering the mission and vision of Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber!

PNRC Membership Drive Results

Article by: Kelvin Mack, Director of Membership and Marketing,

Pittsburgh

North Regional Chamber

Membership is one of the PNRC’s key features, as we are a membership driven organization. Everything that the PNRC does has our members at heart, because we are a membership focused organization. We celebrate our members with ribbon-cutting ceremonies, recognize excellence with our Annual Awards and Member of the Month honors, and showcase the expertise of our membership in a variety of educational offerings. From hosting a multitude of events that provide fantastic networking opportunities, to offering community involvement through programs like Days of Caring and The Giving Tree, we are dedicated to providing the best features, benefits, and opportunities for our members.

As our membership numbers continue to grow, the PNRC continues to enhance our existing programs and services for our membership, while also developing new and exciting opportunities to offer. The more members we have, the more value we can provide, and with this in mind, we held a Membership Drive from April 1 to May 31. PNRC members received one point for a nonmember referral and an additional point when their referral joined the Chamber. At the conclusion of the Membership Drive, the member with the most points receives a $100.00 gift card, followed by a $50.00 gift card for the member with the second most points, and a $25.00 gift card for the member with the third most points.

The friendly competition of the Membership Drive helped to build camaraderie amongst our existing Chamber members, and introduced the PNRC to many new businesses, individuals, and nonprofits that were referred to us by our members. We are incredibly thankful to all who participated in the Membership Drive!

We are excited to announce the winners of the PNRC Membership Drive!

• First Place: Scott Hacker with New York Life

• Second Place: Lorry Perkins with Lifesteps

• Third Place: Rakesh Unnithan with Wesbanco Bank

Congratulations to our winners!!!

Thank you to all who participated for your continued support of the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber!

PNRC Committee Spotlight Farmers Market

The Farmers Market Committee organized the Grand Opening event to kick off the Cranberry Township Farmers Market on Friday, June 2. The Pirates Pierogies were in attendance and raced around the Farmers Market with Sauerkraut Saul crossing the finish line first to officially open the season.

The Farmers Market Committee meets virtually the second Thursday of every month from 8-9 AM.

Upcoming Farmers Market events:

Cranberry Township Farmers Market– Every Friday (3-7 PM) until September 2023 at Cranberry Township Municipal Building in the front parking lot. The Cranberry Township Farmers Market features special event days which include: Kidapalooza, Cornhole Tournament, and Barktoberfest.

Holiday Village Market– December 2023. (The first Saturday in December with over 40 vendors. This gives individuals a chance to shop local and give back to small businesses during the holiday season).

Meet the Farmers Market Committee Chair - Tracy Armstrong, Owner of North Pittsburgh Greeting Company and Working Hands Handyman Service

Questions? Are you interested in being a part of the Farmers Market Committee or learning more information? Contact Tracy Armstrong at tracy@npgreeting.com or Carrie Nolan Robson at crobson@pghnorthchamber.com for all the details!

Stay tuned for more information about PNRC committee highlights…

Ambassador, Community Outreach, Events and Programming, Golf, Marketing and Communications

The Recent Trend in Employee Benefits

The latest trend in employee benefits is a shift towards more personalized and flexible offerings that cater to the needs and preferences of individual employees. This trend is being driven by several factors, including the growing importance of work-life balance, the rise of the gig economy, and changing demographics in the workforce.

One example of this trend is the increasing popularity of "cafeteria-style" benefits plans, which allow employees to choose from a menu of options to create a personalized benefits package. This can include options such as health insurance, retirement plans, and wellness programs, as well as more unconventional benefits such as pet insurance or paid time off for volunteering.

Another trend is the focus on mental health and well-being. Many companies are recognizing the importance of supporting employees' mental health and are offering benefits such as access to counseling services, mindfulness and meditation programs, and flexible work arrangements.

Finally, companies are also recognizing the importance of financial wellness and are offering benefits such as student loan repayment assistance, financial planning services, and access to low-interest loans.

Overall, the latest trend in employee benefits is a move towards more personalized, flexible, and holistic offerings that reflect the changing needs and priorities of today's workforce.

The Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber offers its members access to My BenefitAdvisor as a solution for employee benefits, including voluntary offerings. For more information about My BenefitAdvisor, visit our website at www.chamberchoice.net or contact Craig Pritts at (800) 377-3539.

Your Chamber membership is a valuable business tool that is complemented by our Affinity Program partners who help you to save time and money. Save on everything from payroll to energy and you don’t have to spend your valuable time researching - your Chamber has done it all for you!

Nonprofit Name: Team Fishguy Transplant Foundation

Mission: To support transplant patients, donors, and their families while raising awareness for organ donation.

What impact does your organization wish to make in the world?

