Donnie Black and Mary Ann Shiring have something in common: Both are dedicated volunteers for the nonprofits they have been supporting with their talents for years.

Now they share an honor because of that work. Both received the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s newly launched United Way IMPACT — Individuals Making Progress and Creating Transformation — Awards this month. And not only did they receive recognition, but also their organizations — Allegheny Youth Development and South Hills Interfaith Movement — received grants of $15,000 and $5,000, respectively.

United Way invited its agency partners to nominate volunteers for the IMPACT Awards. Of the 160 agencies invited, 32 submitted nominations, which were reviewed by a committee of United Way’s Tocqueville Society members, a group of some of the area’s influential business and civic leaders who donate, help establish the agenda for United Way’s future and inspire others to engage with the community.  

“The IMPACT Awards provide an opportunity for United Way to honor volunteers who have dedicated their lives to uplifting this community,” United Way President and CEO Bobbi Watt Geer said in the news release. “We are inspired when we see these volunteers in action because they show us that everyone has a part to play in contributing to our region.”  

“It is an honor to recognize these two extraordinary individuals for their commitment and contributions to our region,” Sally Ellwein, United Way chief program and policy officer, said in the news release. “These volunteers are sincere, steadfast and extremely generous, always going above and beyond. Allegheny Youth Development and South Hills Interfaith Movement are lucky to have such selfless leaders within their communities.”

Black has volunteered with AYD for 13 years. He leads its AYD Judo program, a Japanese martial art in which students, mainly from Pittsburgh’s North Side, use an opponent’s own force and momentum to throw or subdue them. Black teaches 12 to 20 students twice a week, assisted by three other volunteers — including Sam Nelson, his brother — and some of his advanced students, the news release stated. About once a month, he coaches his students at all-day tournaments or inter-club competitions. Additionally, he spends considerable time researching and writing the lesson plans for his classes.

His volunteer work pays it forward. Black learned judo at AYD, starting in the sixth grade, and rose through the sport’s competitive levels to become a nationally ranked athlete in his high school years, according to the news release.

“Donnie Black is a remarkable blend of passion coupled with a sense of giving back to the neighborhood where he grew up,” Brian R. Foltz, executive director of Allegheny Youth Development, said in the news release. “Like most volunteers, he derives more satisfaction and pleasure from his work than he could from any compensation, including awards. But Donnie’s also enthusiastic about convincing others to give back, whatever their passion. He sees this as an opportunity to inspire others to volunteer, wherever they’re needed.”

AYD currently has about 20 students in its judo elective classes, part of the 75 active young people involved right now in its academic and after-school programs that run at its Brighton Heights location, the Morrow PreK-8 School. Foltz said it is AYD’s flagship or signature program, and the nonprofit has golf and basketball elective opportunities and a cooking course in addition to the tutoring and educational support it offers its students.

Black’s natural passion for both the sport and for working with AYD students makes him stand out. “He grew up with judo and in difficult circumstances,” Foltz said. “He’s taken it on as his personal commitment to spread the good news about judo. He’s a technically rigorous judo instructor. He knows the sport in and out. [He] ties it in with stuff off the mat.”

That last part is important. Foltz said judo connects to all AYD’s main pillars of its mission: helping its students manage their emotions, fortify their character strengths, make responsible decisions, and set and achieve positive goals. It’s all part of social and emotional learning, Foltz said, which harkens to AYD’s roots as a Christian-based organization. Foltz founded AYD in 1994.

“We see with the kids their behavior changes [in our classes], and we hear of behavior changes at home,” he said. “One kid fought all the time, and we thought, can he do this?  He never did what he was told. [With judo] he had to listen to a Japanese word and stop and begin. Now this guy had an on and off switch when he never had one before. It’s a great way to build confidence and great for students who struggle with self-control and self-management.” 

Black, who works as a supervisor in the oil and gas industry, serves as a role model for his students as their sensei or teacher. Foltz said, “He’s very relatable. He gets the kids, and they get him. There’s a bond that’s there.”

He called judo a great leveler and a wonderful sports activity for young people who have not tried athletics before and even those who have. “Half of the kids are OK at it, and for some it’s their first exposure at sports, not just martial arts, which is rare in our community,” Foltz said. “The beauty of a sport like judo, no one is good at it the first time, even the athletic kids. There’s a lot to learn.”  

Another point is that judo is a one-on-one sport. That starts in the classes and continues into the competitions, which Foltz said can be tough. “They can’t blame their bad performance on anyone else. It’s a technically rigorous form of the sport,” he continued. “Somehow the way Donnie teaches it, there’s no failure at it.  Even if you didn’t win, he teaches lessons from it in a really balanced way. He’s an excellent coach.”

Few of the tournaments are in the region anymore, Foltz said, and the registration fees can add up along with other expenses. For some of the students, it also involves them traveling to different cities in Ohio, Maryland and Virginia and beyond, with some staying in hotels for the first time. Students traveled to Brighton, Michigan, outside of Detroit, recently. AYD has had nationally ranked judo students for the past 25 years, he said.

