Pushing Limits, Fueling Hope
U of U Master of Social Work student Erica Gebbia reflects on endurance sports and championing community needs ahead of her philanthropic solo ultramarathon and the NYC Marathon
Erica Gebbia on a long-distance cycling ride.
When University of Utah Master of Social Work student Erica Gebbia signed up for long-distance cycling tours with the nonprofit organization Bike & Build, she didn’t actually know how to ride a bike. After teaching herself to ride, followed by extensive training and physical conditioning, her service cycling trips—biking from Maine to New York in 2017, and from Florida to California in 2019—proved to be defining experiences for Gebbia.
| To follow Erica’s advocacy, athletic, and educational journey, follow her on Instagram and Facebook @ericagebbia. Once her route is finalized for her Salt Lake City ultramarathon in September, she will invite anyone interested to join her at any point along her route with live day-of updates on her location. |
During these long-distance group rides, she cycled an average of 70 miles a day, stopping every four to five days to assist in building affordable housing in local communities along the route. From helping pour concrete and framing homes to giving presentations about affordable housing at local churches and community groups, Gebbia’s cycling trips were a means to directly serve communities while also rallying financial support for the affordable housing mission.
She raised $7,400 for various local affordable housing organizations. Gebbia explained that supporting these projects requires creativity and bold action. “It’s a lot of little donations that add up over time. You really have to get yourself out there and ask,” Gebbia said. “I leaned into the relationships and partnerships I already had. My motto for fundraising is, ‘the worst they’re going to say is no.’”
"I got hooked on that feeling and sense of accomplishment. It was a cool introduction to social work, but I didn't even know it at the time. Then, I realized I wanted to be in a field where I am helping people."
One strategy she used to raise money was hosting a painting night at a local studio in her hometown of Philadelphia, where the owner directed 50% of the proceeds toward her fundraising efforts. She also found support via grants and scholarships through Bloomsburg University, where she earned undergraduate degrees in environmental science and research anthropology in 2020.
“I got hooked on that feeling and sense of accomplishment. It was a cool introduction to social work, but I didn’t even know it at the time. Then, I realized I wanted to be in a field where I am helping people,” Gebbia said.
In 2020, when AmeriCorps brought her to Salt Lake City to work with Housing Connect—an agency dedicated to connecting people and communities to quality affordable housing—Gebbia anticipated only being in Utah for a year. “I thought I would leave when my term was up, but [Housing Connect] offered me a job to stay. That’s when I really started to get out into the mountains. This was like a playground to me,” she said.
As she settled into her life in Salt Lake City, Gebbia’s passion for helping others found a new outlet through recovery support.
She began working as an employment specialist at First Step House, where she connected with their nonprofit partner, Power Forward Utah. Power Forward supports people in recovery after treatment for substance use disorder by providing scholarships for resources such as sober living housing and food expenses. In an effort to further support the nonprofit’s mission, Gebbia paired fundraising with an awareness-raising cycling endurance event to benefit Power Forward.
Through a combination of silent and live auctions, along with direct and in-kind donations, Gebbia and Power Forward’s leadership team raised over $8,000 for recovery scholarships. On September 8, 2023, Gebbia looped Emigration Canyon multiple times, biking 107 miles with over 9,000 feet of elevation gain to raise awareness for substance use recovery.
“This ride was the most meaningful because it was a solo effort. Some of my clients at First Step House were actually helped by Power Forward, so it was a full-circle moment for me. The money I raised went directly back to my clients,” Gebbia said.
She invited folks to join her on her ride as a welcome distraction along the strenuous route. “I had about 15 people who biked it with me on my last lap. The co-founder of Power Forward, Aaron, and the executive director, Raven, came out,” Gebbia said. “Aaron was out there all day. He met me at the top and put ice down my back because it was really hot out. It meant a lot to me because it really showed that people care. People that I’ve never met showed up!”
To many, Gebbia’s endurance efforts are a test of human possibility; a physical manifestation of the advocacy work that really captures people’s interest and attention. In addition to supporting the cause at hand, folks also donate to see her successfully complete each physical feat—motivating her to train and follow through.
But for Gebbia, the physical challenge is only part of the story. Participating in endurance sports for charitable causes goes beyond achieving personal records and an adrenaline rush. For her, as it is for many social workers, the call to serve is a personal one.
“I want to be the person I needed when I was younger; the kind of role model I didn’t have growing up. I faced a lot of adversity during my childhood and adolescence. My mom was my anchor, but I think it's important to have a role model outside your daily orbit. Someone who makes you think, ‘Wow, if they made it, maybe I can too,’” Gebbia said. “I want to be there for people. I want to help the causes that I have been directly impacted by in my own life because I know what it feels like.”
Building on the momentum of her previous cycling fundraisers, Gebbia is now turning
to running for her next endurance challenges—preparing for a solo ultramarathon (over
26.2 miles) in Salt Lake City this September, followed by the 2025 New York City Marathon in November. She will be running in both events to support the community development
organization, Women’s Housing & Economic Development Corporation (WHEDco). In addition to providing affordable housing, WHEDco offers childcare services, youth
education and development programs, and counseling services to support low-income
families in the Bronx area of New York City.
Being physically prepared for the upcoming running events requires daily dedication. “When you sign up for these things, you are really signing up to be committed to training. You can’t just show up and do it. I mean, you probably could, but it would probably suck. I am running, biking, and strength training to have the most successful day I can,” she said.
Other than a feeling of accomplishment after physical feats like these, Gebbia explained that endurance sports have the power to heal. “After finishing these trips, I felt the most confident. You feel like you can do anything. I just continued to chase that feeling. It’s transformative for people who have been through a lot of craziness in their lives. When I was younger, I was suffering at the hands of other people. But now with running, my suffering is in my own hands, and I am in control of it, which I think is really liberating in a way,” Gebbia said.
"People tend to think that you have to change the world, but you can start small and do things in your local community by pairing it with something you love."
Gebbia always knew she wanted to get her master’s degree, but she wasn’t sure how to focus her graduate education until more recently. “I worked in the field for a while to figure out what I loved and wanted to do, and it was during that time that I came to the realization—it’s obviously social work. I worked alongside people with their MSW at First Step House. A lot of them went to the U and I decided to do the same,” she said.
Entering the second and final year of her MSW Program at the U, she is looking forward to a career in social services, supporting clients through an organization not unlike those for which she has fundraised.
Gebbia encourages others to find ways to turn their passion into something good for their community, and aims to continue to fuel a positive ripple effect through social work practice and service. “Professor Michael Babcock and his community strategies class inspired me to keep up with my advocacy efforts. He makes me want to be a better social worker,” she said.
She continued, “On my last [endurance sporting event], someone reached out to me and said that they wanted to do this too, and then they went and did it! People tend to think that you have to change the world, but you can start small and do things in your local community by pairing it with something you love. For me, it’s biking and running, and I’ve had really amazing outcomes.”
Each stride is more than a step forward for Gebbia—it’s a statement of hope, healing, and the belief that even the smallest acts of service can uplift entire communities.
To follow Erica’s advocacy, athletic, and educational journey, follow her on Instagram and Facebook @ericagebbia. Once her route is finalized for her Salt Lake City ultramarathon in September, she will invite anyone interested to join her at any point along her route with live day-of updates on her location.