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About
the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force & Persad Center
Commemorating its 20th anniversary in 2005, the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force is
one of the oldest and largest community-based providers of HIV education, support
and prevention information in Pennsylvania. PATF provides free support services
to more than 500 individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS and delivers targeted
prevention outreach and education programs to thousands who are at risk of infection.
PATF provides the only community-based free, anonymous HIV testing program. For
more information about the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force, please visit www.patf.org
About
the Alzheimer’s Association – Greater Pennsylvania Chapter
The Alzheimer’s Association - Greater Pennsylvania Chapter provides a broad
array of programs and resources to individuals, families and health professionals
in 57 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. Within this area, there are an estimated
250,000 individuals with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia. In Fiscal 2005,
the Chapter received more than 7,000 calls on its 24/7 Helpline and conducted
574 education programs which were attended by 21,570 individuals. There are 170
Chapter support groups which meet monthly to provide valuable answers and caregiving
techniques to family members. The Chapter also offers the Safe Return Training
and Enrollment program to register individuals with dementia who may wander and
train public service officials who assist in locating them. For more info about
the Alzheimer’s Association, please visit www.alzpa.org. TOP
About The
Bach Choir of Pittsburgh
The Bach Choir of Pittsburgh is dedicated to stimulating a greater enjoyment,
appreciation, and understanding of choral music by as many segments of society
as possible. Since its inception in 1934, the Choir has gained distinction for
its innovative, educational, and critically acclaimed programming and performances.
The design is based on J.S. Bach's personal signature. His initials are presented
in a flowing calligraphic style, then overlaid with their own mirrored reflection.
The overall result is an image that is simultaneously a crown and a pineapple,
longstanding symbols of power and hospitality, respectively. Dating back to Colonial
America, the pineapple has been used to convey graciousness, warmth, and affection,
and was often literally the "crown" jewel of dining room centerpieces.
Riverside is happy to continue the tradition of hospitality, as style and graceful
entertaining are crucial to our everyday emotional well-being.
For more information about the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh, please visit www.bachchoirpittsburgh.org/history.html TOP
About CASA,
Court Appointed Special Advocates
There are over half a million abused and neglected children, most unable to
live safely with their own families. Children of all ages face this
uncertain future, alone. Like the tree and its seedling in the Plates With
Purpose design, CASA speaks up for these children providing stability and
permanency. With a trained, court-appointed CASA volunteer, an abused and
neglected child can grow into a strong and healthy adult. There are over
900 CASA programs in the United States. For more information about the CASA
programs in California and Pittsburgh, please visit www.CaliforniaCASA.org
and www.PGH-CASA.org. TOP
About Children's
Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
of UPMC is the only hospital is western Pennsylvania dedicated solely
to the care of infants, children
and young adults. Renowned for its outstanding clinical services, Children’s
Hospital has helped establish the standards of pediatric care during its
more than 118-year history. Children’s will open its new state-of-the-art,
LEED-certified building in May 2009 in Pittsburgh’s revitalized
Lawrenceville neighborhood.
The Healing Garden Plates with Purpose™ were designed by Cassandra
Ott, Riverside’s Creative Services Director, and one of the many
well-cared-for Children’s Hospital patients. The symbols Cassandra
chose: holly, fern, rosebud and leaves, and the oak tree and acorn, meaningfully
represent the seasons of winter, spring, summer and fall, respectively.
Additionally, each of these healing botanicals bears inspirational properties,
including courage, endurance, hope, and strength. The 7” plates
will be sold as a set of four, including one plate with each design.
