Angel Lawrence Hired as Executive Director

NORTHEAST COMMUNITY FUND HIRES ANGEL LAWRENCE AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Decatur, IL, August 31 –​ The Board of Directors of Northeast Community Fund announces the hiring of Ms. Angel Lawrence as Executive Director, effective September 14th, 2020. Current Executive Director, Ed Bacon, will assist with the transition and plans to devote more time to his professional counseling practice; Decatur Christian Counseling. “Ed has been an invaluable member of our team following the retirement of Jerry Pelz and the move into a new facility last year. His passion for our mission has driven the organization forward and continued the focus of serving the Decatur community,” says Board President Regan Deering.

After an extensive, nationwide search, the Northeast Community Fund is pleased to welcome Ms. Lawrence. She holds a B.A. from Wilberforce University in Ohio and a Master of Social Work from Roberts Wesleyan College in New York. Ms. Lawrence has spent her career in social service, including extensive work with the development and supervision of Closing the Gap, an initiative ​providing students in Buffalo NY with social & emotional support to improve students' ability to achieve academic success​. ​She also has employment experience as an alternative high school counselor and probation officer. Most recently, Ms. Lawrence has been working for the University of Illinois Chicago Division of Specialized Care for Children. “My roots are in the Decatur community, and I feel extremely blessed to serve in this charitable position that is community-focused and one that leads with a Christian mission. This has been a well-known and respected role in our community for years. I have admired the work of Jerry Pelz and the NECF Board of Directors, and it is an honor to be selected to lead this outstanding organization.”

“Angel will bring a wealth of experience to the program initiatives serving our clients and a strong desire to build upon the long-standing history of Northeast in assisting the most vulnerable in our community,” says Deering.

Northeast Community Fund (NECF) is a 501c3 located in Decatur, IL and has been serving the most vulnerable Macon County residents for the last 50 years. What began as a small food pantry has grown into a critical social impact organization. Every week NECF assists hundreds of families with basic needs such as food, clothing, household goods and funding for things like utility payments, obtaining IDs, baby formula and wipes, emergency lodging, and prescription medicines. NECF also offers two programs that are designed to help the working poor move towards financial independence. The first is a microfinance program that allows clients to eradicate their payday or title loans in an amount up to $1000. The second program is a 3-year commitment from families to work with a staff member and mentor to achieve short and long term goals to move towards self-sufficiency.

Northeast Community Fund Mission:​ To assist needy families in our community with the resources available in a caring and Christ-like manner.