Professional Artifacts #1 - #3

Lowndes Associated Ministries to People, Inc. (LAMP)

1985 – 2001

LAMP began as a church-sponsored emergency assistance program to help those in need in Lowndes County, GA. It opened its doors in January 1985 and two months later I started as a volunteer. LAMP was open for service five mornings a week, and I was there to assist every day. Almost immediately I became the Chair of the LAMP Board. When I started with LAMP, it was a small, one room operation in the main building of the old Leila Ellis School. Twelve churches supported it, there were three volunteers, and there was one part-time staff member. At that time LAMP provided very limited ($50) emergency assistance with rent and utilities for those in crisis situations. Funds were restricted and only a few hundred people were served during the year.

In 1989, I became the Executive Director. Under my leadership, LAMP grew into an organization that was not only supported by 78 churches in Lowndes County but also received both private foundation and government grants. While Executive Director, I:

  • Developed a program that provided emergency assistance for utilities, rent, transportation, food, clothing, etc. to 10,000 indigent people annually in Lowndes County, GA
  • Designed and funded New Horizons, a shelter and self-sufficiency program for homeless women and children. Opened and managed the shelter on a day-to-day basis, housing 30 women and children a night.
  • Started and managed a health care program that provided prescription assistance, eye care, and dental care to the indigent
  • Opened and administered a day shelter for the homeless that provided educational and employment opportunities and a self-sufficiency program as well as day shelter and personal hygiene.
  • Wrote the grants that resulted in acquisition of funding for a transitional housing program for families and single men with children (addition of 20 individuals to above shelter)
  • Assisted with redesign and grant application for renovation of Leila Ellis Facility

I was able to manage such a large organization with a minimal staff of twelve by using over fifty volunteers (1999 and 2001). The attachedbrochure provides a list of supporting congregations and services available at the time I left LAMP in 2001. All these activities display my skills in human resource management, budgeting, and planning.