Steel Smiling

11/20/2025

As Steel Smiling marks its tenth anniversary this year, the organization is receiving two powerful recognitions that reflect the depth of its impact and the strength of its commitment to mental wellness across Pittsburgh. Recently, Steel Smiling […]

11/20/2025

Jazz & Gentle Moments was a VIBE! Our community came together to support our Elders as they experienced an evening filled with jazz, restoration, and conversations rooted in care. Some folks in the room shared that it reminded them of the rich jazz history in the Hill District!

📸 Corey Lankford

11/18/2025

Community! Thanks for joining us at our Heart Strings event last week. The space was filled with so much love, care, and support. We're beyond grateful for our beloved team member Cheyenne, the vision, and her careful curation of the day. Let's keep on healing together. 🖤💛

📸 Corey Lankford

11/13/2025

We'd like to thank the SWAG Awards Committee for selecting us as Organization of the Year. At Steel Smiling, we're all driven to co-create positive mental health experiences within our communities. It's an honor and a privilege to cultivate wellness with the people that we serve.

10/23/2025

At Steel Smiling, we’re deeply grateful for the incredible mental health professionals who continue to show up and support our people.

Dr. Darla Timbo consistently lends her expertise to our Peer Support Groups, Book Read Offerings, and Workforce Wellness Sessions.

Thank you for being an essential part of our village and for helping to cultivate healing through your care, presence, and dedication.

🖤💛

📸 Corey Lankford

10/17/2025

When we hug ourselves, we're engaging in a supportive self-soothing practice. Self-soothing is a physical act that communicates safety to our nervous system. The touch, warmth, and pressure signal to our brain that we're safe in the present moment.

This healing process releases oxytocin (the bonding hormone), lowers stress levels, slows the heart rate, and regulates blood pressure. In short, it supports our mind and body as we safely shift from fight or flight to a calmer state of rest and restore.

We invite you to give yourself a hug today. 🖤💛

📸 Corey Lankford

10/16/2025

Meleak Potter, one of Steel Smiling’s Peer Support Fellows, shares powerful reflections about what it means to show up unapologetically while supporting our Elders Group in the Hill District.

Being unapologetic in our work involves centering healing, culture, and lived experience without compromise. It entails creating spaces where our people can learn, heal, and grow through shared stories, community care, and intentional practice.

Through our framework of healing, education, and practice, we continue building spaces where authenticity and wellness thrive. We see the impact of showing up as ourselves in real time, inspiring and transforming our communities.

How will you show up unapologetically in your own life and community today? 🖤💛

10/15/2025

Cheyenne Campbell, one of Steel Smiling’s Peer Support Fellows, shares how cofacilitating our Elders Peer Support Group has strengthened her healing journey.

Cheyenne reflects on how powerful it is to hold space for mental health conversations that her grandparents and great-grandparents never had the opportunity to experience.

This serves as a reminder that when we bear witness to healing in a safe and supportive space, we also nurture our own growth and wellness.

In collaboration with Macedonia Family and Community Enrichment Center Inc., our group meets at the Thelma Lovette YMCA in the Hill District, offering our elders opportunities for healing, education, and practice.

This is collective healing in action. 🖤💛

10/10/2025

Happy World Mental Health Day, Steel Smiling Champions! It's time to mark your calendars and SAVE THE DATE.

We're excited to announce our 10-Year Anniversary Celebration Event. We hope that you and a friend will join us on Thursday, December 11th. The festivities will happen from 6:00pm to 9:00pm at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center.

Please stay tuned for more details leading up to the experience! 🖤💛

08/11/2025

This past May, one of our Steel Smiling Champions dedicated her marathon run to Steel Smiling and raised $10,000 towards our work in the process! Thank you, Jennifer, for being a longtime supporter and for putting so much hard work into these fundraising efforts! 🖤💛

Read more about Jennifer and her fundraising efforts:

This past May, Jennifer Mathias ran the Pittsburgh Marathon and raised money for Steel Smiling in the process. Jennifer has followed Steel Smiling’s journey for nearly its entire existence, even […]

06/25/2025

Join us in welcoming Shawn Thomas as Program Manager of Steel Healing!

“Shawn brings expertise in developing, implementing, maintaining, and scaling high-quality, evidence-based programs. He’s a coach by nature, making him a great fit to lead and support our Peer Support Fellows and support group facilitators. His energy is amazing, and we can’t wait for you to meet him!” — Courtney Abegunde, Operations Director at Steel Smiling.

Read more:

We are thrilled to welcome Shawn Edward Thomas to the Steel Smiling team as our new Program Manager of Steel Healing! In this role, Shawn will lead the Steel Healing […]

06/16/2025

Happy Monday, Steel Smiling Champions. Last week, we had an opportunity to host our first Kickback Wellness Session for the county-wide Community Violence Reduction Initiative (CVRI).

The experience was curated around the theme of gratitude and giving these amazing peacekeepers their flowers. During the event, they were invited to fellowship with their coworkers, reflect on supportive questions that were rooted in gratitude, and practice mindfulness by creating their own beautiful flower arrangements.

Many of them shared how healing the activity was, and that it positively impacted their mental health. Some folks even said that they're going to explore this practice more with their family and friends. Ultimately, the Kickback Session was a great way for their staff to unwind, relax, and receive their flowers.

We'd like to give flowers to our amazing partners at the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, The Kingsley Association, and Confleurtti. We're grateful for everyone who helped to make this impactful session a reality.