WQED, Fred Rogers Productions and PNC Grow Up Great® Join Community Partners to Celebrate Kindness, Learning and a Neighborhood on the Rise
PITTSBURGH — WQED Multimedia is proud to announce that the Borough of Etna will host Be My Neighbor Day on Saturday, September 20, 2025, from 1:00–5:00 p.m. Inspired by the legacy of Fred Rogers, the free event helps children learn what it means to be a caring neighbor and encourages families to connect with each other, while promoting a welcoming environment for all.
This year’s event will shine a spotlight on Etna as it embraces a vibrant new chapter in its history, with the Etna Center for Community now under construction in the historic Ochse Building. Once home to a general store and post office, the site will become a library and gathering place—Etna’s only indoor public space.
Be My Neighbor Day 2025 is planned in collaboration with the Borough of Etna, the Etna Community Organization (ECO) and the Etna Economic Development Corporation (EEDC), with enthusiastic support from Etna Mayor Robert Tuñón and more than 30 partner organizations.
“Community leaders have truly embraced this program and are making it their own,” said Jess Oest, WQED’s Learning Neighborhood Manager for the North. “Beyond a celebration of kindness and being a caring neighbor, leaders in Etna are taking the opportunity to champion the investment this vibrant community is making in itself. WQED is proud to support this community and this event.”
Families will enjoy hands-on activities, educational resources, music, storytelling and the chance to meet neighbors who are making a difference—including a special appearance by Daniel Tiger from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.
Be My Neighbor Day is made possible by PNC Grow Up Great®, the company’s signature philanthropic initiative focused on early childhood education, presented in partnership with Fred Rogers Productions. Additional event details, activity schedules and partner information is available at wqed.org/bemyneighborday.
Event Details
What: WQED’s Be My Neighbor Day 2025
Where: Etna, PA: Butler Street between Freeport and Bridge Street
When: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 1:00-5:00 p.m.
Who: Families, children and neighbors across the Pittsburgh region
About WQED
WQED Multimedia starts conversations and creates experiences that educate, entertain and inspire our neighbors in Pittsburgh and across southwest Pennsylvania. Founded in 1954 as an experiment in educational community-supported television, WQED was a forerunner to PBS. WQED’s Education team is the largest of any public media organization in America. Its experienced staff extends free resources, from both PBS KIDS and WQED, that spark curiosity and connection wherever children and families are. By listening deeply and building real relationships, WQED helps educators and communities bring learning to life—in classrooms, living rooms, and neighborhoods across our region. WQED Multimedia operates WQED-TV (PBS); WQED World; WQED Create; WQED Showcase; WQED PBS KIDS Channel; Classical WQED-FM 89.3/Pittsburgh; Classical WQEJ-FM 89.7/Johnstown; the Pittsburgh Concert Channel; plus various streams, apps, and interactive experiences.
About Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood
Now in its seventh season on PBS KIDS, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, the first original show from Fred Rogers Productions since Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, brings the children’s television pioneer’s legacy to life for a whole new generation of young viewers. Executive producers are Angela C. Santomero, creator of the series; Ellen Doherty, Chief Creative Officer of Fred Rogers Productions; and Vince Commisso, President & CEO, 9 Story Media Group.
About PNC Grow Up Great
The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group (pnc.com), actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence. The Foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. Through PNC Grow Up Great, its signature cause that began in 2004, PNC has created a bilingual $500 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life. For more information, visit pncgrowupgreat.com.
Etna Economic Development Corporation (EEDC)
The EEDC is an all-volunteer organization, structured on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street model. It is led by a Board of Directors, local officials, businesses, and residents of the community all dedicated to the economic development and revitalization of our business district.
The Borough of Etna
Etna is a small bustling community covering one square mile along the banks of the Allegheny River, and is bordered on three sides by Millvale, Shaler Township, and Sharpsburg. Centrally located, Etna is just 10 minutes (non-rush hour) from downtown Pittsburgh and close enough for easy access to the shopping centers in North Hills, Fox Chapel, and Monroeville, the cultural opportunities in Oakland and North Side, and the nine local Colleges and Universities.
Etna Community Organization
The Etna Community Organization (ECO) is dedicated to building a more vibrant and sustainable future for Etna, PA where all have the opportunity to thrive and lead healthy, fulfilling lives. ECO activates and sustains programs, projects, and resident-led initiatives that increase social equity, community resiliency, and environmental stewardship.
Media Contact:
Ellen McDevitt
Marketing & Communications
412-983-6890
emcdevitt (at) wqed.org