Trisha Gadson’s focus is on building the community, in part by helping people make it through a crisis.
As the CEO of Macedonia Family and Community Enrichment Center (FACE), she has been helping those in need for many years and understood crisis situations long before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Macedonia FACE is a Pittsburgh social services organization with a focus on the Hill District. It provides housing and utility relief, Meals on Wheels to seniors, health and wellness calls to people in the community, case management for people living with HIV, delivery of food and gift cards to households, social services referrals and other services.
The organization is part of a network of local agencies that are helping those who are experiencing tough times.
Gadson joined Macedonia FACE as CEO in 2010. Prior to her current role, she served as program and development technical assistant for a statewide social service agency, focusing on creating programs and partnerships aimed at closing service gaps.
“The opportunity to lead a community-based organization that focused on strength-based service delivery and transformational community change appealed to my personal and professional mission,” Gadson said of her decision to join Macedonia FACE.
In 2019, the Hill District lost its grocery, and the group that had been operating the local Meals on Wheels program was going to stop the program. So, Macedonia FACE stepped up. Within six weeks, the nonprofit had acquired the in-peril local Meals on Wheels program, which it continues to run today.
“Even before the pandemic, it was customary for us to pivot to meet the emerging needs of the community,” Gadson said.
During the pandemic, Macedonia FACE’s services jumped by 200% due to increased need. From July 2020 to June 2021, the nonprofit helped 4,450 households. The group also helped with local distribution of 1,000 doses of the Covid vaccine to residents 65 and older in the Hill District.
In addition to her work with Macedonia FACE, Gadson also has advocated for equitable and affordable child care, and has served as a consultant to organizations, advising on equitable approaches.
Her life is service-based, she noted.
“Helpfulness is important because we’re all interconnected. And the sooner we learn that, the stronger we’ll be,” Gadson said. “When our neighbors win, we win.”
For some people, success is in obtaining a position of some kind or earning a big paycheck. Others find job satisfaction in less obvious ways. But how does a person achieve success — whether they are starting out or further along? Gadson has some advice.
“They need to identify for themselves what is success? And they need to ask themselves what brings you joy? And they should ask themselves what is it that you want to accomplish?” Gadson said.
When you understand what will fulfill you in work, you can make the best career choices, she advised.
“Pursue careers that bring you fulfillment,” she said. “I am inspired by people I am allowed to advocate for, and I’m also inspired by my colleagues.”
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