Victorian Tea | Hope Grows

On Sunday, May 19, we will welcomed more than 200 guests to spend time together for a worthy cause at our 10th Annual Hope Grows Victorian Tea. This signature event raises funds and engages the community in conversation about the importance of mental health and emotional support…a true lifeline for family caregivers! We enjoyed a wonderful tea at the Omni William Penn Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh, while hearing hopeful stories from family caregivers who have successfully navigated, with the help of Hope Grows, through the challenges of family caregiving.

We would like to give a sincere thank you to our keynote speaker, Bethany Jaworowski, for sharing her journey with us all. It has been a privilege to walk alongside her and support her. We’d also like to thank Megan Shinn, our emcee, for lending her voice to our cause and being such a wonderful host!

This annual event is months in the making, and we could not have done it without our incredible committee and volunteers, our devoted staff, and our dedicated Board of Directors, along with many generous donors and sponsors. Thank you so very much for your continued support!

Proceeds from the Hope Grows Victorian Tea will empower our clients to seek mental and emotional wellness, help them manage stress, and ultimately prevent caregiver burnout. We can only do this with the generosity of people like you. Thank you again for joining us!

Please enjoy a few photos from this fantastic day, taken by our volunteer photographer, Alex Kochirka.

Our Keynote Speaker: Bethany Jaworowski
Bethany is a devoted mother and primary caregiver to her twin sons who are diagnosed with MECP2 Duplication Syndrome. With over a decade of experience as a mental health and disability services professional and over 6 years caregiving for her sons, Bethany is currently writing a book focusing on the “Caregiving ABC’s” (Advocate for your family, Build your community, and Care for yourself). Her passion is to empower others to develop these skills, enabling them to not just survive the challenges of caregiving but to also thrive.

In her commitment to service, Bethany works in Donor Relations for the Blessed Home Project and serves as a Family Support Representative for the MECP2 Duplication Foundation. She is also active in her church.

Bethany’s contributions and story have been featured on KDKA’s recent segment about Hope Grows, as well as on the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh website, the Joni and Friends Sharing Hope podcast, and the Pennsylvania Health Law Project website.

Our Emcee: Megan Shinn
Megan is a proud Emmy and Edward R. Murrow award-winning anchor and journalist whose decade-long career has taken her from coast to coast. She has worked in Oregon, Virginia, Indiana, and now Pittsburgh.

Her passion for news took off in Southern California where she earned a BFA in Television Broadcast Journalism from Chapman University. During college, she interned at top markets including KNBC and KCBS/ KCAL in Los Angeles; Megan also worked for ESPN3. One of her favorite college experiences was having circumnavigated the globe on “Semester At Sea.”

She is thrilled to call Pittsburgh home now, with her husband and family born and raised here. Most importantly, Megan is passionate about highlighting nonprofits like Hope Grows who are doing good in our community every day.