The experiences I had, in what's now called the Mars Home for Youth, go back decades, when as a result of divorce, my brothers and I were left in their care. For me, that time would have left lasting scars, whether the abuse happened twenty years ago, or twenty days. I quickly learned the difference between the religion we were served in the daytime, and the vicious physical cruelty that was unleashed at night. Often, I was locked alone in a darkened closet, to sit on the bare floor for hours. I've lost count of how many times I had to lie face down on my bed, forced to pull my pajama bottoms down so I could be whipped more soundly with a razor strap. It was an unusual night when no other boy cried himself to sleep. The saving grace for me was the grade school down the hill, which provided a haven of sanity and physical safety, for at least part of the day, part of the week, and for part of the year. I find it incredible, that former residents hold an annual reunion. I only hope that no other child has to experience anything like what I endured there. .
Review from Guidestar
MHY gives youth a second chance to turn their lives around so that they can become the best kind of people they can be. The school helps them get back on track academically. The staff assists them in working through the issues that got them there. Staff really cares what becomes of them.
Review from The Pittsburgh Foundation