Manos House

Here for our community since 1972, helping young men overcome substance use disorder

Manos House -- the organization under the Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Services umbrella that will benefit from your ExtraGive donation -- is a residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation center for teens and young men living with a substance use disorder. We provide the support, care, and education these youth need to overcome their struggles. We accomplish this through an array of therapeutic treatments in a safe, compassionate environment, run by a supportive and caring staff of counselors, educators, a psychologist, a chaplain, and diverse set of mentors. 

One of the crucial factors that sets Manos House apart from other residential treatment providers is our dedication to ensuring our clients' education is not interrupted through the treatment experience. Our in-house school, Prospect Grove High School, allows these young men to earn their GED or high school diploma while in treatment, year-round. A private academic school licensed by the PA Department of Education, PGHS can also issue credits that are transferable back to the student’s home district, so they aren’t behind if they re-enter. Funding PGHS during the summer months, when it doesn’t receive financial support from the school districts in which our clients are enrolled, is our reason for participating in this fundraiser. During this time, PGHS is kept operating by donations. If we haven't received enough outside funding to cover summer operational costs, we are forced to cut it from Manos House's main operating budget. As a nonprofit, we already operate on a very tight budget, so having to siphon away funding from one of our services to support another is a worst-case scenario -- one we hope you can help us avoid through the ExtraGive. Keep reading to hear from some PGHS students and teachers.

"Aidan," age 16, will soon be discharged from Manos House after three months of treatment, and return to his home school district in New York. While continuing his education at PGHS, he says he found himself frustrated less often than at his regular high school, because his teachers here have the capacity to let him work at his own pace -- allowing him keep up his interest by moving from the "easy stuff" onto new lessons as soon as he's ready. He's particularly enjoyed his elective class, Pop Culture Studies, in which he and his peers have been learning about silent and black and white movies. In English class, he enjoyed the class discussions about "Looking For Alaska," a novel by young adult fiction author John Green. Aidan says he's also benefited from the small class sizes at PGHS; our typical student to teacher ratio is 10:1. He appreciates the group activities and field trips, which grant him more time with his teachers and the friends he's made, compared to his old school -- where opportunities for one-on-one time with teachers are scarce, and he only gets to catch up with friends at lunch. Another benefit of this extra time with peers and teachers, he explains, is that it's good to be around people who support him. His mother, who deals with addiction herself, is often away from home. When he graduates, Aidan is looking forward to attending college, where he plans to join drama and theater clubs, and major in pre-law -- his goal is to become a children's rights attorney for kids in foster care, a system he's familiar with and hopes to improve.

Our Education Director, Dr. Kristi Prime, leads a team dedicated to helping each student rediscover the power of learning. With years of experience supporting students in an academic setting, she understands that education is not just about grades - it's about rebuilding confidence, identity, and hope for the future. "Seeing the growth our students achieve while they're with us - the transformation - is what I love most." Kristi shares. At our treatment program, education plays a crucial role in recovery. Many of our students arrive with academic gaps and uncertainty about their abilities. Through individualized instruction and genuine encouragement, they begin to experience success again. One student entered our program credit-deficient and unable to advance to tenth grade. With a customized plan and the support of our dedicated teachers, he earned the credits he needed and returned home on track - proud, motivated, and believing in his future again.

"Liam," age 18, is a resident of our Supervised Independent Living program who's set to earn his PGHS diploma in 5 months. Hailing from suburban Pittsburgh, Liam enjoys the fact that none of his classes at PGHS are just a teacher spouting information while students copy outlined notes from a screen. "They like to keep everyone engaged," he explains. Science class is currently the leader in terms of Liam's interest. Right now, they're studying meteorology; he's especially compelled by lessons on climate change. Liam says he's a more confident student while attending school at PGHS