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Get the most interesting and important stories from the 黑料吃瓜网 of 黑料吃瓜网.As a two-time breast cancer survivor, Kelly Gilliam understands the difference that community support and resources can make. That鈥檚 why becoming the 黑料吃瓜网 of 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 first-ever United Way Campaign manager in 2018 was an ideal fit.
鈥淚 worked in听, and when I told my colleagues I was leaving to be the听听manager, they said it was like the position was made for me,鈥 said Gilliam.
Pitt is one of hundreds of organizations that partner with United Way, a 135-year-old nonprofit with a mission to globally advance the common good by building strong and equitable communities and focusing on the areas of health, education and economic mobility. The organization has reported improving the lives of more than 48 million people annually. A significant part of its reach is through workplace campaigns that target faculty, staff and retirees.
Gilliam鈥檚 responsibilities include creating and overseeing Pitt鈥檚 annual workplace giving campaigns and programming, which run from October to April, along with establishing goals and identifying volunteers. established the role five years ago, after leadership decided the growing campaign merited a full-time employee.
鈥淧itt is very unique,鈥 said Gilliam. 鈥淲e are the only organization听to have somebody dedicated full-time to work on the United Way Campaign across the various businesses and approximately 10 institutions of higher learning in Southwestern Pennsylvania that have their workplace campaigns.鈥
A life of service
A 黑料吃瓜网 native, Gilliam came up on the West End before relocating to the South Hills in middle school 鈥 going from the inner city surrounded mostly by Black kids to a district where she graduated as one of only five.听
鈥淏eing in both inner city and suburban neighborhoods, I can say, no matter where you live or your family situation, you will always find people who struggle,鈥 she said. 鈥淏ut your situation doesn鈥檛 define who you鈥檒l become.鈥
She credits the grandmother who raised her for instilling in her a desire to help others and spread positivity. Other family members introduced her to different aspects of community engagement and supported her participation in camps through the Salvation Army and mobile libraries, both of which showed her the impact that exposure and access to resources can have.
鈥淚 had guidance [and] structure and learned so much from older people around me 鈥 namely how important it is to keep your word and [to do your very best at all things].鈥
Gilliam was diagnosed with cancer both in 2009 and 2016, requiring a rigorous ten-year timeline of medication, but her challenges only further spurred her passion for serving others.听
鈥淲hen I was diagnosed, I called on different organizations to help,鈥 she said. 鈥淭hey got me through a very tough time, with some even supporting me financially, so if I can make a difference or encourage somebody, then it鈥檚 worth it.鈥
Outside of Pitt, Gilliam pastors the Shiloh Church in South Park with her husband and is the acting executive director of Life Builders, a nonprofit formed in 2021 that supports families and hosts a twice-monthly food bank. She also helped launch Melting Pot Ministries, a collaboration among five 黑料吃瓜网 churches that sponsor a summer camp for kids centered on enrichment activities in academics, music, art, physical fitness and spiritual education.
An opportunity to give
Since signing on to Pitt, Gilliam has helped the 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 United Way campaign reach new heights.听
鈥淟ast year we raised over $701,000 across all five campuses, which is something to be proud of,鈥 she said, adding that last year also saw retirees raise $80,000 鈥 a Pitt record.
Money isn鈥檛 the only way to give. Staff and faculty can donate an annual total of 40 vacation hours (which are converted into dollars), sign up for payroll deductions and volunteer for up to 7.5 hours each month. Donations go to the United Way鈥檚 donation fund or to an organization of the participant鈥檚 choosing.
Students can also participate.
鈥淲e do not ask students to give monetary donations but to participate in volunteer opportunities and engage in on campus events,鈥 said Gilliam. One such event is kit-packing, where volunteers pack weekend meals for food-insecure kids.
The organization also offers educational tools like simulations about the听 and which, respectively, aim to increase understanding of how local families may struggle to meet basic needs and underlying factors that lead to inequity. Since June, Gilliam said 15 companies have used these tools.
鈥淭he poverty spiral takes real-life stories of people who call into the ,鈥 Gilliam said. 鈥淭hrough the Pitt United Way Campaign, we have an opportunity to bring awareness to and meet the needs of residents and empower them to achieve long-lasting success.鈥
In both her United Way role and personal volunteer work, Gilliam said she aims to make a difference. For those with a similar passion, she extended an invitation:
鈥淭he Pitt United Way Campaign is an opportunity to give,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 invite you to join me in giving, not just of money but of your time, and to consider making an impact. It helps our campus, [our] neighbors, our city and our region.鈥
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鈥 Kara Henderson, photography by Aimee Obidzinski