The Pittsburgh community has given Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy a much-needed holiday present after vandals damaged its vehicles in excess of $50,000 over the past 2½ weeks. They damaged two rented vehicles, too.
First, Arconic Foundation stepped up with a $20,000 donation to rebuild the fleet and cover unexpected private security costs, conservancy Director of Advancement Alana Wenk said. Second, Commonplace Coffee held a Day of Giving Friday at its seven locations that brought in $311. Individuals have contributed, too, including a $3,000 donation made directly to the conservancy.
Vandals broke windshields and taillights and dented six of the seven vans and trucks parked near the Frick Environmental Center and did other damage, Wenk said. The most recent happened last Tuesday.
A Nissan truck is likely to be totaled by the nonprofit’s insurance carrier. Its horticulture and forestry teams, educators and park ambassadors rely on vehicles daily to do their work in Pittsburgh’s parks.
Pittsburgh Bureau of Police has posted photos of two people caught on video. The conservancy hired a private security firm to secure the park, and it will remain there while the investigation continues, she said.
The staff has been able to continue its work because this is a slower time of the year for employees, but still they had to strategize how to do what needs to be done.
Wenk said the park nonprofit is grateful “to have such a generous contribution from the Arconic Foundation,” noting it has been a great supporter of the conservancy for years. “It will help us immensely as we meet this challenge.”
Arconic Foundation has specifically supported Frick Environmental Center education programs in the past, President and Treasurer Ryan Kish wrote in an email. “When we heard the unfortunate news about the vandalism, we contacted the conservancy team to see how we could help. Our $20,000 commitment will aid the organization in repairing the vehicles and increasing security.”
Likewise, Commonplace Coffee reached out immediately to conservancy staff. The two have partnered since 2020, according to the conservancy website. Wenk said the coffee maker with five Pittsburgh locations and two in Indiana, Pennsylvania, contacted her organization during the pandemic. “The staff relied on our parks during time of closure,” she explained, “[and] the staff found solace in the park. They wanted to give back to the conservancy.”
Its marketing director, Lauren Young, said a staff member shared an article about the vandalism last Wednesday, and the coffee company decided quickly to add a fundraiser and promoted it through its Facebook page and other social media.
“Many of us at Commonplace Coffee are lovers of the great outdoors,” the post read. “We are grateful to those who steward our local parks, allowing us to enjoy beautiful outdoor spaces.”
Normally it has five of those each year, plus one of National Coffee Day that falls each Sept. 29. All occur on Fridays, and for each drip coffee and cold brew sold, Commonplace Coffee donates $1 to the designated recipient.
Young said someone reached out to Commonplace Coffee on its Instagram place as well, offering to match what was raised.
Many individuals have submitted gifts online, Wenk said. “Those smaller gifts make such an impact, and they mean so much to us.”
Commonplace Coffee’s park blends started with the regional parks, and the company added on some for the smaller parks, too, sometimes matching blends to projects the conservancy embarked on at subsequent locations.
The Frick Park Blend was first, followed by the Schenley Park Blend, Highland Park Blend, Riverview Park Blend, Emerald View Park Blend and Mellon Park Blend. It released Allegheny Commons Blend this year, just as the promenade project there finished and opened to the public.
“We loved working with them so much,” Young said, noting the company’s coffeehouses are located close to some of those parks. “They are wonderful, and it’s a great organization. We’re happy to keep working with them.”
Commonplace Coffee donates a portion of the proceeds from sales of the custom blend directly to the conservancy.
“It was just an easy decision for us to do this. It was a quick decision, but it was really important, and we’re glad that it gained some traction,” Young said. “We’re not raising a ton of money, but we can offer awareness to our audience. It’s awesome to hear that happened.”
Kish appreciates Commonplace Coffee and others stepping up to help. He wrote that “the generous response from the community has been incredible. Pittsburghers recognize the conservancy as a leader in safeguarding some of the community’s most precious public assets, and they showed their support by stepping up in the conservancy’s time of need.”
Anyone with information on the vandalism can call Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Zone 4 plainclothes detectives at 412-422-6520.
Helen is a copy editor at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but she's currently on strike. Contact her at hfallon@unionprogress.com.