Rev. Elaine Y. Sanford Founder/Executive Director HER ... · transitional home offering stability for recovery. Our Vision: We share our love, experience, strength and hope to support

NBA / DHM Disciples Care Exchange 2016-‐‑2017 Executive Leaders Peer Group

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Rev. Elaine Y. Sanford Founder/Executive Director HER Faith Ministries, Inc. Memphis, TN

Elaine Sanford is executive director of HER Faith Ministries, Inc., a ministry that partners with homeless and needy women and children to assist them in achieving their goals to become self-sustaining. Elaine is married to Otis L. Sanford and is mother of four children. She is an ordained minister in the TN Disciples of Christ (Christian Church) where she has been active in preaching, teaching, and other duties. Elaine earned an undergraduate degree in Biblical Studies from Victory University, a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree in Theological Studies from Memphis Theological Seminary, and is currently working to complete a Doctor of

Ministry degree in Leadership and Health Ministry by next spring. Prior to accepting a Call to Ministry, Elaine managed a career as a broadcast journalist, as a healthcare marketing and public relations professional, and as an entrepreneur providing these similar services. HER Faith Ministries, Inc. http://herfaithministries.org Our Mission: To empower homeless and needy women, to protect children, to strengthen families, and to thereby, change lives. Our Vision: To be the ministry that

• understands and assists impoverished women and children in Memphis in addressing their basic needs for food, clothing, shelter and transportation;

• offers well-‐‑defined programs and services that enable impoverished women to make measurable progress toward improving their lives and the lives of their children;

• empowers homeless and needy women to become self-‐‑sustaining through mentoring programs, education and spiritual guidance.

• forms alliances with like-‐‑minded agencies and


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organizations to measurably reduce homelessness in the city and county.

• exists as a Christian organization which serves all people, particularly women and children, and which extends the love of Jesus Christ by fulfilling His mission [in our communities] and in the world.

C. Mark Palmer Chief Executive Officer Woodhaven Columbia, MO

Mark has been the CEO of Woodhaven in Columbia, Missouri for close to 20 years. Mark graduated from Iowa State University and has attended numerous national professional trainings to advance his skill set in

serving individuals with disabilities. In his spare time Mark enjoys running, traveling and attending St. Louis Cardinals baseball games. Mark is a third generation member of The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and is active in Central Christian Church in Fulton, Missouri. Mark had been married to Deb for 26 years and they have a 7-year-old Shu-Tzu names Gracie. Woodhaven http://www.woodhaventeam.org Our Mission: Woodhaven – a caring team advocating for those with disabilities: •Enhancing lives •Respecting individuality •Providing quality opportunities for choice •Promoting community membership Our Vision: At Woodhaven, our mission is not just about providing supports, it is about working toward a fundamental shift in how the community perceives people with disabilities. We know that change isn’t going to happen just by talking about all of the things the individuals supported are capable


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of. Real change happens when the men and women with developmental disabilities we support have the opportunity to SHOWCASE their abilities – and they ARE – they’re shopping for their own groceries; they’re working at community jobs; they’re playing sports and going to the gym; they’re active in their churches; and volunteering throughout the community. Every day, the men and women we support are living full, independent lives as active members of our community. With every shirt they buy, hour they work and life they touch through volunteering, they’re changing the face of ability. Don Stump President/Chief Executive Officer Christian Church Homes Oakland, CA

Don has worked at CCH since 1979 and has served as president and chief executive officer since 2007. Don completed his undergraduate degree at Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma and his master's degree from Oklahoma State University. He is also a Certified Property Manager. He has taught many workshops, seminars and classes on affordable housing and has received multiple honors including the National Affordable Housing Management Association’s (NAHMA) “Pioneer in Affordable Housing” and the Affordable Housing Management Association’s (AHMA) coveted “Pamela E. Stroud” award for leadership in the field. Don has lived in senior housing as a child and has held nearly every level of job within the company. He enjoys a unique background and an unusual ability to blend the multiple disciplines required to effectively operate a broad and diverse organization. Established in 1961, CCH is a non-profit organization that has been building and managing affordable housing communities with supportive where seniors can live and thrive in the comfort of their own home. Having served over 100,000 seniors over 50 years, CCH has now grown to 53 caring communities that are “More Than a Home” to residents in seven states.


