by Jim Guffey, Executive Director
As you may have noticed if you’ve driven by our Bethel Park location at the corner of Park Avenue and South Park Road, we are renovating! It’s been a long process, but we’re excited to finally be making accessibility improvements to our facility.
SHIM programs are currently housed in three locations in Bethel Park, Whitehall and Baldwin. Our original home was in South Hills Village Mall, but we’ve moved multiple times since those humble beginnings in 1968.
When we purchased our Bethel Park facility in 2009, we knew we would need to make some updates. Currently, the building houses SHIM’s administrative offices, service coordinators, donation center, utility assistance hub, community clothing closet, and its largest food pantry. Modest capital improvements have been made over the past decade, including a new roof, parking lot paving, HVAC upgrades, and a security system installation.
In the last fifteen years, we’ve grown from a $300,000 organization with 5 full-time staff members to a $2.9 million organization with 27 full-time staff members! At the same time, we’ve dramatically increased the number of people we serve through our comprehensive programs. As more and more people come to SHIM for help, the need to invest in enhancements to our Bethel Park facility became a priority. 
We are renovating 7,200 square feet of existing area to improve client support services and reconfigure administrative offices. We’re also adding an elevator and a 350 square foot addition at the lower level, providing an on-grade accessible entrance immediately adjacent to SHIM’s parking lot. The accessible addition will enhance the building specifications to comply with the established guidelines of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and allow guests to enter SHIM Center safely. A new vestibule will also be constructed adjacent to the waiting area, providing an energy efficient entrance into the building. The addition will create a singular entrance point for clients and supporters which will improve their experience and the efficiency of staff.
If you’ve ever donated food to us and wondered where to go, you’ll notice a huge improvement in our new welcoming reception area!
We are blessed to have support for this project from a variety of sources, including Pennsylvania Gaming Economic Development and Tourism funds, along with generous support from individuals, foundations, and congregations. While the initial project was expected to cost $700,000, the total project cost is now upwards of $1.3 million, partly due to inflation. Thanks in part to our successful Do More Good Campaign, we are able to make these important investments to better serve our South Hills neighbors.
The renovation should be completed in late spring, and I look forward to welcoming you into our new space! Stay up to date on our renovation.
