Our Mission

BTC Center, Inc. (BTCC) is a non-profit community resource located in the Homewood neighborhood of Pittsburgh. BTCC supports the residents in Homewood and the surrounding communities through programming and services designed to improve quality of life and build equitable, sustainable, and resilient communities.

Our mission is to help BUILD THE COMMUNITY by addressing food insecurity, public health and safety issues that are the result of health and social disparities and other identified needs of disadvantaged communities.

BTCC’s priority is to protect the public health and safety of community residents. Residents served live mostly in the Homewood-Brushton community but also live in neighboring communities such as East Hills, Lincoln/Larimer, East Liberty, Point Breeze, Oakland, Penn Hills, and Wilkinsburg.

BTCC serves individuals and families with varying incomes and psychosocial backgrounds, but most of its served individuals and families are low income and considered a minority, particularly of African American ancestry. All age groups are served. It is a non-profit community resource and operates as a 501(c)(3).

OUR PROGRAMS

Our History

When founded in 1997, BTCC focused on critical identified needs of residents: computer classes for all ages and counseling (substance abuse and mental health) as a satellite site of the former St. Francis Hospital. Early on, BTCC distributed prepared meals once a week (a precursor project to the current food pantry).

BTCC was dormant for several years due to various transitional changes in leaders, supporters, and volunteers.

However the BTC Center realized the pronounced community need and was revitalized by board members, new recruits and the retention of a part time executive director. The quest for board members, as well as volunteers and project leaders, continues. The pandemic and its significant community impact posed a call to action for BTCC, as it dedicates itself to “Building the Community.”

Board of Directors

  • Jane Nicholson, Esq., Chair of the Board of Directors
  • Janet Ward, Treasurer & Vice Chair of the Board of Directors
  • Deidra Thompson, Secretary and Liaison – BTCC Emergency Food Pantry
  • Clarence Curry
  • Wallace Hamilton, Liaison – Senior Computer Classes
  • Gwen Lindsey, Liaison – BTCC Food Pantry
  • Rev. Dr. Rodney Adam Lyde
  • Jaron Paul
  • Cathy Pendleton, Liaison – Healthy Living Program
  • Chiyel Young
  • Stacy Harris

Relationship of BTC Center and the Baptist Temple Church

BTCC was established as a nonprofit entity in 1997 when the then pastor of Baptist Temple Church and a few members sought a greater impact within Homewood-Brushton and surrounding communities. It was acknowledged that a nonprofit entity could seek programmatic funding in a manner not usually available to a church. Foundations prefer to give to applicants that are community focused rather than faith based and focused on a specific group. Thus, BTCC was established to position itself as a community-based organization. It is a separate and independently operating entity from that of the church.