Bridgeville-based nonprofit seeks ‘social justice warriors’ to make a difference

If you spend more than five minutes speaking with Chartiers Center chief executive officer Susan Coyle, you likely will be inspired and motivated to do as much as you can to help the nonprofit succeed.

She is hoping that others who are looking for a career and want to help will consider Chartiers Center as a potential employer.

Coyle, who has been with Chartiers Center in Bridgeville since 2009, cares so much about the “small but mighty” organization, its employees and its clients that her enthusiasm comes across immediately, and you can’t help being impressed with what the nonprofit does on a day-to-day basis.

Created in the 1960s, Chartiers Center was part of the movement of the time toward community-based mental health assistance, serving South Hills then and branching out since to cover a larger area. The organization always has helped those with behaviorial health issues, addictions, and intellectual and developmental disabilities, plus recently it has become involved with finding solutions for people who are homeless.

“In the past seven years or so, we identified a gap in services available to the Sto-Rox area, so we became involved in that neighborhood,” said Coyle, with other geographical areas of focus quickly added.

Recently, the organization began noticing a shortage of applicants for the many jobs within Chartiers Center, so a new human resources director, Sherry Brill, was hired to help fill positions with what Coyle referred to as “social justice warriors.”

The work of direct support professionals is integral, and a lack of such employees can have negative effects on people who seek treatment, Coyle said, explaining that if there isn’t the staff to serve those in need, they can be put into dangerous situations that otherwise could be avoided.

Stories from current staff show how important the work is and what an impact the organization has on individuals.

One staff member of the homeless team recalled a drug-addicted couple who were living on the street. Once they were referred to Chartiers Center, the team began to work with the couple to connect them to services through which they could get clean and stay clean, and found housing for them, as well.

Within two months the couple were able to focus and stay off drugs. The female returned to school to earn a certificate as a pharmacy technician, and both now are sober and have been able to add a puppy to their family.

Coyle described Chartiers Center as a family, with under 120 employees, even when fully staffed. Everyone knows everyone else, she said, and there is plenty of personal interaction and communication among all who work there.

“We tell our staff, you may not see a gigantic change in a client in a day, but you mean a lot to them,” Coyle said. “And change is slow, but you are changing lives.”

For those who are looking for a career with Chartiers Center, including residential care specialist and adult day program specialist, visit chartierscenter.org.