Covenant House - Homeless YouthOpening Doors for Homeless Youth

 “I’m honored and filled with gratitude to take on this new responsibility and work with our staff, volunteers, and kids at Covenant House New York,” said Jim.  “Out on the streets of NewYork , Covenant House is a powerful, positive reflection of God’s love, whispering messages of hope into the ears of the vulnerable homeless kids, doing our part to counter those who are calling them to gangs, drugs and prostitution.    We are truly a lifeline for our kids, and all my efforts will go towards working with our incredible staff and volunteers to save more kids from the streets and help them build new lives.”

 

Jim has worked at Covenant House for thirty years, joining the Covenant House family in 1982 as a full-time volunteer and working as counselor at the New York crisis shelter. 

 

In 1985, Jim was asked to be part of the development team of the Covenant House’s new transitional living program Rights of Passage (ROP).  As Associate Director of ROP, Jim welcomed the first five young men into this pioneering program in which homeless young people live at Covenant House while going to school and training for jobs.   

 

In early 1987, Jim made a significant career change and began working in the Fixed Income Department of Bear Stearns.  However, his heart remained at Covenant House. 

 

In 1990, Jim returned to work in New York’s Rights of Passage while pursuing his Masters in Social Work from Stony Brook University.  Jim then accepted role of  Director of Covenant House Faith Community, leading a group of full-time volunteers and tripling the amount of volunteers in two years.  

 

In 1994, Jim was hired as Executive Director of Covenant House New Jersey (CHNJ).  At that time, CHNJ consisted of just two storefront operations in Atlantic City and Newark, a small budget, fourteen staff members, no residential beds and minimal services.  

 

Jim began to work with kids and staff to develop, articulate and fulfill a vision to transform the lives of the young people in the way the Covenant House mission calls us to do.  

 

During his 12 years at CHNJ, Jim grew the budget to close to $8,000,000, expanded residential services to 120 young people each night and added a comprehensive array of services through Crisis, ROP and Mothers and Babies programs.  Jim has also been a successful advocate, leading the charge for Covenant House to change laws in New Jersey that mandate better care of homeless young people.  

 

Jim used all these challenges and experiences to further Covenant House’s mission in his roles as Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Development and Marketing at Covenant House International. During this time, Jim worked to align the visions, plans and operations of the organizations twenty-one sites throughout North and Latin America.  

 

Jim helped launch Covenant House’s first inclusive and collaborative strategic plan, initiating an unprecedented opportunity to leverage and support the incredible work undertaken by Covenant House’s frontline workers and leadership with over 50,000 homeless street kids each year. In 2011, he served as the force behind Covenant House’s first annual CEO Solidarity Sleep Out. During this event, fifty CEOs and business leaders spent the night outside of Covenant House New York to raise awareness and funds for Covenant House.  

 

“Jim has lived the mission of Covenant House for over 30 years, beginning during his time as a Faith Community volunteer and continuing now while he takes on his new role as Executive Director of Covenant House New York,” said Kevin Ryan, President of Covenant House.  “He is certainly one of the most amazing advocates for homeless youth I have ever met. As Executive Director of Covenant House New York, he will continue to be a great fighter for our kids.”