AYD runs its academic sessions and elective classes from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, with an expansion of hours until 8 p.m. ready to go in January. The judo classes Black directs take place at the South Hills Judo Academy in Carrick. Vans shuttle the students back and forth. The $15,000 grant will enable AYD to cover expenses, including adding more tournament competitions to the schedule, providing new uniforms and updating their exercise equipment, according to the news release. It might also be able to start another beginner’s class, Foltz said, which would double the number of students taking part.

An average tournament costs AYD between $1,500 and $2,000 for the transportation costs, registration fees, travel expenses and more. They are scheduled once every four to six weeks. 

With all of its program, not just judo, Foltz said AYD can always use more volunteers. Right now volunteers from two churches help with the tutoring and after-school programs, Memorial Christian Church in the North Hills and Emmanuel Christian Church, which is right across the street from Morrow. Duquesne University work-study students help with tutoring, too. For more information on volunteering, visit AYD’s website or email Foltz directly at brfoltz@ayd.org.

Foltz said he nominated Black for the award for two main reasons: “[He was] a great nominee and a great awardee for it, not just because of AYD and judo, but because he spreads the good word about volunteerism.”

So does Shiring. She has donated more than 1,000 hours to helping her neighbors through SHIM over the past seven years, something she started when she retired from her Bethel Park School District paraprofessional position. She volunteers in the food pantry, both with preparations and with distributions; participates in shelf stocking and box packing; helps organize and package diapers, pet food and other items that need to be sorted; and helps distribute items to pantry clients and manage the flow of inventory, according to the news release. 

“SHIM is grateful for the 200-plus volunteers who dedicate more than 15,000 hours each year,” Jim Guffey, SHIM executive director, said in the news release. “Mary Ann stands out for her leadership and consistency. Not only does she focus on helping our clients, but she focuses on supporting her fellow volunteers. Mary Ann takes time to appreciate her team, which increases productivity and helps SHIM maintain high levels of volunteer participation for these vital tasks.”

Shiring said she heads to SHIM headquarters, which is close to her home, to help fill the boxes on Wednesdays.  She then keeps the pantry filled, “trying to keep things organized and in running order.” Pantry distribution days are every other week on Wednesdays and Thursdays, so a group comes in on Wednesdays to fill the boxes and another on Thursdays to distribute them. Small and larger boxes are filled and distributed based on family sizes, she said.

What really helps the work is that the team has been together for years. “Everyone just comes in [and gets to work]. We’ve been doing it so long that everyone comes in and just starts what we are doing that day. I’ve been there a lot, so I know where everything is …. That is sort of what I do. We all work together,” Shiring said.

The team adjusts when a volunteer can no longer lift boxes, for example. Shiring said the group could use younger volunteers to help as a result, but she and the others realize work schedules prohibit many from doing so.  

She’s seen an increase in need that has been driving people of all ages to SHIM’s food pantry. “There’s a lot of need with the prices still not coming down that much,” Shiring said. “Social Security’s only going to be a 2% raise. My goal would be that we wouldn’t get so many people. We help people now so they get out of that hole. It’s nice to know they can come in and get help.”

The $5,000 grant will help. According to the news release, it will support the food pantry operations including food, supplies and fuel for the trips volunteers make to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank to collect food to distribute through SHIM’s pantry.

Rachel White, SHIM’s development and communication manager, nominated Shiring for the award. “I was so thrilled that she was chosen as she is an invaluable member of our volunteer team,” she wrote in an email. “We have over 300 volunteers who dedicate time and energy to our programs to serve the 8,500 people relying on our programs. We are thankful for all of our volunteers, but I chose to nominate Mary Ann because her leadership and her welcoming nature help us recruit and retain volunteers while also alleviating the burden of pantry staff since she helps new volunteers learn the ropes and she independently recognizes and completes vital tasks.”

This is not Shiring’s first volunteer effort or her first leadership role. “I don’t like to sit still,” she said. “I just like to be involved.”

That stretches back to when she was Parent Teacher Organization president at different schools in Bethel Park, and before that she helped build a Leathers playground in Dormont. The Shiring family lived there for 10 years, moved to North Carolina for her husband’s work, then returned to Pennsylvania and settled in Bethel Park.

She said it took 18 months to raise all the money and get all the supplies for the playground. Then it took more than 1,000 volunteers a week on site to build it. She was sad to see that the playground had to be torn down after it became too old for repairs. But she totally understands how that can happen.

“It was wonderful,” Shiring said. “I was the coordinator for that. I like to do things like that.” 

Helen is a copy editor at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but she's currently on strike. Contact her at hfallon@unionprogress.com.

Helen Fallon

Helen is a copy editor at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but she's currently on strike. Contact her at hfallon@unionprogress.com.