Team Fishguy Transplant Foundation was formed after Bill Hutz (The Fishguy) received his gift of life. He was on the transplant list for almost three years. Thanks to his wife’s ex-husband’s sister, he recently celebrated his Kidney Transplant 5th Anniversary! The expenses were outrageous but because of support and volunteer efforts, his financial expenses were covered.

Our impact is two-fold. As a small grassroots nonprofit, we seek to help donors and families with expenses not covered by insurance. Our contributions range from lost wages to airfare, rent, and hotel stays. Our goal is to reduce the financial burden of organ donation. Our FUNraisers include an annual Night at the Races and the famous wintertime Drive-In Purse Bash at Starlight Drive-In Theater. Attend one of our events and see how Paint Sticks help us raise large sums of money.

We want to ensure every recipient receives a needed organ in a timely manner. We hold awareness events throughout the year encouraging people to sign up as organ donors on their driver’s license. Pennsylvania is not an automatic renewal state so each time you renew your Driver’s License, you must re-register to be an organ donor. Team Fishguy Transplant Foundation also supports living donors for kidney and liver patients.

Family Fun Night –

Wednesday, July 26 at Mars-Bethel Golf (next to Mars HS) from 6-9pm Night at the Races – Saturday November 18 at Vagabond Event Center in Butler Comedy Night – Spring 2024

What needs would help your organization to put your mission into action?

Every fundraiser and awareness event comes with a cost. We depend on sponsors of all sizes to offset these costs. We can only achieve our mission with the assistance of generous donations and volunteers from members of our community. Volunteers are the backbone of our organization.

Team Fishguy Transplant Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization serving transplant families since 2018.

Safer Driving in Summertime and Beyond

Entering the busy summer driving season is a perfect time to think about ways of being a safer driver. Although vehicles have more safety features than ever before, drivers still need to be active participants in the driving experience. I have condensed the major defensive driving models into the following two letter acronym “AS”. “A” stands for Awareness. A defensive driver practices situational awareness to identify possible hazards. You aim high in steering and are looking at least twelve seconds down the road. You also are keeping your eyes moving so you can get the big picture as to everything that is going on around you. You should be checking your mirrors constantly to be actively perceiving potential hazards and formulating contingency plans to react to those hazards.

The major interference with Awareness is the omnipresent distracted driving. According to a recent National Highway Safety Administration study: Six percent of all drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2019 were reported as distracted at the time of the crashes. Nine percent of drivers 15 to 20 years old involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted. Distracted driving is comprised of three categories. Visual distracted driving is when you take your eyes off of the road. Manual distracted driving is when you take your hands off the wheel. Finally, cognitive distracted driving is when you are taking your mind off of the driving task. Of course, the distraction can fall into several of these categories at the same time. Examples of distractions while driving include: texting, eating or drinking, applying makeup, shaving, reading, focusing on the radio or GPS, as well as being distracted by others in the vehicle, such as children or pets. Even using a hands free phone can be a distraction since you are focusing on the conversation. Keep in mind, taking your eyes off the road for five seconds at 55mph is the equivalent of driving the length of a football field blindfolded.

The “S” in the “AS” stands for Space. You must be able to react to avoid potential hazards once you become aware of their existence by managing the space around you. You have the most control of the space ahead of you. Having adequate space ahead of you gives you the ability to stop in time without colliding with the vehicle in front of you if that vehicle makes a sudden stop. You can do this by practicing the four second rule: keep a distance of at least four seconds between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you. This distance should be doubled in inclement weather. Moreover, you should try to maintain a space cushion around the entire perimeter of your vehicle. You can do this by changing lanes if necessary and by adjusting your speed. When switching lanes we teach another acronym “SMOG” which stands for Signal, Mirror check, Over-the-shoulder blind spot check, then Go. Most vehicles have blind spots. That is why newer vehicles come equipped with blind spot detectors, but they are meant to be a supplement not a replacement for checking your blind spots. In conclusion, until all vehicles are fully autonomous, we need to practice these and other defensive driving techniques in order to be safer participants in the driving environment!

Timothy Rogers President

Connecting Over Coffee

You asked for more networking events, and we have heard you!

Starting in January, we are holding 'Connecting Over Coffee' from 8:30am to 10:00am on the third Wednesday every month.

This rotates around our various coffee shop members, so stay tuned for the event locations. This is a free networking event so mark your calendars to join us and connect over coffee!

Wednesday, July 19th 8:30 - 10:00 AM

Stay tuned to the PNRC Facebook pages and the PNRC events calendar for our next featured location!

What is the Benefits Cliff and is it a Disincentive to Work?

