Good Samaritan Ministries announced that Leesa Stephens was hired as their new Executive Director on Friday, July 22nd. Board member Paul Butler, who is also the head of the search committee, was present with staff members at GSM to make the announcement.
“I was delighted to help search for the new executive director,” said Butler. “We had lots of qualified and experienced candidates but we were drawn to Leesa.” Butler explained that Stephens has three strong qualities that make her the right choice for the position: a rich background in teaching, management experience, and is a part of the local community. These qualities make her well equipped for this multifaceted job, explained Butler.Stephens stated that she is honored to serve as executive director and was called as a Christian to apply for the position. Having worked in the Bangs ISD for many years, teaching 17 years of English and then adding subjects of social studies, government, economics, psychology and sociology, she saw many students who were in need. In fact, she has seen continuing generations of poverty within the school system which opened her heart to consider how she personally could “serve the Lord” after she eventually retired.
“I wasn’t planning to retire, but was looking for something to do after retiring. When I heard Angelia (GSM’s previous executive director) was leaving, something went through my mind, that this would be a great thing to do,” said Stephens. “The issue of poverty in the community is something Jesus told us we would always have this and we have this (the ministries at GSM) so that we can be His hands and feet.”
Stephens explained that the average person at church often asks what serving the Lord looks like, that they often think of just serving as a minister or music minister, and that GSM is where anyone can serve in many small roles serving the needs of the community. GSM was just what she was looking for in her search for a ministry to serve.
“God has been preparing me through my educational experience for this position,” said Stephens.
Butler stated that Good Samaritan Ministries is made possible through the generosity of the community, which provides support financially and in many other ways. This support is received from individuals, local churches and the business community (especially local grocery stores).
“Our community does a great job supporting Good Samaritan Ministries,” said Butler. “It takes a fairly large budget to operate Good Samaritan Ministries and there hasn’t been a time when our Heavenly Father hasn’t provided for us.”
He stated that GSM has about a dozen staff members and approximately 300 volunteers who manage to organize and distribute around 1 million pounds of food and tons of clothing each year to those in the community who need a helping hand, and stated, “who of us hasn’t been in a position of needing help in one way or another? Good Samaritan Ministries is a great place.”
Along with naming their new director, the GSM board has created a new position, that of assistant director, which will be filled by Heather Thomas who has been serving as interim director since Angelia Bostick left the position in March. He stated that with this addition and the help of the third leader in the GSM organization, Misty Bowers who helps with public relations, Good Samaritan Ministries will continue to grow and will continue to provide much needed assistance within the Brownwood/Brown County area.
Butler stated that Bostick had done a “yeoman’s job,” and that GSM will forever be grateful for her service. Now the organization has great leadership team in Stephens, Thomas and Bowers, he said.
Stephens stated that she and her staff will work to re-emphasize what Good Samaritan Ministries is and what they do, hopefully to find new volunteers and to keep the strong support from the community to continue lending a hand and offering hope to those in need locally. “We are more than just the drop off box along the street,” said Stephens.
To learn more about the different ministries at GSM, CLICK HERE.
Those interested in volunteering with GSM, please CLICK HERE, call their office at 325) 643-2273, or email office@goodsambwd.org.
To make a donation to Good Samaritan Ministries, CLICK HERE or send a donation to Good Samaritan Ministries, 305 Clark Street, Brownwood, Texas 76801.
Pictured above are GSM’s Assistant Director Heather Thomas, Executive Director Leesa Stephens and Communications Director Misty Bowers.
