A Giving Heart: Open to All
When you walk through the doors of A Giving Heart’s Arlington location, it’s immediately apparent that this isn’t just another childcare center. Bright colors, soft lighting, and the kind of energy that only passion can generate makes this space feel alive. And at the center of it all is Kristee Cammack, whose mixture of determination, humor, and community spirit has turned a big dream – well, several of them, really – into a vital resource for families in the South Hills.
I spoke with Kristee to hear more about her journey, her plans, and the unexpected challenges that have come with making A Giving Heart a reality.
From Big Ideas to Little Kids
Kristee laughs when asked how she ended up here. “You know, childcare wasn’t the plan,” she admits. “In college, I thought I would open a homeless shelter for families because I couldn’t believe how many shelters split people up: parents one way, kids another. That didn’t sit right with me.” Her background – a master’s degree in clinical community psychology and a bachelor's degree in marketing – might not proclaim “future childcare director,” but as she explains it, it was being encouraged to go back to school and the parents themselves who nudged her in the direction she eventually went. “They kept asking about childcare. I didn’t have the space at the time, but when this building came along, it all just clicked.”
A Neighborhood Effort
For Kristee, A Giving Heart has always been about more than drop-off and pick-up. “We’re here to support families as a whole,” she says. That means after-school programs with tutoring and dinner, summer meal programs with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, and even collaborations with local groups like Venture Outdoors. “It’s funny,” she says. “People think we’re just a building, but really, we’re a hub.” She connects people with other organizations, shares resources, and makes sure no one falls through the cracks. In the neighborhoods she serves, that’s incredibly important.
The Roadblocks No One Prepares You For
Like any small business owner, Kristee has stories about the not-so-glamourous side of getting started. “Let me tell you about this door,” she says with a grin. She’s referring to a single area of egress that turned into a 2-year-long delay while she waited on permits and accessibility requirements. “I swear that door cost me more sleep than anything else,” she jokes. “It’s a running joke. We all know about the door.”
Behind the humor, though, is a story of perseverance. Building inspections, funding hurdles, and the sheer cost of making a space safe and functional all tested her resolve. “At one point, I thought, am I really about to let a piece of wall and a permit stop me from doing this?” she recalls. The answer, thankfully, was no.
Where Invest PGH Lent a Hand
One big assist came when Invest PGH stepped in with support. “Honestly, Invest PGH gave me the breathing room to keep moving,” Kristee says. “Without that, I don’t know if I’d be standing here right now.”
The financing provided more than money. It gave validation to Kristee and her vision. “When someone says, ‘Yes, we believe in you,’ that’s fuel.” That’s what Invest PGH always tries to do – for Kristee, for A Giving Heart, and for all our clients.
But here’s the not-so-secret: Kristee didn’t just get funding, she got training, mentorship, and a support network. That came from Chatham University’s Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship with their Business of Child Care program, delivered in partnership with Invest PGH and our friends at the URA. And because she completed the program, Kristee became eligible for additional financing through CRiB, Invest PGH’s forgivable loan program. Linking skills with funding, with coaching, was just what Kristee needed not only to help her enter the world of childcare, but also to provide her with the dollars to build it.
Looking Forward
Kristee isn’t one to sit still for long. Already, she’s planning how A Giving Heart can grow to meet the needs of even more families – and people. Aside from planning to offer adult educational programs, “I want the kids here to feel safe and excited to learn. And I want the adults to know they’ve got a partner. Because it really does take a village.”
Her passion is contagious. Spend just a few minutes talking with her and you’ll understand why families in the South Hills love Kristee. This isn’t just her job. This is her vision. This is her heart.
Find A Giving Heart IRL & Online
Thanks as always to Anna Brewer of Anna Brewer Productions for opening her heart to us here at Invest PGH and taking some stellar shots.
Oh and hey, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that Anna is also an Invest PGH borrower!