Allegheny Cleanways works to engage and empower people to eliminate illegal dumping and littering in Allegheny County. Illegal dumping and littering both degrade communities and our quality of life. Illegal dumping creates significant risks to public health and the environmental quality. Litter creates a sense of neglect, reducing property values and inviting property vandalism. Residents and businesses have the power to prevent and eliminate BOTH illegal dumping and litter. PULSE has placed six fellows at Allegheny Cleanways over the past five years.
Myrna Newman is the Executive Director of Allegheny Cleanways. In the following interview she talks about the experience of partnering with PULSE.
CC: Why did your organization decide to work with PULSE?
MN: We decided to work with PULSE because we were short-staffed and short on funds. I was the only employee at the time and we needed someone to manage our programs, so that I could concentrate more on fund raising and strengthening the organization.
CC: What is the most rewarding part of working with PULSE?
MN: By far the most rewarding part of working with PULSE has been the quality of the young adults they recruit. I have been repeatedly impressed with the passion, empathy, leadership, ability, sense of service, and heart for justice of the PULSE fellows we’ve hired as well as those I’ve interviewed. I have also appreciated the support and training that PULSE provides to the fellows.
CC: How has your partnership with PULSE impacted your organization?
MN: Our partnership with PULSE has allowed us to grow our organization. We were only able to fund a part-time fellow our first year working with PULSE, but that provided us the bridge we needed for growth. We hired another fellow (full-time) the following year and two the next year. In total, we’ve had 6 PULSE fellows in 5 years. Each one helped us to expand, refine and strengthen our programs; and enabled us to grow from a staff of one to a staff of eight, enabling us to better serve the greater Pittsburgh area.
CC: What do you like most about your current PULSE fellow and/or other fellows you’ve worked with?
MN: Our most recent PULSE fellow was Samantha Weaver (who is now working for us part-time). Like previous PULSErs we’ve had, Sam is smart, capable, and hard-working. She also has an amazing sense of self and the integrity that goes with that. In addition, she is self-motivated and creative. I was particularly impressed with her work on the Recycle Right Project that she initiated, developed, funded, implemented, and promoted this past year.
CC: What would you tell other Pittsburgh nonprofits about PULSE?
MN: PULSE is a great organization which attracts quality young people who have the passion and ability to truly transform Pittsburgh. PULSE provides these young people with the necessary support, you just need to provide them the opportunity and guidance. They want to make a difference and they will.
Check out more great Partner Stories.
This is part of a series of posts about the Nonprofit Partner experience with PULSE. If you would like to learn more about a Nonprofit Partnership, please visit our Partner Page.