Westmoreland Community Action outgrows Greensburg office, expands to Hempfield

After creating more than 35 positions across its new and existing programs, officials at Westmoreland Community Action were looking for a larger home. They found it at the GreenForge building in Hempfield, where the nonprofit will relocate in May.

“Expanding our footprint in this new location will help program staff function more efficiently and also offer a larger meeting space to work with clients,” WCA CEO Mandy Welty Zalich said.

WCA, established in 1980, offers access to housing programs, emergency services, mental health programs, workforce development programs, child and family services, financial services and more.

Directors for the Westmoreland County Industrial Development Corp. officially approved the seven-year $617,000 lease agreement Thursday. Starting May 1, GreenForge Suites 111 and 201 will serve as administrative headquarters for all the programs WCA operates, while much of the program staff will continue to work out of its current South Maple Avenue office in Greensburg.

The lease brings the GreenForge building to full occupancy.

WCA operates more than 20 social services programs with more than 235 staff members in 14 facilities throughout the county. It has an annual budget of $14 million.

Zalich said moving the administrative team to the Hempfield site will free up space at the crowded South Maple offices in Greensburg for additional programs, including computer work stations for its workforce development efforts.

County Commissioner Sean Kertes, who also serves as a director on the WCIDC board, said he’s happy to see WCA expanding.

“Westmoreland Community Action has done a remarkable job meeting the needs of the community by adding staff and programs, but it’s become a challenge to do so in their existing space,” Kertes said. “GreenForge will provide the space they need to better serve lower-income families with dignity and respect.”

WCA’s Headstart, workforce development, housing and transitional age/young adult services have been bolstered by many of its new hires, and Zalich said they are bringing additional staff on board to help streamline the process of helping clients navigate resources for emergency support.

The expansion will not be limited to the GreenForge move. According to development director Toni Antonucci, WCA is in the early stages of creating “welcome centers” in Westmoreland County.

“The goal is for them to serve as a sort of one-stop shop for people new to the county, to get what they need,” she said. “We can assess a family and say, ‘Welcome to the area. Here’s information on housing, here’s information on other things,’ instead of having them bounce from place to place trying to get that.”

Antonucci said WCA is seeking locations across the county to establish the welcome centers.

The GreenForge building was developed in collaboration with the Westmoreland Conservation District as a way to provide modern space and amenities for the nonprofit community.