Philanthropy and the Forging of Pittsburgh

Streamed on City of Asylum’s Virtual Channel. (Run-time 60 min)

Join City of Asylum and University of Pittsburgh Press for a virtual live reading and conversation with author Kathleen W. Buechel.

Philanthropy has long been associated with images of industrial titans and wealthy families. In Pittsburgh, long a center for industry, the shadows of Carnegie, Mellon, Frick, and others loom especially large, while the stories of working-class citizens who uplifted their neighbors remain untold. For the first time, these two portraits of Pittsburgh philanthropy converge in a rich historic tapestry. The Gift of Belief reveals how Pittsburghers from every strata, creed, and circumstance organized their private resources for the public good. The industrialists and their foundations are here but stand alongside lesser known philanthropists equally involved in institution building, civic reform, and community empowerment.

Kathleen W. Buechel teaches, speaks, and writes extensively about philanthropy. She brings nearly three decades of philanthropic, civic, and corporate sector leadership to her work. Currently she serves as executive director of the Benter Foundation, a Pittsburgh-based philanthropic organization that helps individuals and communities thrive. She is also senior lecturer in international affairs at the University of Pittsburgh where she directs the Philanthropy Forum at GSPIA and the Pittsburgh Philanthropy Project. In her consulting work, she helps donors heighten the impact of their giving and assists in engaging the next generation.