Holy Family Institute history

1904: With ever-growing needs and responsibilities to take care of children, Orphan Asylum of the Holy Family is formally incorporated with a fully governing board.

1915: Father Francis Retka appointed Executive Director.

1928: Holy Family Institute is among the first to join the Welfare Fund, now United Way.

1931: The board votes to change the name from Orphan Asylum of the Holy Family to Holy Family Institute, due to the shift from being a true orphanage to a small-group living facility serving both orphans and other children in need.

1950: Holy Family celebrates its Golden Jubilee.

1966: Reverend Raymond Wojtkiewicz is appointed Executive Director.

1975: The transitional group home opens for teenagers to prepare them for independent living.

1979: The Independent Living Program expands and includes apartments for adolescents in North Hills, Coraopolis and Montour.

1980: Special Education program is re-established with the passage of the Act 30 Education Bill.

On June 19, 1982, the Holy See declared that the Institute was a Work proper to the Society of St Paul and aggregated to it, and approved its Statute for a ten-year experimental period.

1988: Sister Linda Yankoski is appointed Executive Director.

1991: The Ed Block Courage Award Foundation designates Holy Family Institute as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Courage House in honor of the late Arthur J Rooney, Sr.

1993: Special and Alternative Education is provided to area school districts through a day school in Emsworth.

1999: Holy Family collaborates with Duquesne Light to provide energy assistance and support programs through Universal Services (CAP, CARES) to low and limited income households.

2002: St Mary’s in Ambler establishes Act 30 School for residential students.

2004: An alternative and special education program is establishes in Phoenixville, PA. Holy Family receives full certification from the Council on Accreditation for Children and Families.

2005: The French Creek Learning Center is established.

2006: Holy Family establishes Family-Focused Solution Based Services.

2007: St Mary’s Villa for Children and Families begins accepting truant population.

2008: Holy Family Institute establishes a violence prevention program using the evidence-based model called SNAP® (Stop Now and Plan) for boys ages 6-12 years.

2009: Holy Family establishes career and workforce development program for at-risk youths utilizing Employer Advisory Council.

2010: Develops unaccompanied minors’ program for orphan children from Haiti.

2013: The SNAP program begins pilot program for SNAP in schools.

2014: Holy Family Academy begins its first school year in August with 70 freshmen students.

2015: Holy Family Institute is successfully reaccredited through Council on Accreditation (COA). The Outpatient Mental Health department expands to provide services to students in four more schools.

2016: Holy Family Institute begins a Visit Coaching program in Allegheny County through a contract with DHS. The goal of this program is to help parents develop the skills needed to care for their children and provide a safe environment for them so that they can be returned to the home.

2017: Holy Family Academy begins its first school year with students in all four grades: 9th-12th.

2018: Holy Family Academy is renamed Nazareth Prep as part of a branding effort and to eliminate misperception in the community and celebrates its first graduating class of 46 graduates.

2019: Nazareth Prep is accredited by the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools.