Pittsburgh Urban Christian School students clean up vacant Wilkinsburg houses

WILKINSBURG, Pa. — Pittsburgh Urban Christian School students are working to clean up vacant homes in Wilkinsburg.

Students ranging from kindergarten through eighth-grade clean up abandoned and historical buildings, making them more presentable.%

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“There are a lot of beautiful old homes that people can't afford to keep up,” said Jen Moak, Parent Volunteer.

Wilkinsburg has more vacant homes than any other neighborhood in the area.

“Close to 18 percent of buildings are vacant property, huge percentage much higher than city,” said Marlee Gallagher, Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation.

The Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation will host a vacant house tour Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The tour is free and open to the public.

“Wilkinsburg is good all over. That's the message we want to say,” said Janie Robertson, Pittsburgh Urban Christian School.

The clean-up is done as a fundraiser for the school.

There were 137 students and 55 staff and volunteers that helped with this project.

Sixty-one percent of PUCS’s students receive financial aid.

Cox Media Group