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation
is the sole fund-raising arm of Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
of UPMC. Through the foundation, donors help the hospital care for sick
and injured children; they also
help make possible the hospital’s mission of excellence in patient
care, teaching and research. For more, visit www.GiveToChildrens.org. TOP
About the
Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, a member of America's Second
Harvest, is a nonprofit organization committed to eliminating hunger
and developing collaborative
strategies to encourage self-reliance in southwestern Pennsylvania. Distributing
nearly 17 million pounds of food per year to 350 member agencies, the Food Bank
serves approximately 120,000 people per month, of whom 37,000 are children. Located
in an award-winning "green" warehouse in Duquesne, the Food Bank depends
upon volunteers who help with food repackaging, clerical work, office activities,
special events, and farm activities. For every $1.00 donated, the Food Bank is
able to purchase $5.00 worth of goods and services. For more information about
the Food Bank, please visit www.pittsburghfoodbank.org. TOP
About Forbes
Hospice
Since its founding in 1979, Forbes Hospice has helped thousands of terminally
ill people to live each day to its fullest, surrounded by the comfort of home,
family and friends. In the very early days of the program, an average of five
patients were cared for each day. Today, Forbes Hospice serves on average, 120
patients each day and 1,200 new patients each year. Featuring one of the Pittsburgh
region's most comprehensive hospice and palliative care programs, Forbes Hospice
provides a plan of care individualized to meet the unique needs of each patient
and family. It is the mission of Forbes Hospice to preserve dignity in the last
stages of life through the provision of state-of-the-art care to patients and
families and to support education and research which advances the delivery of
care for the terminally ill. For more information about Forbes Hospice, please
visit www.wpahs.org/hospice. TOP
About Pittsburgh
Habitat for Humanity
Using donated funds and materials, Pittsburgh Habitat for Humanity works in partnership
with volunteers and low-income families in need, to build simple, decent homes.
Habitat is not a give-away program. Participants must work a minimum of 350 hours
on the construction of their homes. Low income families, earning 25-50% of the
area’s median income, purchase the homes through no-profit, no-interest
mortgages. In 2006, Pittsburgh Habitat for Humanity will celebrate its 20th year
of service. Since its inception in 1986, Pittsburgh Habitat has built or renovated
53 homes. For more information about Pittsburgh Habitat, please visit www.pittsburghhabitat.org. TOP About the National Autism Association
The National Autism Association (NAA) is a parent-founded and
parent-led advocacy organization. NAA is the only national membership
organization providing direct financial assistance to families
affected by Autism through its unique family-care programs which award
grants to pay for the many services, therapies and treatments not
covered by medical insurance.
The mission of the National Autism Association
is to educate and empower families affected by autism and other neurological
disorders, while advocating on behalf of those who cannot fight for
their own rights. We will educate society that autism is not a lifelong incurable genetic disorder but one that is biomedically definable and
treatable. We will raise public and professional awareness of environmental
toxins as causative factors in neurological damage that often results
in an autism or related diagnosis. We will encourage those in the
autism community to never give up in their search to help their loved ones reach their full potential, funding efforts toward
this end through appropriate research for finding a cure for the neurological
damage from which so many affected by autism suffer.
For more information,
please visit www.nationalautism.org. TOP
About United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation
The
United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation is dedicated to promoting research
and education for the diagnosis, treatment
and cure of mitochondrial
disorders - hereditary disorders, that affect the cell's ability
to produce life-sustaining energy - to provide support to affected individuals
and families.
Since 1996, the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation has
funded nearly $5 million in research toward a cure and has helped thousands
of families
through the family support network.
The Ladybug Plate with Purpose™ was
designed by Tristan Bramblett, a six-year-old autistic artist who creates
designs
through Blue Elephant
Creations (www.blueelephantcreations.com)
to raise awareness and funds for autism.
For more information about the
Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, please visit www.umdf.org TOP
About Persad Center
Persad
Center is a licensed substance abuse and mental health counseling organization
that
seeks to increase the emotional well being of sexual minority persons,
all persons affected by HIV/AIDS, and the family members and significant
others of these persons. Founded in 1972, Persad Center is the nation’s
second oldest licensed counseling center specifically created to meet
the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals. For more
information about the Persad Center, please visit www.persadcenter.org. TOP
ARTISTS
Cassandra Ott designed
the Butterfly plate for the Forbes Hospice, the Stars plate for Persad
Center, the Heart plate for Habitat for Humanity, and the Trees plate
for CASA
BIO:
Cassandra Ott serves as Creative Director for Riverside Design Group.
