Jul 14, 2009 3 min read

Darlene J. Bigler, chief executive officer of Community Action Southwest, announced that Jeff Fondelier was named the agency’s vice president of operations. Fondelier has been with the organization since 2004, serving as the director of the Family Development Department, which delivered varied and far-reaching programs and services involving family literacy, education, focus on family as the primary caregiver and housing services. In August 2008, Fondelier was named director of the Family Economic Success Department for both Greene and Washington counties, making him responsible for leading services and programs aiding the homeless, work preparedness, savings programs and tax assistance as well as rent and utility assistance in addition to his previous tasks.

Fondelier will now be accountable for program development and oversight, fund development and community relations, staff supervision, organizational development and management as well as relationship building with funding sources, human service and community organizations and private sector partners.

Having worked in the nonprofit sector since 1990, Fondelier has served numerous populations in various capacities. Before joining Community Action Southwest, Fondelier supervised an Intensive Case Management Program in Allegheny County for eight years. Fondelier’s direct care experience is in mental health and mental retardation community supports, and in residential placement for socially and emotionally troubled adolescents.

Fondelier holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, as well as a master’s in nonprofit management from Robert Morris University. Involved in his community, Fondelier serves as a board member for the Southwest Regional Homeless Advisory Board; Southwest Region Professional Development Advisory Board, and the Early Head Start Advisory Board. In addition, Fondelier is on the steering committee for Greene County MAGIC; he chairs the Southwestern PA Adult Basic & Literacy Education Coalition, as well as the Greene County Housing Options Partnership.

“I am deeply honored to be given the opportunity to serve Community Action Southwest as its vice president of operations,” Fondelier commented. “I intend to ensure that the vision of the organization is pursued with sincere enthusiasm, and that our agenda to end poverty in our community is at the heart of our service delivery. I am consistently impressed by the passion with which the staff of this organization battles the paradox of the existence of poverty in the midst of plenty.”

Community Action Southwest is one of the area’s leading human service agencies, with the goal of mobilizing public and private resources to deal with the causes of poverty, not just its impact. The mission of Community Action Southwest is to serve as a catalyst to mobilize the resources of the entire community to enable families and individuals in Washington and Greene counties to attain the skill, knowledge, motivation and opportunity to become self-sufficient. Community Action Southwest offers a myriad of services including Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program, Head Start and Early Head Start, Family Economic Success, Senior Services in Greene County, Pre K Counting Kids First and various other initiatives designed to help low-income people achieve a greater degree of self-sufficiency.