SABRINA SAUNDERS MOSBY, CENTER, WAS AN AWARDEE AT THE THREE RIVERS YOUTH NELLIE LEADERSHIP AWARDS GALA, MAY 9.
Still providing comprehensive services for at-risk youth, families
Three Rivers Youth (TRY) turned 145 years old this year, 2025, and it continues to perform its mission after all these years.
At its origin in 1880, TRY was called “Pittsburgh’s Home for Colored Children,” the foundation for which was laid when a very young Nellie Grant (hence the name Nellie Leadership Awards Gala) was found wandering alone on the streets of Allegheny City (now the North Side) by Reverend J.M. Fulton, then Pastor of Fourth United Presbyterian Church. At that time there were no facilities to accommodate Black orphans. Fulton located little Nellie at the home of civic leader Julia Blair. He would go on to collaborate with others and soon the Home for Colored Children was established on the North Side. In 1970, the home merged with the Girls Service Club, which was originally created to service needy White teens. This merger ultimately led to the formation of Three Rivers Youth, dedicated to serving youth and families regardless of race.
The mission of Three Rivers Youth was recently recrafted to read: “To accelerate the recovery of children, adults and families from abuse, substance use and mental health disorders and its vision; To be a leader in innovative model programs, providing excellent, comprehensive service for at-risk youth and their families are carried out by the execution of four program areas: Family Services— Family partnership, and Foster Care; Health Services—Community Health Advocacy and Access; Behavioral Health; Job Services—Employment Assistance, and Drug & Alcohol Services.”
THREE RIVERS YOUTH’S PEGGY HARRIS, PITTSBURGH MAYOR ED GAINEY
Drug and Alcohol ser vices include prevention, intervention, case management and recovery, to name a few. Two additional opportunities to serve their clients is the addition of a Drop-in Center, on Wednesdays from noon to 9 p.m., a safe place designed to allow an entry point into recovery for populations that do not typically have access or interest in traditional forms of treatment, and provide individuals with a social setting that is substance-free where they can connect with other individuals dealing with the similar issues. Also, there is Recovery Support Services facilitated by Certified Recovery Specialists (CRS) who work with individuals struggling to stay in their sobriety on a peer-to-peer basis. Recovery Support Services is intended to extend and enhance the drug and alcohol treatment continuum by helping to prevent relapse and promote sustained recovery. Three employees serve in the CRS capacity; Antoine Morgan, Alexis Mahone, and Monique Jackson. They have been through the experience and have a unique understanding of what it is to go through recovery and put the pieces of your life together. Jackson was also a speaker at the gala and shared her personal story of being addicted and changing her life after being a client of Three Rivers Youth.
Peggy Harris, President & CEO of Three Rivers Youth, spoke of her pride in being able to lead the organization for the past 25 years: “Over time, because we have aligned ourselves with more current- and evidence-based solutions to solve the ills, we have been a relevant voice in modern-day approaches to address lingering issues in the industry, thereby helping to ensure that the least of us do not become the worst-off of us.”
THE HON. DWAYNE WOODRUFF
More than 300 attendees converged on the Wyndham Grand Hotel, Downtown, to celebrate the organization’s annual Nellie Leadership Awards Gala, May 9. It was a Kentucky Derby-themed event. In keeping with the theme, the festivities included a tribute to African American jockeys and the role they played in early horse racing and the Derby as well. The Honorable Dwayne D. Woodruff, Court of Common Pleas Judge, spoke prior to a video detailing the history of African American jockeys. Also on hand was Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey for remarks.
The signature activity of the celebration was the recognition of the Nellie Leadership Gala honorees, Sabrina Saunders Mosby, President and CEO of Vibrant Pittsburgh, and Brenda Tate, retired police detective.
Mosby’s commitment to excellence and equity has solidified her reputation as one of the region’s most influential leaders. A former New Pittsburgh Courier “Fab 40” honoree, she oversees Vibrant Pittsburgh, a leading economic development organization dedicated to creating inclusive workplaces across the region.
Tate served for 40 years with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and has the distinction of being one of the first Black women in the department. Later in her career as a detective, she was the only African American officer appointed to the elite Witness and Dignitary Protection Unit providing security for presidents, international dignitaries and civil rights leaders such as Rosa Parks. She is currently on the Pennsylvania Democratic Committee and serves as the Chair, Allegheny County Democratic Committee Black Caucus. She also was elected second vice president of the NAACP Pittsburgh Branch on July 9.
An additional inclusion in the event was the recognition of “Hall of Fame Honorees” acknowledging past winners: 2021/2022-Marcia Martin; 2022-Sharon McDaniels; 2022-Tracey McCants Lewis; 2023-Latika Davis-Jones and MaCalus Hogan; 2023/2024-Chaton Turner; and 2024-Kathi Elliott, Derrick Wilson, and Nebeyou Abebe.
Two high school graduates received one of two scholarships offered. The Chuck and Nancy Adreon Annual Scholarship of $1,000 established by former TRY Board of Directors Chair, Chuck Adreon and his wife, was presented to Riley Sheposh, a graduate of McKeesport Area High School; the TRY Scholarship of $1,000 was presented to Cordae Simons, a graduate of Sto-Rox High School.