A trained photographer, Scott manages product development, marketing
and media relations
for the company. She also designs many of Riverside’s most popular
pieces. In fact, Ott’s Tropical Palm dinnerware collection won the
2003 Tabletop and Servingware Award by Food Service Equipment Magazine and
her Butterfly design, from the Plates With Purpose™ line, won the Luxury
division of the Editor’s Choice Awards at the International Hotel/Motel
Restaurant Show in November of 2004. Her designs are used by everyone from
food service professionals and restaurants, like the Getty Museum Café,
to people looking to spruce up their tables at home. Ott, who graduated
from the University of Cincinnati with a BFA in photography and fine arts,
is
always looking for creative outlets and continues to paint and practice
photography. TOP
Grant Scott III and
Cassandra Ott collaborated to design the heart plate for
Pittsburgh Habitat for Humanity
BIO: A founding
partner in Riverside Design Group, Grant Scott III, AIA is a professionally
trained and award winning architect.
After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University, he became a nationally
registered architect. Today, Scott is a partner in the Pittsburgh architecture
firm Kingsland, Bauer, and Scott Associates (KSBA), where he serves
as the Director of Design. Scott designed a number of Riverside’s
signature pieces including the Architecture Series and the very popular
Form Series, for which he received a Product Design Award from Food
Service Equipment Reports. He also received the Pittsburgh Architectural
Design Award for the design of the Byzantine Cathedral in Munhall, PA
and Winfield, Inc. in Clarksburg, WV. A community minded individual,
Scott sits on the board of the Mt. Irenaeus Retreat Center and is the
past board president of Family Services of Western Pennsylvania, as
well as Pittsburgh’s branch of the American Institute of Architects.
Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Scott grew up in Olean, New York and currently
resides in Pittsburgh with his wife and co-founding partner of Riverside
Design Group, Mary Irwin-Scott. TOP
Judy Smilow designed
the forget-me-not plate for the Alzheimer’s Association Artist’s
statement:
When the opportunity arose to be a part of this worthwhile project I
was not only honored to design one of the plates but really thrilled
that
the Alzheimer’s organization would be one of the beneficiaries.
I have a particular connection to this organization and most unfortunately
the disease as well. My father Mel Smilow (a furniture designer and artist)
died two years ago after a lengthy and terrible struggle with Alzheimer’s
disease. He was and continues to be my first and most important design
influence and inspiration. The forget me not image is particularly apt
for Alzheimer’s because it is a disease of forgetting. A life
is taken bit by bit, but to those left behind never forgotten. -Judy
Smilow
TOP
Michelle
Bamburak designed the sheaf of wheat plate for the Greater
Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
BIO:
Michele Bamburak is a standing member with the Pittsburgh Society
of Illustrators and the National Art Educators Association. She has
been
a faculty member
with the Art Institute of Pittsburgh for over 23 years and is currently
the Institute’s Faculty Development Coordinator. Michele’s
years of dedication to community-based projects was the perfect segue
way into designing a plate for Riverside’s Plates With Purpose program. “When
Mary Irwin-Scott approached me about a design for the Food Bank, we discussed
various visuals that would appropriately represent its mission. The wheat
sheaf, with it’s representation of harvest, abundance and food source
seemed the most appropriate image to convey the community outreach that
the Food bank provides. The challenge was to design an image that was
both realistic and yet stylized enough to fit both corporate and residential
décor. TOP
Tristan Bramblett
The Ladybug Plate with Purpose™ was designed
by Tristan Bramblett, a six-year-old autistic artist who creates designs
through Blue Elephant Creations www.blueelephantcreations.com to
raise awareness and funds for autism. TOP
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