Learn About Northside Common Ministries

What is the Program?

Northside Common Ministries (NCM) addresses the needs of people who are hungry and homeless by:

  • Operating the Pleasant Valley Emergency Men’s Shelter which provides emergency overnight housing services to men who are homeless,
  • Providing Permanent Housing transition services for adult homeless men with disabilities, and by
  • Operating the Community Food Pantry providing one week’s worth of food to more than 600 families per month.    

Who Does the Program Serve?

NCM serves adult homeless men and women, men who are homeless and who have a disability, and low-income families.

How Does the Program Benefit Participants and the Community?

Pleasant Valley provides a shower, food, clothing and safe shelter as well as a foundation for reversing the adverse conditions of men’s lives. NCM’s Community Food Pantry provides food for families with limited resources, and the Permanent Housing program supports men with disabilities who are transitioning from homelessness to self-sufficiency.  

Special Program Accomplishments

Last year, NCM provided services to more than 2,500 individuals, provided Christmas gifts to more than 150 families, provided food for more than 600 families each month, secured permanent residences for 15 men who were disabled and homeless,  and Pleasant Valley provided shelter for 504 men.

A Personal Story …

A recovering alcoholic and drug addict, Tom entered the Permanent Housing Program at NCM in 2001. Since then, he has earned an Associate Degree in Computer Information Management and has taken other computer related college courses. Tom has been drug- and alcohol-free for nearly ten years, and he acknowledges the Permanent Housing Program as playing a major role in his success.  


Learn about some other Goodwill programs: 

Housekeeping Training, Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium Employment Program, English as a Second Language (ESL), H.E.A.R.T. House, Project SEARCH, Intensive Vocational Rehabilitation Program, The Goodwill Employment Training Center, North Hills Retail Partnership, Union State Clubhouse, Assistive Technology,

For more information on any of Goodwill's Job Training and Education programs, contact us.