The Pittsburgh Web of Good is a philanthropic arm of The Pittsburgh Web community, looking to shine a light on the mission of charitable organizations in the Greater Pittsburgh Area.

In honor of five years of my business, sweb marketing, I could not be more excited to kick things off with FIVE local nonprofits. The first four represent causes that are important to each member of my team at sweb: Magee-Womens Research Institute, Community Kitchen Pittsburgh, Autism Pittsburgh, Conquer The Colony, and Clear Thoughts Foundation.

My Pick: Magee-Womens Research Institute

"Magee-Womens Research Institute is the largest women’s health research institute in the United States.

As a previous client of mine, I was able to communicate directly with the President, Board, top researchers and scientists there directly about their impact and the need. I’ve also seen the importance of women's health research personally with diminished ovarian reserve and how fertility preservation and options are important.

A big takeaway? Women are different from men. From how they present symptoms to the way their brains work. Most research has sidestepped sex differences, studying men and applying the findings to women. They are truly changing the way the world treats women."

Alex's Pick: Community Kitchen

"Among many other numerous good deeds, they make sure that people in need of food, especially within the Pittsburgh public school system do not go hungry. During the pandemic, all proceeds from my sourdough delivery went to CPK as they had the infrastructure in place to serve people more efficiently. At the time (2020) they were able to serve a meal for $1.62 which allowed us to quantify the number of meals served.

They also run teaching programs where they instruct interested students how to work in kitchens and then get them job placement in restaurants around the city. I've worked with a number of CPK grads and have never been anything other than impressed."

Brin's Pick: Autism Pittsburgh

"Autism Pittsburgh helps families and professionals navigate the world of autism. They provide information, education, treatment, and programs related to autism spectrum disorders. They also raise funds to support these programs themselves and advocate for the rights of individuals with autism and their families.

This cause is important to me because my older brother, Billy, and my husband's older sister, Aubrey, both are on the spectrum. We've both seen first-hand the toll it can take on families (or in both of our cases, single moms) who may not understand how to navigate raising a child with autism. Especially families like ours who were on the low-income side and didn't have access to many resources.

These programs are essential to families seeking support, and those on the spectrum being able to find community. It's also important that businesses are trained in understanding autism so they can communicate effectively with their clients or employees who might be on the spectrum."

Julia's Pick: Conquer the Colony

"I would love to support Conquer the Colony cat rescue. They are a women-owned, fully volunteer foster-based rescue in Pittsburgh. My best friend Glynnis and I adopted our two cats Laverne and Shirley earlier this year. They were just a few months old, and very shy and nervous. They now live lavishly with us in Lawrenceville. We are obsessed with them!

The volunteers at Conquer the Colony do tremendous work in the community trying to keep outdoor cats as safe as indoor cats. They educate on TNR (trap, neuter, release) and how to do it safely. They work solely with fosters and without our great community, it wouldn't be possible. They are saving as many cats as they can and bringing them to their loving lifelong homes."

Your Top Voted Pick: Clear Thoughts Foundation

"At some point in life, we will unfortunately all experience the death of a loved one. But only those of us with a loved one diagnosed with dementia, or other untreatable neurological diseases, have experienced the death of a loved one who is still living. Those of you who are reading this who are lucky enough to have not dealt with dementia may be confused by this statement – but for those of you – the millions of you – who have witnessed a friend or relative undergo the gradual loss of their mind due to dementia…sadly know exactly what I am talking about.

There are approximately 50 million people currently living with dementia worldwide, increasing to 82 million by 2030 and 152 million by 2050. The costs associated with this devastating disease is equally staggering. The worldwide cost of dementia care was $604B in 2010, $818B in 2015, and, according to Alzheimer’s Disease International, it is expected to hit $1 trillion this year. I have made a lifelong pledge to find a cure for dementia and related neurological diseases. CTF will not rest until we find treatments and a cure for dementia. Until then, we have lots of work to do…so I thank you for helping to fund the fight." -Haley, Clear Thoughts Foundation founder

sweb will be matching donations up to $2,500. If you are a corporation interested in a matching program for The Pittsburgh Web of Good, please contact thepittsburghweb@gmail.com.

The Pittsburgh Web of Good

A city-wide movement that uses the power of social media to connect nonprofits in Pittsburgh with a new generation of donors.