Opening of the Dr. Phillip Birdine Learning Center & Jerome Bettis Gym
Former Pittsburgh Steeler Joey Porter and his wife Christy Porter hosted the grand opening of the Jasmine Nyree Campus’ Dr. Phillip Birdine Learning Center on Saturday, June 5, 2021, at 12:00 pm, 3048 Ashlyn Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15204 in the Sheraden community.
The 180,000 square foot campus, purchased by the Porters in December 2019, encompasses five buildings that used to be a part of Holy Innocents Church and School and is now being transformed into a multi-service campus and community center designed to address multiple needs in the community including residential services, recreational, educational and other human service-related services.
Surrounded by family, friends, former teammates, and local leaders, the Porter’s hosted the Grand Opening event to celebrate the opening of the Dr. Phillip Birdine Learning Center, named after a veteran of the United States Army and a pioneer in the field of Education who would go on to be the 5th President of Western Oklahoma State College. He was the first and only African American President of a college or university in the entire state of Oklahoma, excluding Historically Black Colleges & Universities. After 40 years of dedicated service, Dr. Birdine retired as President of Western Oklahoma State College in 2018.
The Dr. Phillip Birdine Learning Center will house a day program for special needs adults, an after-school program for K-12th grade students, and the Jerome Bettis Gym that will accommodate 220 spectators and be utilized for recreational activities.
Over the next 6 weeks, work will continue inside the Learning Center with the installation of an elevator and equipping what will be a state-of-the-art kitchen. The Campus plans to provide programs and services in August 2021.
However, last year, aspects of the campus have been up and operating, including the Patricia Jean Administration Building, named after Christy Porter’s mother, and a Neighborhood Employment Center, which has already helped 70 people secure jobs. The Jasmine Nyree Campus also plans to have a medical center, pharmacy, and housing for individuals with special needs and seniors. “There will be something for everyone and for every age,” said Christy Porter, Co-Founder, the Jasmine Nyree Campus. “We are going to provide a medical clinic and because this neighborhood has not had a grocery store in years, we have partnered with Giant Eagle so that residents in the Sheraden community can order their groceries online and conveniently pick them up on the Campus. That was never an option before, but this is just one of the many partnering opportunities that will benefit West End residents. The event featured remarks from:
• Joey & Christy Porter, Founders
• Jayla Porter, Junior Vice President
• Jerome Bettis, Hall of Fame Steelers Running Back
• Theresa Kail-Smith, City Council President
• Bill Peduto, Mayor, City of Pittsburgh
• Dr. Glenn Pomerantz, Senior VP of Health Services, Gateway Health
• Diamonte Walker, Deputy Executive Director, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh
• Myron Terry, Learning Center Director, Jasmine Nyree Campus
The Jasmine Nyree Center has several locations in California since 2003 and has operated private, for-profit and non-profit educational centers for over 15 years. For information on upcoming events and programs, visit our website www.JasmineNyreeCampus.com and our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram.