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EMOTIONAL SUPPORT

SUPPORT GROUPS

These support groups are free and open to all experiencing infertility in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, and Westmoreland Counties.

  • You will be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement.
  • Registration is requested at least 24 hours in advance.
Register for a JFF-PGH Support Group

FERTILITY BUDDIES

Our fertility buddies practice “relationship-based support.” Individuals currently experiencing infertility and/or on a family-building journey are matched with trained fertility buddy veterans, who understand the pressure, pain, and emotional upheaval caused by infertility and various pathways to parenthood, and can offer the much-needed support to their buddies.

Need a buddy?Want to become a buddy?

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

JFF-PITTSBURGH FERTILITY GRANTS

As a resident of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, or Westmoreland County*, you may be eligible to apply for our grants:

  • Invitro Fertilization (IVF)
  • Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)

Other financial benefits through JFF include:

  • 20% off discounts from our partner clinics
  • Interest-free loans
  • Pharmacy discounts for medications and genetic testing (of embryos) discounts from our partners

*Please note that you must be receiving treatment at one of your clinic partners to apply for a grant. See the full list of local clinics below.

Learn More

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

JOIN US!

JFF offers community programming to spread awareness of infertility and to bring our amazing community together.

Check out our events!

PITTSBURGH COUNSELORS

PITTSBURGH CLINICS

JFF-PITTSBURGH TEAM

Meet the JFF Regional Manager

Tamar Headshot

Tamar
JFF Regional Manager

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Tamar Poupko Smith grew up in Montreal, Canada and after living in Israel, New York, Baltimore and Cincinnati, is proud to call Cleveland her home. She has a B.A. from Yeshiva University and has spent over twenty years in the Jewish non-profit world, in both professional and lay positions. Her most recent work has been with Jewish day schools, and in whatever capacity, Tamar is always engaged in working toward their success. 

Tamar oversees both JFF-Cleveland and JFF-Pittsburgh. She looks forward to connecting with, and supporting individuals on their family-building journeys with compassion and sensitivity. Tamar’s parents and four siblings have all dedicated themselves,  professionally, to the Jewish community and they continue to inspire her to serve and better our communities and the Jewish people.

Tamar is active in a number of local non-profits including Fuchs Mizrachi School, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, the Community Beit Midrash, and Bnei Akiva. Tamar enjoys spending time with her husband Elliot, their four children and one incredible goldendoodle named Leo. 

Meet the JFF-PGH Volunteers

Pnina Cohen

Pnina Cohen has lived in the Pittsburgh area for about 16 years. She moved here from Connecticut, with her husband Avi to raise a family in a vibrant Jewish community with all the resources that a community offers. 17 years and 3 IVF babies later Pnina and Avi were recently blessed with an "unmedicated" baby growing their family to 6. Pnina has alot of experience in the medical and neurodivergent communities having explored them both for herself and her children. Pnina is passionate about supporting and advocating for people going through life's challenges.

Why JFF?
Having gone through many years of fertility challenges Pnina knows first hand how isolating the journey can be. She knows how disconnected it can make a couple/family from their community and is excited to be able to support local individuals on their own fertility journeys as well as helping the community at large have a better understanding of the fertility struggle and how best to support community members going through it.

This is a headshot for Sharon Cooper.

Sharon Cooper

Sharon Cooper is originally from the Washington, DC area and moved to Pittsburgh with her family in 2011. She and her husband struggled with secondary infertility issues and are so grateful to have two IVF babies in their family of 5 today - including three boys, her husband Jason and herself. Sharon works for the International Ocean Discovery Program and is a children's book author.

WHY JFF?
Sharon understands (at least some) of the emotional and physical challenges of infertility and is eager to help support others on their journeys and feel less alone.

This is a headshot for Erika Schmitt.

Erika Schmitt

Erika Schmitt, MSW, LSW, is Director of Adoption & Permanency Services at The Children's Home & Lemieux Family Center. As such, Erika oversees programs for domestic infant adoption, adoption from foster care, SWAN (Pennsylvania's Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network), and Counseling services, including counseling for couples and individuals experiencing infertility, and using assisted reproductive technology, third party reproduction and surrogacy. Erika received her Bachelor's degree in psychology and master's degree in social work, both from the University of Pittsburgh. She is passionate about helping individuals and couples grow their families and become parents, through whatever means is best for them. Erika was born and raised in a suburb of Pittsburgh and has never left the area! Erika is also a single mom by choice and parenting a daughter.

Why JFF?
Erika has both personal and professional experience in the infertility realm. From both perspectives, Erika has witnessed the financial and emotional challenges that accompany the infertility journey. Support during this process is crucial and when Erika learned of JFF's ability to help in both of these areas, as well as raise awareness and give a voice to a topic not often discussed, she immediately knew she wanted to see the Pittsburgh community be able to benefit from these services. After heading the initial exploratory committee, Erika is beyond excited to see JFF in Pittsburgh and to continue to serve the organization as the Pittsburgh Advisory Committee chair.

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JFF-PGH Support Group: Experiencing Infertility

Zoom , United States

Our JFF-PGH virtual support groups are FREE and open to any women experiencing infertility or on a family-building journey. You will receive the Zoom link for the support group about...