Thanks for Their Leadership

It takes a lot of people to carry out the mission of the Men's Shelter. Our professional staff working on intake, case management, facility operations, food service, and administration numbers about 50 hardworking, dedicated people - many of them have been featured on our website, in our newsletters, and on Facebook. We have thousands of compassionate volunteers, without whom we wouldn't exist. We have many, many service delivery partners carrying out a wide range of supportive services to help the men we serve. And, we have a supportive community standing behind the mission and the activities that help over 500 homeless men each night. I am very thankful for all of these people.

I also have four special people who work long hours, are completely committed to our agency, and mostly go unrecognized for their tremendous efforts. I'd like to introduce each of them and offer my public thanks for their service to the Men's Shelter and our community.

Ashley Milano-Barnett is our Associate Executive Director for Client Services. Ashley is responsible for making sure our shelters are welcoming places that meet the needs of the men we serve. Ashley supervises the staff under our four client services components - Prevention & Outreach, Basic Needs, Supportive Services, and Continuing Care. Ashley has been working with the homeless in Charlotte for more than dozen years and is one of the most compassionate, client-centered social workers I know.

Trish Hobson is our Associate Executive Director for Community Development. Trish oversees our fundraising, major gifts, planned giving, volunteer coordination, communications, marketing, and public relations. Trish and small her team make sure that the Men's Shelter has the financial, volunteer, and in-kind resources needed to carry out our mission. Trish has been in development for several years and I believe is the best at what she does.

Anita Leach is our Business Director. She manages our finances, pays the bills, oversee Human Resources, and balances the books. Anita is budget director, office manager, HR counselor, and bookkeeper all rolled into one. Anita ensures that we have a clean audit each year and maintain our United Way and BBB accreditation. Anita has over 25 years' experience in the nonprofit sector and we're fortunate to have her experience and sense of humor on our team.

William Hicks is our Facilities Director. He is responsible for keeping our shelters clean and safe, supervising our food services operation, and managing relationships with our vendors. William is constantly switching gears from toiler repair, to lawn care, to contract negotiation - the number of tasks he touches in one day boggles my mind. William has worked in facilities management for many years and I believe his longevity is due in part to how well he manages relationships with vendors, staff, volunteers, and clients.

Obviously, Ashley, Trish, Anita, and William have many talented people working with them to accomplish our mission. However, they are each truly servant leaders and trusted advisers to me. It's about time I said thank you publicly.