New Kensington-based group led by Lillie Leonardi helps disadvantaged people through 'boxes of goodness'
A group of dedicated volunteers are giving back to those in need, one backpack at a time.
Books Bridge Hope, a nonprofit based in New Kensington, was founded in 2017 by Arnold native and former FBI specialist Lillie Leonardi.
Leonardi, of Oakmont, is a former Arnold police officer and retired community outreach specialist for the FBI. She’s also a published author.
To date, Books Bridge Hope has helped more than 5,000 Pittsburgh area underserved and homeless people through the “Box of Goodness” project. The group does not use the term homeless people, preferring to call them “unsheltered community members.”
This year, backpacks are replacing the boxes as the mode of delivering essential items.
In an effort to provide more ease of accessibility and efficiency, donated items such as books, writing supplies, non-perishable foods, cold-weather accessories such as gloves, scarves and hats are packed by volunteers into new backpacks.
Julia Imler, 21, of Pittsburgh’s West End, works as Leonardi’s assistant.
The youngest of the core group of about 25 volunteers, Imler said she’s gaining valuable nonprofit experience.
“Lillie’s been a great mentor to me. I’ve learned so much,” Imler said. “I think I’ve been able to expand my different interests with this role.”
Leonardi noted that 69% of students in the New Kensington- Arnold School District live in poverty.
About 85% of the backpack recipients among the homeless are veterans, and 95% of those are male, Leonardi said.
“We realized that backpacks make more sense,” Leonardi said. “They’re more easily carried.”
Before the pandemic, volunteers visited homeless shelters in downtown Pittsburgh, delivering up to 400 boxes monthly.
“The primary goal was to build relationships,” Leonardi said.
The backpacks distributed through the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Community Engagement Office are passed out by police officers who keep them in their cruisers.
New volunteer Cheryl Peck Yakopec cited community service as an important aspect of her job as a district judge.
“Whenever I’m off work, it’s always nice to give back,” Yakopec said. “I’m friends with Lillie, and she told me about this whole project. It sounded like something that would be really helpful.”
The donated items are paid for with grant money and community donations from organizations such as WQED.
Gina Masciola met Leonardi years ago and was an original Books Bridge Hope volunteer.
“I loved her vision and when I heard about Books Bridge Hope I was all in — onboard,” said Masciola, WQED’s managing director of education. “It aligns very well with WQED’s mission to support and raise up voices of people that are hurt in the community, and that’s one of the reasons I’ve stayed involved.”
Areas served include Allegheny, Butler, Armstrong, Westmoreland and Washington counties.
Volunteer Cally Vennare has known Leonardi for 30 years; both once worked together at Chatham University.
“I’m here because of Lillie,” Vennare said. “She’s a very good and dear friend of mine. And I believe in giving back and working with a cause that can make so much difference.”
Joyce Hanz is a native of Charleston, S.C. and is a features reporter covering the Pittsburgh region. She majored in media arts and graduated from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at jhanz@triblive.com
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.