This year, we have been incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by so many fantastic, dedicated volunteers. On most weeks, our facility has volunteers with us every single day! That kind of consistent support means everything to our mission.
While every volunteer holds a special place in our hearts, we’ve put together a ranked list of our top-performing groups and individuals by hours for the ’25–’26 school year. Here’s how everyone stacked up!
Top Groups
5. LifeSteps
We are so grateful to the volunteers from LifeSteps who regularly come to our facility to support our programs! While helping us advance our mission, LifeSteps members also develop valuable workforce skills, including collaboration, teamwork, creative thinking, and time management. It’s a partnership that truly benefits everyone.
4. UPMC
From delivering quality healthcare to the community to showing up for our schools, UPMC has long established itself as a cornerstone of wellbeing in Southwestern PA. We are deeply thankful for their continued commitment to our programs and the students and teachers we serve.
3. EQT
EQT’s involvement with TEP goes above and beyond the walls of our facility. Not only do their volunteers contribute their time and energy here, but they are also major supporters of our Adopt-A-School program, visiting three schools across just two weeks! We are so grateful for their enthusiasm and their dedication to improving the quality of education in the communities they call home.
2. St. Anthony’s
The students from St. Anthony’s are always a welcome sight at TEP! Each visit, they roll up their sleeves and get to work on meaningful projects that enhance our Teacher Resource Center, from packaging tie-dye kits and eraser kits to going above and beyond in ways that never go unnoticed. Their energy and effort make a real difference.
1. PNC Grow Up Great
Topping our leaderboard this year is PNC, with a remarkable combined total of 1,952 hours. With numerous subgroups visiting TEP, including Women Connect, Business Insights, and Realty, just to name a few, there is almost always a PNC volunteer in our building. Their impact is felt across every program, creating the kind of steady, reliable change that our teachers and students can count on.
“PNC employees love volunteering with The Education Partnership because the mission is clear and compelling. No student in Southwestern Pennsylvania should go without essential school supplies, and no teacher should feel the burden of purchasing them out of pocket. A teacher resource center like this is vital, and much like our work through PNC Grow Up Great, we share a vision of a community that comes together to support young learners and the educators who inspire them.” — Mark Bezilla, Manager of Corporate Volunteerism, PNC
Top Individual Volunteers
Tied for 3rd: Marilyn Geisinger, Mary Henry, and Deb Rodgers
It comes as no surprise that these three remarkable women are tied for third! Their commitment to supporting teachers in our Teacher Resource Center every Tuesday has made them a beloved institution here at TEP. Affectionately known as “The Tuesday Crew,” Marilyn, Mary, and Deb have become familiar and cherished faces to many of the teachers we serve. In fact, some teachers purposefully schedule their TRC visits on Tuesdays just to spend time with this wonderful group!
2. Lisa-Ann Smith
Working largely behind the scenes, Lisa-Ann is one of TEP’s most steadfast supporters. From community outreach to advancing our organizational efforts, she has become both a backbone of our work and a true friend to so many on our team. Her tireless dedication to our mission is matched only by the warmth and kindness she brings to every single person she meets.
1. Jacob McMahon
If you work at TEP, you know Jacob, and you adore him! With an incredible 313 hours of donated time this year, we are overjoyed to honor him once again as our top individual volunteer. Whether he’s tackling odd jobs around the facility or brightening everyone’s day with homemade baked treats, Jacob always steps up with a smile and a solution that none of us might have thought of on our own. We admire everything he brings to our team, and we are so grateful to call him one of our own.