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Christian Church Homes www.cchnc.org Our Mission: Providing Affordable Quality Housing in Caring Communities Our Vision: Transforming communities by fostering human dignity, mutual respect, personal independence, and supportive environments Rev. Milele Hobbs, MSW Executive Director Gomer’s House Portland, OR

Milele grew up the eldest child/cousin of 11, with responsibilities that set the stage for leadership, organization,

planning and giving. At 21, she felt obligated to drop out of college to become guardian of 5 siblings at their mother's death. This also marked my leaving the church. Work alcoholic, unresolved grief, emotional, physical and sexual abuse, ADHD lead to and a series of jobs, unhealthy relationships and geographic moves. Eventually a cycle of self-medication-- smoking weed daily, snorting cocaine and drinking weekends became the norm. I expected that getting my degree was going to be the answer to all my hurts and hang-ups, but God had another plan. July 1984, I accepted the Lord at Victory Temple Church of God in Christ, Seaside, CA. I plunged myself into 'being at the church, finding any way to serve, cleaning walls and baseboards, washing dishes or ushering. An illness brought me back to Portland where most of my siblings lived. A visiting minister prophesied that I was called to minister to 'the outcasts and rejects' no one else wanted to touch when I didn’t even know what a prophesy was. I joined a women’s prison ministry, served them for 12 years. This lead to the original Gomer’s House providing housing for some of the ladies returning to Portland (1995-2003).


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Milele became a licensed minister at Everlasting Baptist Church in February 2004 and continued to lead the Overcomer’s Recovery group. In April, 2007 Trees of Righteousness Church was launched and Gomer’s House reopened to provide a safe-nurturing environment for people to heal from growing up in a less-than-nurturing environment. Gomer's House (an integrated auxiliary of Trees of Righteousness Christian Church) http://www.treesdisciples.org/#!page3/cee5 Our Mission: Gomer's House is a peer lead space to heal from the effects of growing up in a less-than-nurturing environment and a transitional home offering stability for recovery. Our Vision: We share our love, experience, strength and hope to support healing. Sabrina R. Porter President & CEO Juliette Fowler Communities Dallas, TX

Sabrina Porter is President and CEO of Juliette Fowler Communities, a Dallas, Texas nonprofit, faith based organization providing senior citizens a home with continuum of care and services, foster care homes, housing and services for girls aging out of foster care and services and housing with employment opportunities for the NBA XPLOR residents. Approximately 400 residents, 300 employees and 4000 volunteers serve in the 23 acre community. The organization was founded 124 years ago by its namesake, Juliette Peak Fowler, as a mission of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). In her role at Juliette Fowler Communities, Sabrina is responsible for the oversight of the organization and the mission.

Over her forty year career in healthcare, retirement and youth services, Sabrina has served both for profit and not for profit organizations in various roles from a nurse’s aide, activities director administrator, Stephen Minister


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Leader, spiritual life coordinator, executive director and vice president of operations. Prior to onboarding with Juliette Fowler *Homes (rebranded in 2013 to *Communities) in January 2012, she was vice president of resident and community relations for a faith based NFP community in the DFW area for twelve years and a for profit organization for nineteen years prior. Sabrina is a member of the Cedar Hill Church of Christ, has been married twenty-two years to Joel Porter who serves as an elder in their church, and has three children, Rachel and Mason in college and Caleb a junior in high school. Sabrina has served on several boards, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boy Scouts of America and Peace Through Business in the past. Has served on Hope Mansion, a home for girls in crisis pregnancy since 2010, Bridges Safehouse, a home for women and their children coming from a volatile situation since 2014 and the NBA as of 2015. The Porters reside in Cedar Hill, Texas, on acreage, where they enjoy their horses, chickens and bird dogs.

Juliette Fowler Communities www.fowlercommunities.org

Our Mission: To provide choice, community and connection for those we serve. Our Vision: We envision a life of fulfillment for all generations. Rev. Kimberly Weir Chaplain/Executive Director Florida Christian Center Jacksonville, FL

Kimberly was born in Dayton, Ohio but has lived in Jacksonville, FL since 1979. Her parents live here as well. She has two boys, ages 13 and 16. She worships and was ordained at Riverside Avenue Christian Church. Kimberly is the chaplain/Executive Director for the Florida Christian Center, a ministry to seniors in subsidized housing. Florida Christian Center http://www.flchristiancenter.org


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Our mission: "We are called by God to serve older adults and persons with special needs as a living witness and response to our Christian faith." Mark Anderson President/Chief Executive Officer National Benevolent Association St. Louis, MO

Mark D. Anderson is President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Benevolent Association of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a call he accepted in January 2011. In this role Mark leads the NBA in living out its mission of “creating communities of compassion and care” – a mission that NBA fulfills by utilizing a network of ministry partners and by equipping

congregations and other direct-care providers to deliver services to those in need. A social worker by profession, Mark has devoted his career to meeting the medical and mental health needs of others. He previously served as Programs and Operations Director for Ronald McDonald House Charities in Kansas City, Missouri, an organization that provides temporary lodging and support services for children, who are receiving medical treatment, and their families. From 2000 to 2008, Mark was the Executive Director of Kansas City’s SAVE Inc., a nonprofit housing agency serving people living with HIV/AIDS and other disabilities. With responsibility for the overall vision, financial management, resource development, staffing and programming of SAVE Inc., Mark oversaw tremendous growth in the organization’s services and visibility while ensuring its fiscal soundness and focus on its mission. Mark has also worked as a clinical social worker and a family therapist. He is a graduate of Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma, and holds a master’s degree in social work from Washington University in St. Louis. He has taught courses in social work at the University of Kansas and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He has


