A Community Blueprint: Helping Immigrants Thrive in Allegheny County
Immigrants in Allegheny County offer a wealth of diversity in terms of language, culture and talent that helps our communities to become increasingly vibrant and innovative places to live and work. With our growing immigrant population, strong support from our immigrant-serving agencies, and local efforts to welcome and support immigrants through projects like the DHS Immigrants & Internationals Initiative and Welcoming Pittsburgh, the time is right for a coordinated, county-wide approach.
The Immigrant Community Blueprint is a set of strategic priorities and plans developed through broad community participation and designed to help immigrants thrive in Allegheny County, to be implemented over the next three to five years. Building on existing efforts to welcome and support immigrants, it was created in collaboration with 173 local residents, including 88 immigrants and leaders from government, education, health, community development, philanthropy, social services and economic development.
The Community Blueprint is available in the following languages:
- English(PDF, 3MB)
- Arabic(PDF, 6MB)
- Dari(PDF, 6MB)
- French(PDF, 6MB)
- Korean(PDF, 2MB)
- Nepali(PDF, 6MB)
- Pashto(PDF, 961KB)
- Russian(PDF, 2MB)
- Spanish(PDF, 1MB)
- Swahili(PDF, 1MB)
Specific action plans of the Blueprint are divided into the strategic priority areas outlined below.
Latino Community Assessment
Conducted concurrently with the Immigrant Community Blueprint, the Latino Community Assessment engaged numerous members of the Pittsburgh area's Latino population to better understand their community's hopes and challenges. Lead by the Latino Family Center and Casa San Jose, the Assessment articulates Latino community members' goals related to family reunification, education and financial success, as well as barriers related to the lack of bilingual services and information, access to healthcare and more. Local Latino leaders and other stakeholders will use the Assessment to guide the community toward opportunities for growth and success.
The Immigrant Community Blueprint Action Plans
Guiding the Immigrant Community Blueprint are a number of Action Plans organized into strategic priority areas identified through broad community participation. These plans and priorities will guide implementation of the Blueprint over the next three to five years.
- Language Access(PDF, 475KB) - Enhance the capacity of local organizations and systems to provide access for residents with limited English proficiency (LEP) and increase the ability of LEP residents to exercise and advocate for their language rights.
- Health and Well-Being(PDF, 380KB) - Make high quality, culturally and linguistically appropriate physical and behavioral healthcare readily accessible to immigrant residents.
- Education(PDF, 466KB) - Enable educators to support immigrant student success, family engagement, and lifelong learning.
- Economic Development(PDF, 496KB) - Promote career, entrepreneurial, and other economic opportunities for immigrant residents, including access to affordable housing, childcare and transportation.
- Family Support(PDF, 371KB) - Strengthen supports for immigrant across the life span.
- Civic Engagement(PDF, 487KB) - Develop opportunities for immigrants to participate fully in the civic life of the community.