We would like to wish each and every one of you a very happy holiday season and a peaceful and healthy new year! See you in 2023!

We are so excited for the upcoming year and so grateful for all of our donors, funders, and maker spaces!

Look for news about our new spaces planned for next year!

In January, we plan to begin working on our first Matt's Maker Space in a Pittsburgh Public School.

We are proud to announce that we are the recipient of a Grable Foundation grant to create and present Professional Education for our Maker Spaces. Stay tuned for announcements about this exciting opportunity for our teachers and maker space leaders.

SHINE, a Matt’s Maker Initiative 2022

In May, the Mt. Lebanon Public Library in collaboration with Outreach Teen and Family Services, Matt's Maker Space and the Himalayan Institute of Pittsburgh kicked-off an initiative that supports mental wellness and self-care for all ages by providing programs and resources at the public library. This initiative focuses on programs that build resiliency through stress reduction and personal resource expansion as well as those that build bridges to outside agencies to

strengthen our network of care.

Adults, teens and children participated in the SHINE initiative programs in 2022. These programs included a series of lectures on stress reduction and resiliency building for adults presented by Kate Mackin from the Himalayan Institute, therapy dogs for adult relaxation, sound baths paired with gentle movements presented by the Himalayan Institute, Fun Making for adults with the Warhol Museum and a series of programs based on grief with Family Promise.

We ended the year with a program on dealing with stress and grief during the holidays and QPR training (QPR is an emergency response to someone in crisis and can save lives) with Outreach and Family Services.

Mental Health Mondays began as a teen workshop series after school from April until June, then this Autumn from September through December. Each workshop centered around a different mental health and resiliency theme, as chosen by Outreach therapist Maggie Zangara, with input from the teens as well. They featured collaborative games, take-home worksheets on stress relief, and some sparkling water and light snacks for all participants.

In September, October, November, and December, Matt's Maker Space provided funding to offer monthly sound bath workshops for teens. Inner Light Sound Healing provided a series of relaxing 45 minute musical meditation program for middle and high school students. SHINE programs in the children’s library have focused on building mental wellness and resiliency in children.

We are proud to partner with the Mt. Lebanon Library on initiatives like SHINE, which benefit everyone in the community.