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served on the General and Administrative Boards of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), as well as held several positions on the local and regional levels. Some of his favorite memories were as a youth sponsor at his home congregation in Kansas. He is a native of Peoria, Illinois, and is a third-generation Disciple. Mark is a member at Union Avenue Christian Church in St. Louis, Missouri. National Benevolent Association www.nbacares.org Our Mission: Following God’s call, the National Benevolent Association exists to inspire and connect the people and ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), to accompany one another in the creation of communities of compassion and care, and to advocate for the well-being of humanity. Our Vision: Creating communities of compassion and care

Feliberto Pereira Founder / Executive Director Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries Los Fresnos, TX

Feliberto Pereira is founder and executive director of Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries, a non-profit organization based in Los Fresnos, Texas that serves refugees and the poor at the Texas-Mexico border. A refugee from Cuba who entered the United States on a Freedom Flight in 1969, Feliberto has spent nearly 40 years giving back to the country that rescued him and “paying forward” to help thousands of refugees to America acquire their U.S. citizenship. Through Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries, Feliberto offers


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refugees food, clothing, shelter, counseling and resettlement funds. Since 1979, Feliberto has assisted refugees from more than 40 countries and of all religious backgrounds. Feliberto believes that the success of refugees in the United States depends greatly on the welcome they receive when they arrive. He considers his ministry a full partner of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to help those seeking freedom from persecution and oppression. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's ICE Division routinely calls on Feliberto to assist with the settlement of Cubans seeking asylum at the International Bridge at Matamoros/Brownsville. Once initially processed, Cubans are paroled to Feliberto's custody. Feliberto is an inspiring and compassionate individual whose life experience as a refugee uniquely qualifies him to assist other refugees as they seek to start their lives again in the U.S. Through gifts and time/talent contributions from mainly Texas churches, Feliberto has built a five-acre facility called "Casa Compasión" (House of Compassion) in nearby Bayview to receive and temporarily house asylum seekers and refugees and

to host church mission groups who come to the Texas-Mexico border for volunteer projects, such as building housing for the poor… Pereira established the Good Samaritan Project in Los Fresnos, Texas, to assist refugees and became its first executive director. Simultaneously, he established a new congregation in Los Fresnos, Ebenezer Christian Church, where he remains the senior minister today. Feliberto is a member of the Board of Trustees of Brite Divinity School, a seminary of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), whose General Minister and President, Sharon Watkins, was asked by President Barack Obama to deliver the sermon at the traditional Inauguration National Prayer Service. In June, 2008, the story of Feliberto's life and accomplishments was released as a first-person autobiography, I Was A Stranger: Hope For A Hidden World (Brown Books, 2008). Married to Micaela Pereira, Feliberto has three children. Feliberto's mother, his brother, and many other relatives, still reside in Cuba. Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries http://www.swgsm.org


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Our Mission: The Mission of Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries is to teach the love of Jesus Christ by building a renewed sense of wholeness and dignity and by standing with those who are broken, especially among refugees and those who are disenfranchised and displaced. The Good News of salvation is lived out by addressing spiritual and material needs, including emergency shelter and food, clothing, transportation, legal aid, advocacy and job referral through a cooperative effort with other agencies and religious organizations. Debbie Dobbins Executive Director Southern Christian Services for Children and Youth Jackson, MS

Debbie Dobbins has been the Executive Director of Southern Christian Services for Children and Youth, Inc. since March,

2015. Debbie grew up in Iuka MS and had left when she was a junior in college to finish her degree in Texas. She had been hoping to return to Mississippi and was able to do so last year. Debbie holds a Master of Education degree from Texas Tech University and a Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington. She has spent almost forty years working with children and youth that have been abused, neglected and abandoned. Before she returned to Mississippi, she was the Executive Director of a residential program for homeless women and their children. Southern Christian Services for Children and Youth http://www.scscy.org Our Mission: In response to the love of Christ, Southern Christian Services for Children and Youth, Inc. serves and equips vulnerable children and youth, assisting them in the process of becoming self-sufficient and contributing members of society. Our Vision: To be an organization that has a positive, recognizable, long-term impact on ALL children and youth in our care by providing professional, cost-effective and timely services.


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Southern Christian Services for Children and Youth, Inc. provided almost 10,000 services to children, youth and families last year. They provide an array of services from ages birth to those aging out of foster care. Their programs provide Therapeutic Foster Care, Therapeutic Group Homes. Independent Living Services, Adoption Support Services, Home Studies for foster homes, Adoption Recruitment and Retention Services and a training conference each year for professional. Established in 1988, Southern Christian Services for Children and Youth, Inc. now serves the entire state of Mississippi.

Documents

Rev. Elaine Y. Sanford Founder/Executive Director HER ... · transitional home offering stability for recovery. Our Vision: We share our love, experience, strength and hope to support