Three Rivers Champion: Latasha Wilson-Batch

Latasha Wilson-Batch, the executive director of the Best of the Batch Foundation, proves that the best way to change a life is by giving your time.

Latasha Wilson-Batch learned from a young age to put others before herself. In fact, she learned it almost too well; at age 13, she was fired from her job as a newspaper delivery girl for taking too long on her route. While she was delivering, she would stop and talk to everyone because she wanted to make sure that their day was okay.

Through her role as the executive director of the Best of the Batch Foundation, Wilson-Batch continues to give back to the community by improving the lives of children and their families. Wilson-Batch and her husband, Charlie, started the foundation in 1999 to provide financially challenged youth and their families the choices, motivation and education they need to build their best future.

The foundation now serves children K-12 through a variety of education-based programs and offers after-school programs, scholarships, and sports and leisure activities at their facility in Homestead.

To Wilson-Batch, the best part of working with the Best of the Batch is the children. “I love watching their faces when they are learning something new and you can see when it clicks,” she says.

To others who are considering volunteering, Wilson-Batch says that they should remember that children need people, not things, and that “the gift of time is priceless.”

“Sometimes people need to stop and remember that when they were younger growing up that somewhere along the lines someone took the time for them,” she says. “Send someone a note or call a friend you have not spoken to in years. Make sure people, especially children, know they matter.”

If you know someone who should be recognized for their volunteerism, please nominate them at pittsburghmagazine.com/Three-Rivers-Champions.