I’ve been looking at the workforce issue for more than 10 years, and while I thought I was examining workforce carefully by looking at legislation and other provisions that can relieve worker shortages, new puzzle pieces of solutions have emerged.

MBA Cranberry has held programs on recruiting and retention, hiring of those with records, hiring of those with different abilities, and on. I have built a small group of resources that educate and assist businesses with the adoption of robotics and collaborative robots and have spread the word identifying demographics as a key problem to be addressed. PA’s demographics are not favorable, with more deaths than births annually, and people leaving the state.

I was forced to look at why we have a persistent lack of workers from a new angle. At a recent roundtable with Rep. Rob Mercuri and a group of North Hills business owners, one attendee noted a casual survey of several staff manning the supermarket checkouts in a middle-class community revealed that more than 50% of customers were using government benefits for food purchases.

Since then, I have been haunted by that finding and looking for reasons why so many would be unemployed using government benefits when there are “Help Wanted” signs everywhere and the most common refrain heard from employers is “I can’t find workers.”

Then I discovered the Benefits Cliff.

“Benefits cliffs (the “cliff effect”) refer to the sudden and often unexpected decrease in public benefits that can occur with a small increase in earnings. This happens when families receive benefits through a public assistance program, earn a raise and then become ineligible to continue receiving benefits despite being unable to sustain their household. Sometimes the cliff effect looks more like a slope or plateau. When lost benefits outpace a wage increase, many families either ‘park’ or fall off the cliff’s edge, …” “Introduction to Benefits Cliffs and Public Assistance Programs,” National Conference of State Legislatures, Updated 11/19/2022

Benefits Pennsylvanians rely on include Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP), Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Home Heating (LIHEAP), Medicaid and Child Care.

We’ve heard anecdotally one of the reasons keeping people out of the workforce is the cost of childcare. The question to address next is what happens when a single head of household is offered to work more hours and the resulting increase knocks them off of the State Child Care benefit. Will the increase in income adequately cover their cost for childcare without state support?

“Childcare costs are eating up a growing share of household incomes in Pennsylvania, Axios reports, leading some parents to exit the workforce.

A report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation released this week says the average cost of center-based daycare in Pennsylvania was $11,346 in 2020-2021, amounting to 10% of a married couple's median income and 35% of the median income for single parents...”

…“Childcare is costing Pa. families a fortune,” Spotlight PA, 6/16/23

Authored by: Eileen Anderson, Director, Government Relations at Regional Learning Alliance

PNRC Days of Caring

By: Carolyn Keller (Curio412) , Sheila Talarico (Glade Run Foundation) and Cat Miceli (Gateway Rehab Services)

Last year, the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber launched our Days of Caring, a program designed to celebrate the spirit of volunteerism and demonstrate commitment to strengthening our communities and region. Coordinated by the Community Outreach Committee, the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber organizes multiple Days of Caring each year that connect volunteers in the beautification of our Chamber's footprint and support of our nonprofit partners.

When we think about volunteerism, we understand that creating purposeful opportunities to connect with the community can be a powerful asset for local businesses of all sizes. Since both consumers and employees often identify with a company’s commitment to the community, volunteering has the ability to boost employee engagement and retention as well as enhance company reputation. Not to mention, the impact that individual and organizational generosity has on making our communities a better place.

Each week, through Connections Meetings, Nonprofits North, ribbon cuttings and so much more, the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber encounters wonderful businesses and nonprofits doing great work. We are committed to providing unique ways to bring these organizations together so that our region can build resilience and support one another. Through Days of Caring, Chamber members are able to give back, engage in employee team building, and network with other businesses.

The Community Outreach Committee organizes several events each year, providing members of the Chamber and the community with a satisfying volunteer opportunity. In 2022, the Chamber committed to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's Adopt a Highway program as the core element of Days of Caring. Chamber members and volunteers clean and beautify a two mile stretch of roadway located along Route 910 in Wexford/ Pine Township from North Chapel Road to Pearce Mill Road.

This year's Adopt a Highway events are scheduled for July 28 and October 6, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Volunteers meet at New Community Church and all supplies and safety equipment are provided. This year's Adopt a Highway Days of Caring are sponsored by Curio412. An additional Day of Caring event will be hosted in collaboration with PNRC member and nonprofit organization Gateway Rehab. Taking place on July 28, 2023, volunteers will work together on landscaping, cleaning, and painting projects to promote campus beautification for patient experience enhancement. Please watch your email for the opportunity to sign up to participate in any of this year's Days of Caring!

Presenting Sponsor:

Upcoming Days of Caring:

July 28—Gateway Rehabilitation Center (volunteers will work together on landscaping, cleaning, and painting projects to promote campus beautification for patient experience enhancement).

October 6

All Days of Caring are scheduled 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Interested in participating in Days of Caring this year? Be on the lookout for signups on the Chamber website and social media!

