Fayette County Community Action Agency’s new CEO set on continuing its mission of people helping people.
Mark Hofmann | Herald-Standard
A woman who enjoys giving back to her community is doing so in her new role as the CEO of the Fayette County Community Action Agency.
“I am very proud to be part of this agency because I believe strongly in our mission ‘People helping People’,” said Kim Hawk the CEO of Fayette County Community Action Agency (FCCAA).
Hawk, of South Connellsville, first started her career at FCCAA in 1991, as the agency’s director of education. At the time, the main site for the education center was the Greater Connellsville Community Center.
Hawk said they provided adult education services that included literacy, GED classes, workplace literacy, English as a second language, job training, and even provided adult education services in the Fayette County jail.
“The main reason that I have chosen to make a career with FCCAA is because I truly like giving back to my community,” Hawk said.
She transitioned to the role of director of operations, meaning she was responsible for the day-to-day workings of FCCAA, growing familiar with the agency and the agency’s goals as she worked under the leadership of longtime FCCAA CEO Jim Stark and the board of directors.
When Stark announced his retirement from FCCAA last year, Hawk said she thought becoming the new CEO would be a natural progression of her career within the agency.
Hawk said that Stark had been her mentor since she started at FCCAA.
“Once I was hired for the CEO position, Mr. Stark worked with me on specific goals to get ready to move into the position,” Hawk said. “We set goals together, along with the board of directors, related to the needs of our customers, agency finances, property issues, additional programs and community housing issues.”
She said Stark stayed on in a consultant role to make her transition go as smoothly as possible and also in case any need would arise that calls for his expertise.
Hawk said her goals for her first year include the completion of Beeson Town Homes Development in the East End neighborhoods of Uniontown, as well as adding additional programs related to nutrition, aging and especially housing
“It is well known that there is a great need for housing in Fayette County, and residents face an aging housing stock, incredibly high rental costs and the inability to afford home purchase,” Hawk said. “Projects to increase affordable housing options for our residents will continue to be foremost in our agency’s priorities.”
Another goal includes opening a Shop Thru at the food bank in Republic, which will enable clients to visit the site and seek out the foods they want as it will mimic a grocery-store setting rather than a food pantry or a warehouse setting.
“The main goal of the Shop Thru is to remove the stigma associated and felt with getting a food box,” Hawk said.
Another benefit, she added, is that since the participants can be more selective regarding which food items they choose to take home, there likely will be less food waste.
“This environment also allows for participants to choose perishable goods that have a shorter shelf life, such as fresh fruits and vegetables,” she said
Other goals include the implementation of the Senior Worker Advocacy Program through a grant from the Hillman Foundation to address the need of employment training and support among the senior population; the expansion of youth activities, which provide career exploration, job shadowing and employable-skill training and evaluating the FCAA facilities to determine if they need improvements.
Hawk also said she is seeking to diversify FCCAA’s funding streams to address the growing needs throughout the community while managing limited resources.
“We still need to be able to provide services to our community even when costs increase but funding is lost or remains stagnant,” she said. “Finding ways to do more with less is a challenge that any human service agency faces on a daily basis.”
Hawk added that the FCCAA staff are amazing, and it’s fulfilling to see how the agency’s services — education, housing, case management, food bank, senior centers and nutrition programs to name a few — have contributed to the well-being of neighbors in need throughout the community.
“Seeing clients become self-sufficient because of our work with them, so that they can provide for themselves and their families is the greatest reward,” Hawk said. “Being part of an agency with wonderful and dedicated staff who prioritize giving back to the community across all the many programs we offer fosters a real sense of camaraderie and connection.”
For more information, visit Fayette County Community Action Agency at www.fccaa.org.