Congresswoman Summer Lee, ACE Innamorato & Heritage Community Initiatives Celebrate a Quarter Century of Transportation Service

**For Immediate Release**

Kyla Gill, Kyla.Gill@mail.house.gov 

Vaibhav Vijay, Vaibhav.Vijay@mail.house.gov 

Congresswoman Summer Lee, ACE Innamorato & Heritage Community Initiatives Celebrate a Quarter Century of Transportation Service

Pittsburgh, PA – July 16, 2024 – Today, Congresswoman Summer Lee joined County Executive Sara Innamorato, Paula McWilliams, President and CEO of Heritage Community Initiatives, and other local officials and industry leaders to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Heritage Community Transportation (HCT). The event marked a significant milestone for HCT, the only human services nonprofit in the Commonwealth designated by PennDOT as a public transportation provider.

The celebration, held at the future home of Heritage Community Initiatives’ headquarters and commercial kitchen at 800 Braddock Avenue, showcased the organization’s dedication to serving low-income families and individuals in Eastern Allegheny County. Over the past 25 years, HCT has completed over 1.6 million rides, providing vital transportation services that connect riders to work, shopping, healthcare, and other essential destinations.

Congresswoman Summer Lee highlighted the importance of HCT’s services to the community:

“Today, we celebrate a quarter-century of Heritage Community Transportation’s unwavering commitment to our community. This organization, the only human services nonprofit in the Commonwealth designated by PennDOT as a public transportation provider, has been a lifeline for low-income individuals and families in Eastern Allegheny County. With 70% of their riders having an average annual household income of under $20,000, HCT’s fixed-route transit service is more than just transportation; it’s a vital connection to opportunity and independence to those who need it most. Charging just 25 cents—less than a piece of candy—per ride, HCT ensures that transportation remains accessible and affordable for everyone. I am proud to support them as they continue to innovate and enhance their services to better meet the needs of our community.”

Our transportation services today reflect our ongoing commitment to meeting the evolving needs of riders and communities, the significant contributions of our team, and the care and respect of our drivers,” said Paula G. McWilliams, President and CEO, Heritage Community Initiatives. “We’re proud to have played a role in the county’s transportation sector for a quarter-century. This is thanks to the vital support of our partners and funders, our trusted board, and the commitment to community transportation by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Allegheny County, and our public officials. We thank Congresswoman Summer Lee for supporting HCT and helping us achieve this milestone. By working together, we can ensure convenient and affordable access continues for our neighborhoods for years to come.”

The event also featured performances by students from Heritage Community Initiatives Education programs and provided opportunities for attendees to tour the new HCT vehicles.

Background on Heritage Community Initiatives:

For over 40 years, Heritage Community Initiatives has been committed to positively impacting the socioeconomic mobility of those they are privileged to serve throughout 49 communities in Eastern Allegheny County. Their distinctive combination of the highest-quality Transportation, Education, and Nutrition programs allows Heritage to be uniquely positioned to continue its long-standing mission for thousands of under-resourced individuals, families, and children in affordable and measurably impactful ways. For more information, visit heritageserves.org.

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Since taking office in January 2023, Lee, who serves on the House Oversight Committee and Space, Science and Technology Committee, has delivered historic levels of federal investment totaling over $1.85 Billion brought back to Western PA, including over $580 million for infrastructure, over $110 million for affordable transit, over $500 million to keep clean energy manufacturing at home in Pennsylvania, and over $55 million on clean energy efforts in and around schools to help keep our kids and communities safe. These investments will help improve Western Pennsylvania’s infrastructure and transit, ensure cleaner air and drinking water, lower housing costs, fund research institutions, fuel clean manufacturing, fund STEM innovation and entrepreneurship, boost workforce development, and create thousands of good paying union jobs.  Lee and her team have also delivered casework and constituent services to over 2,300 constituents with issues ranging from helping our seniors and disabled community access Medicare and social security to helping folks secure housing and helping families with immigration support and passports.