Tom has been involved with the Mission for 10 years as a donor and volunteer and has been on the Board of Directors for two years. He is now serving as the Board’s Chairman as of January 2026.
What inspired you to first get involved with the Mission?
I was born and raised here, but even in all the years that I’ve known of the Mission, I still had no idea of just how complex and how many different programs there were.
Ten years ago, a friend of mine asked me to get involved with his nonprofit A Stronger Cord, which comes alongside men in the New Life Program, and it really opened my eyes.
What is a moment of impact from your involvement that stands out to you?
Through A Stronger Cord, there were two or three guys I got to know pretty well, and Terry was the one I have stayed most connected with. He graduated at least five years ago and he’s doing great. The program taught him to handle ups and downs in ways he hadn’t in years past.
The first time that Terry called me, he got word that his dad had died. He and his dad had kind of a rough relationship, but he was really upset. So, I picked him up, and we went out to lunch and just sat and talked. That really sticks out to me as being a very special moment.
What inspired you to step into the role of Chairman?
When I was asked, I had to pray a lot about it. But this Board is different than anything I’ve been involved with. Everybody looks at themselves as servants, and it really is Christ-centered, which takes a lot of the egos, selfishness and conflict that are sometimes common out of it. And so, that made the decision easier for me, just knowing what a wonderful group of people it is. And as Chairman, the thing I am going to try very hard to do is to make sure everybody gets heard and has the opportunity to speak up.
How would you encourage someone else to get involved?
If you even have an inkling to donate or volunteer, just put your toe in the water and go volunteer. That’s how I got involved. I didn’t know what I was in for and all of a sudden, my perspective changed. If you have a heart for that at all, it’s worth getting involved.
This post is part of February’s Changing Lives Newsletter. This month, we’re sharing the stories of the unsung heroes that make up our custodial team in: The Light You Carry.
