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A national membership organization for human service organizations has named McKeesport-based Auberle its "Agency of the Year" among groups of similar size.

A spokeswoman says the award announced Thursday recognizes Auberle for its expansion into new program areas and for adding new services, while significantly reducing the time it takes to implement new programs to meet community needs.

The award was announced by the Alliance for Children and Families at its national conference in Orlando, Fla.

"Non-profits are reinventing ourselves and have been for some time," said John Lydon, Auberle's chief executive officer. "We have become much more creative, efficient and focused on delivering impact in the communities we serve. The result in our overall capacity is such that it stands out."

In part, the award was triggered by Auberle's new Girls' Programming Initiative, which was designed to address a lack of resources available for girls and young women at risk of abuse or criminal activity, versus resources aimed at helping boys and young men.

That initiative included the creation earlier this year of a new fully-staffed residence program for young women on Versailles Avenue in the city near the former St. Pius V Roman Catholic Church.

Four "agency of the year" awards were presented based on the size of each organization's budget. Every Child Inc., located in Pittsburgh's East Liberty neighborhood, also received an award in a category for smaller agencies.

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Auberle's new Girls' Programming initiative has received support from the local community, including Carlow and Robert Morris universities, as well as national research partners including the National Center for Juvenile Justice and National Girls Institute.

The agency also simultaneously launched 22 other unique initiatives, in addition to girls programming, that enhanced facilities, created new opportunities for clients or improved service to children and families, Lydon said.

The Alliance for Children and Families is the largest network of human services organizations in the United States, with several hundred member agencies, employing 55,000 staff and serving over 3.4 million children a year. It benchmarks best-practices for non-profit organizations across the country.

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"The Alliance and our more than 350 members benefit from having Auberle as a part of this network of nonprofit human serving organizations," said Susan Dreyfus, president and CEO of the Alliance. "We are pleased to honor Auberle with this award, as it has shown a clear commitment to living its mission each day."

Founded in 1952, Auberle is an independent agency affiliated with the Catholic church that serves children and families at risk of poverty, crime or substance abuse with residential care, foster care, emergency shelter, in-home intervention, education, vocational, workforce development, student assistance, drug and alcohol and mental health programs. More than 2,300 people receive services annually through Auberle.

(Editor's Note: Written entirely from a press release by Annie Schultheis, Marketing & Communications Manager, Auberle.)

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