ENGAGEMENT CENTER AT SECOND AVENUE COMMONS
The Pittsburgh Mercy Engagement Center at Second Avenue Commons is a safe, welcoming, and engaging space for persons who are experiencing homelessness.
Come as you are…
Come alone or with your partner…
Come with your pet…
At the Pittsburgh Mercy Shelter at Second Avenue Commons and Pittsburgh Mercy Engagement Center, we welcome you.
We’re here for you. We’ll meet you where you are. We’ll listen to you – and to your wants, needs, and hopes for the future.
Your present experience with homelessness does not define you now or in the future.
We’ll walk alongside you, support you, and empower you in your journey to well-being. Let’s take that first step together.
People We Serve
- Adults 18+ years*
- Persons who self-identify as women or men
- Members of the LGBTQ+ communities.
- People with partners.
- People with pets.ǂ
*Persons under the age of 18 will be referred to providers who serve youth experiencing homelessness.
ǂ Dogs and cats. View our pet policy.
Engagement Center Location
Pittsburgh Mercy Engagement Center at Second Avenue Commons
700 Second Avenue, First Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Engagement Center Hours
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday through Friday
Contact Us
412-775-9001
PittsburghMercyEngagementCenter@secondavenuecommons.org
Engagement Center services
Services are free to Engagement Center visitors.
- Charging stations
- Coffee
- Computer access
- Connections and linkages to other essential services:
- Allegheny Link
- Physical health & primary care services
- Crisis diversion services
- Mental health services
- Substance use treatment services
- I.D. cards
- Social Security, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), utility assistance, and other public benefits.
- Grab-and-go lunches: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday
- Housing & supportive services, including housing navigation assistance and homelessness prevention services
- Hygiene kits
- Laundry (washers and dryers are available for Engagement Center visitors to use)
- Light snacks
- Mail services
- Showers (9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday)
- Wi-Fi
Engagement Center access
Walk in or call us at 412-775-9001 from 9am to 5pm weekdays. For other inquires, please contact us.
Client Leadership Group
Pittsburgh Mercy Shelter at Second Avenue Commons guests and Pittsburgh Mercy Engagement Center visitors are invited to participate in the Client Leadership Group.
The Client Leadership Group is made up of Shelter guests and Engagement Center visitors who will:
- Work in partnership with Shelter and Engagement Center staff
- Ensure equitable and inclusive representation and practices
- Represent guest and visitor voices in client experience
- Assist with guest relations and satisfaction
- Choose programming. We welcome your ideas and feedback around the programs you find meaningful and would like to attend.
Call 412-775-9001 to contact the Client Experience & Community Partnership Coordinator.
Engagement Center policies
Safety policy
- Visitors will sign-in at entry and exit.
- For the safety of guests and staff, drugs, alcohol, paraphernalia, and weapons are not permitted in the Engagement Center beyond the amnesty lockers.
COVID-19 Protocols
Engagement Center visitors will:
- Self-report COVID-19 symptoms to Engagement Center staff.
- Follow Allegheny County Health Department, Pittsburgh Mercy, and Pennsylvania Department of Health guidance for wearing masks, physical distance, COVID-19 testing, and isolation and quarantine.
Visitors Rights
Pittsburgh Mercy does not discriminate in the provision of services on the basis of age, race, creed, ethnicity, color, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, handicap, gender identity, or religion.
Grievance Policy
As a Pittsburgh Mercy Shelter at Second Avenue Commons guest and/or Pittsburgh Mercy Engagement Center visitor, you have the right to tell us if you think you have been treated unjustly, unfairly, or if you feel unsafe. This is known as a grievance.
- If you have a grievance, we encourage you to discuss it first with the staff you are working with.
- Dissatisfaction with services can also be addressed through the Client Leadership Group through the Client Experience & Community Partnership Coordinator.
- If not resolved to your satisfaction, please complete a grievance form. The grievance forms are located in the Second Avenue Commons Welcome Center on the first floor, next to the elevator.
Guests and visitors may also call the Allegheny County Department of Human Services Director’s Action Line at 1-800-862-6783, text “Action” to 412-324-3388, or complete a brief online form.
Privacy
- Pittsburgh Mercy Shelter at Second Avenue Commons guests and Pittsburgh Mercy Engagement Center visitors must adhere to the confidentiality policy of Pittsburgh Mercy.
- Shelter guests are not permitted to disclose any information (such as, but not limited to names, employment, health conditions, etc.) pertaining to any other guests.
- Shelter guests are not permitted to have visitors on the Shelter floor.
- Information contained in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) is secure and confidential.
- To protect the privacy of others using Second Avenue Commons facilities, Shelter guests and Engagement Center visitors are prohibited from taking photos or recording audio or video on smartphones or other devices. This includes selfies, social media, and video and audio sharing products and apps. Shelter guests and Engagement Center visitors will have access to private space for video and audio calls.
- Information that you share with staff cannot be shared outside of our organization without your written consent (or that of your legal guardian). Exceptions include:
- Intent to harm yourself or others.
- Abuse of a child or a vulnerable adult.
- Contract monitoring: Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) and the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) have the right to request participant records to ensure you are receiving quality care while participating in our programs.
Termination of Services
- Voluntary Discharge: Pittsburgh Mercy Shelter at Second Avenue Commons guests have the right to leave the program voluntarily at any time.
- Involuntary Discharge: Shelter guests and visitors and Engagement Center visitors who pose a significant threat to their own safety and well-being or to that of others will be asked to leave the premises and referred to other shelters. For more information, please refer to the Pittsburgh Mercy Shelter at Second Avenue Commons and Pittsburgh Mercy Engagement Center Handbook.
700 Second Avenue Pittsburgh PA 15219
412-775-9001
info@secondavenuecommons.org
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