Second United Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 Good Futures Neighbor Award, receiving $5,000 to bring their Good Futures Accelerator-led vision for a community-centered social enterprise to life.
Their idea? A welcoming neighborhood café designed to foster connection, create opportunity, and strengthen community.
The proposed café will serve as more than just a place to grab coffee—it will be a hub for relationships, support, and growth.
In partnership with Swissvale Presbyterian Church, the café will collaborate with a nearby women’s recovery shelter to provide:
Designed with the whole neighborhood in mind, the space will also include:
Second United Presbyterian Church is also building connections across the street with the local library. Together, they plan to host:
These offerings will expand what the library can provide, creating new opportunities for learning and connection within the community.
This year’s winning proposal reflects the heart of the Good Futures initiative—supporting ideas that create lasting, transformative impact.
By combining entrepreneurship with community care, this café will:
Pastor Deborah Warren shared how the Good Futures Accelerator shaped their journey:
“Participation in the Good Futures Accelerator has been transformative for our congregation. The process helped us identify and celebrate the strengths already present in our ministry, giving us a clear framework for growth and a much-needed confidence boost.”
“The Accelerator’s games and activities proved to be fun, practical, and adaptable, allowing us to apply what we learned in a variety of church and community settings.”
“Overall, the Good Futures Accelerator has equipped us with clarity, confidence, and connections—as well as adaptable learning tools—that continue to guide us as we move toward long-term mission and community renewal.”
The $1,000 2025 winners are:
Finish the Good Futures Accelerator by Fall 2026 and you’ll be eligible to share your idea and apply for the next round of awards—
an opportunity RootedGood hopes to offer every year.
We are inspired by the vision and leadership of Second United Presbyterian Church and excited to see this project take shape in Pittsburgh.
This is exactly the kind of community-rooted innovation the Good Futures Neighbor Award was created to support. RootedGood will accept applications in Fall 2026 for its next round of $10,000 in awards.
Interested in learning more about the Good Futures Accelerator or applying for a future award? rootedgood.org/good-futures
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