While safety is our #1 priority, we know that swim lessons can be so much more. There’s no greater feeling than the pride that comes with witnessing your child accomplishing new skills, while learning to be safer in and around the water.

At Goldfish Swim School, we understand the importance of fun when it comes to learning. It’s why our unique curriculum, The Science of Swimplay®, puts play into every lesson. Your little one will be focused on the fun, while we’re focused on some serious learning!

Looking for a summer program at Goldfish? Want to get your kids swimming safer in no time? Our unique Jump Start Clinics are the quickest way to jump-start the learn-to-swim process, brush up on techniques, or achieve skills needed to advance to the next level. Jump Start Clinics include 5 consecutive days of 30-minute swim lessons that focus on everything from teaching the fundamentals of water safety to fine-tuning stroke technique. Let’s Jump Start and see extraordinary results! Offered weekly through July. Reasons

Presenting Sponsor:

Alicia Photography

American Cancer Society

Armstrong

A.W. Beattie Career Center

Basilone Executive Search and Staffing

Baierl Auto Group

Borough of Seven Fields

Butler County Community College

Coldwell Banker - Jan Stevens

Cole Management Inc.

Concordia of Cranberry

CORE Environmental Services

Costco Wholesale

Cranberry Public Library

Cranberry Supply Co.

Cranberry Township

Creative Real Estate Development Co.

3 Rivers Concrete Lifting LLC

Atria at Cranberry Woods

Baierl Family YMCA

Best Western Plus Cranberry -

Pittsburgh North

Brandy Farrow State Farm Insurance Agency

Companion Care Registry

Joe Palmieri Construction, Inc.

McGuire Memorial Foundation

Creese, Smith, Hune, & Co. LLC

Crisis Center North, Inc

Dillon McCandless King Coulter & Graham L.L.P.

Dollar Bank - Pine Twp.

Dollar Bank Loan Center - Cranberry

Dukovich & Associates

EZ Storage

First City Company - McIntyre Square

Fun Fore All Family Fun Park

Glade Run Foundation

Hill, Barth & King LLC

Holsinger

Meridian Specialty Services, Inc.

OMEGA Federal Credit UnionWexford

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Rj Community Management

Sain Law, LLC

Sechler Law Firm, LLC

Sherwin-Williams Aliquippa

Sherwin-Williams Allison Park

IMA

Kawneer Cranberry - An Arconic Company Lifesteps

McCandless Corporate Center

Medicine Shoppe of Ingomar

Minuteman Press - Cranberry

MSA- The Safety Company

North Allegheny School District

North Hills Community Outreach

North Hills Monthly Magazine

Seneca Valley School District

The Chadwick

Three Rivers Paintball, Inc.

Tierra Realty Management

WesBanco Bank - Cranberry

WesBanco Bank - Perry Highway

Win-Son Inc.

Sherwin-Williams Baden Conway

Sherwin-Williams Cranberry

Sherwin-Williams Mt. Nebo

Sherwin-Williams North Hills

Sherwin-Williams Sewickley

Sherwin-Williams Wexford

Sunrise Assisted Living of McCandless

The Lynch Law Group

Wesley Family Services

A Phoenix Rising Coaching Black Bottle IT

Ellie Mental Health Pittsburgh

Fire Fighter Sales & Service

Living Light with Lynn

Pita My Shawarma

Scandinavian Designs

Shore Corporation

The Bauer Agency, Goosehead Insurance

Thomas V. Giel Garage Doors, Inc.

Triple H Solutions

Lisa

Carrie

Melanie Marsh Team at Compass RE

Jim Boltz

Christina Grzybek

Hunt

Kathleen Kuznicki

Kelvin Mack

Nolan

Prentice

2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Lisa Hunt Board Chair U$X Federal Credit Union

Mark Prentice Past Chair Valpak of Western Pennsylvania

Sheila Talarico Vice Chair Glade Run Foundation Rakesh Unnithan Chair Elect WesBanco Bank

Carolyn Keller Foundation Chair Curio412, LLC

Kathleen Kuznicki—Secretary The Lynch Law Group

Jada Lehman Treasurer JIL Solutions

Jim Boltz President Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber

Board of Directors

Tom Baker North Hills Community Outreach

Niki Campbell The Flourish Group

Rich Coyner

Minuteman Press– Cranberry

Steve Diffenderfer Dollar Bank

Sherrie Dunlap Gallagher United Way of Southwestern PA

Ryan Kociela Butler County Community College

Perry Latimer Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau

Sally Power Treasure House Fashions

Craig Pritts My Benefit Advisor

Felipe Valdez Nothing Bundt Cakes

Bradley Wilkins Key Bank