Nonprofits find ways to fulfill missions in pandemic
The former director of the Evans City Library didn't resign because of COVID-19.
But her departure at the end of September was one more complication for a library whose operations and fundraising have been hamstrung by COVID restrictions.
The library was just one of the nonprofits in Butler County that has been trying to fulfill its missions hampered by the pandemic.
Joyce Yasko, president of the nine-member library board, said right now the library staff and patrons are under a mask mandate.
“We were closed for the first part of the pandemic for several months and then we did pick up only by appointment.
“And then when we opened when Seneca Valley went to masks, we put the mask mandate in place. We were off masks and then we are back on masks,” Yasko said.
But she said at least browsers can enter the library, and programs such as children's story hour can be done in person as opposed to remotely.
But the library's annual fundraising efforts have taken a hit.
Yasko said the library has to raise funds to make up 45% of its budget to supplement the 55% it receives in state and county funds.Recently, she said, the library postponed an art, music and wine fundraiser slated for November.“It would have had to be done with masks. We could have done it, but it wouldn't have been the same,” she said. The library will reschedule the event for the spring when restrictions will perhaps be loosened.In the meantime, the library has had to dip into its savings to make up the budget shortfall.The board hopes its annual fund drive, taking place now, will help replenish its coffers.The library sends out letters to those in its service area — Forward Township, Callery and Evans City — asking for donations.Yasko said the library is already getting responses. She said that's because the library offers more than books.She said the library has a community center that is available for use by nonprofit groups and has devices used to help youngsters navigate online. It has computers available for public use.“We are more than a library. We are a community center, in fact our building is called the Leone and John Irvine Community Center,” Yasko said.
Meeting community needs during the pandemic also was on the mind of Bobbi Watt Geer, president and CEO of United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania that covers five counties: Butler, Allegheny, Armstrong, Westmoreland and Fayette.United Way of Southwest Pennsylvania's 86 employees found themselves dealing with skyrocketing demand for services amid increasingly difficult working conditions.Geer said in particular United Way's 211 line, the agency's intake and referral line saw a doubling of demand at the beginning of the pandemic last year.“There was an incredible increase in the need of 211 and the demands on the nonprofit sector to address them,” Geer said.Those demands include getting help in finding housing or food, paying utility bills, accessing the internet for remote learning, how to get access to a COVID vaccine and securing transportation to a vaccine site.
Amy Franz, the Butler region director for the United Way whose region is Butler and Armstrong counties, said the 211 line is manned 24 hours a day 365 days a week.Geer said, “At the beginning of the pandemic there was a big spike in unemployment. That has receded, but a lot of issues existed pre-pandemic and the pandemic made it that much greater.With the demand came more difficult working conditions.“We've been mostly working on a hybrid schedule, going remote during peak periods of COVID,” Geer said. “We are very fortunate that we have not had a lot of illnesses among the team.”Franz said her office's three employees are still on a hybrid schedule: in the office three days a week, working remotely two days and wearing masks when in a confined space.But the pandemic hasn't brought all bad news, said Geer and Franz.Geer said the hybrid work schedule has helped United Way become more flexible and faster in its responses to needs.“We've removed restrictions on the grants we give to organizations serving people and partnered with them in new ways to meet the basic needs of the community more focused and faster,” Geer said.Franz said the data collected from the 211 intake line calls “will help with decision-making moving forward.”“These are things that will improve the way we work some day when we are clear of this pandemic,” Geer said.She added United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania was fortunate to have a strong fundraising year during a time when many nonprofits were unable to have their usual in-person fundraisers.“We came through the year pretty strongly and a lot of the organizations did not.”Geer added the area's nonprofit groups were called on to “really step up in this pandemic at a time when resources were constrained and have really fulfilled it in phenomenal ways.”
Phenomenal is also the way Amy Smith, director of development and program advancement at MHY Family Services, 521 Route 228, in Adams Township, describes MHY's 140 employees.MHY, an organization that supports the behavioral needs of youth, through residential and community-based programs and its Longmore Academy school, did not close for a day during the pandemic.“We did not pause during the pandemic,” Smith said. “We did not close for one day.“We were committed to our youth and families being safe and being taken care of,” she said.“We did transition to remote learning at the end of 2020 when everyone went to remote learning. But in August 2020 until graduation, we did not close down one day.”
Smith attributes MHY's staff stringent anti-COVID protocols including Plexiglas screens, shifting lunches to the classrooms and social distancing with keeping the pandemic at bay at MHY.She also singled out the funders, donors and foundations that supplied the funding and support needed for her organization to address the extra COVID mitigation efforts.Struggling learners managing behavioral issues find it essential to learn in a classroom with their peers, she said.Despite being relatively unscathed by the pandemic, Smith said MHY is still in “high recruitment mode.”That's because the pandemic has produced a surge in people with mental health needs.MHY is actively seeking employees for its residential, community-based and school programs.“We're seeking master's level therapists, residential advisers, and a slew of other positions,” she said.
Lifesteps on New Castle Road in Butler, said its program locations remain open with all its programs and services in operation.The nonprofit offers free child developmental and autism screenings, services for adults with disabilities, and early care and education for children with every ability.But Lifesteps is continually challenged to make adjustments when its staff is affected by the pandemic.It is operating with 500 staff members but are seeking to fill more than 100 positions. Amy Shuffstall, director of children's services, said she's looking for preschool teachers and group supervisors.
“We've had lots of staff quarantining, and we're down three or four overall,” Shuffstall said.She shared the biggest challenge for Lifesteps children's programs is continued quality interactions with children despite masks and social distancing.“Kids will have to play by themselves because of distancing, which is a challenge for social and emotional development,” Shuffstall said.Shuffstall spoke highly of the staff she maintained throughout the pandemic's more uncertain seasons.“They've really pulled together,” Shuffstall said. “We got to experience closeness and help the families we serve.”In-person or virtual job interviews are available by calling 724-283-1010.
