Wean Foundation ADDS NEW DIRECTOR TO ITS BOARD
PASTOR MICHAEL HARRISON OF UNION BAPTIST CHURCH BRINGS COMMUNITY ORGANIZING FOCUS TO HIS NEW POST
Contact: Joel Ratner, President, The Raymond John Wean Foundation,
330-394-5600
Warren, January 22, 2010 — The Raymond John Wean Foundation announces the addition of Pastor Michael Harrison to the Foundation’s Board of Directors.
Harrison is currently the Pastor of Union Baptist Church in Youngstown, where he has served since 1995. He began his career in ministry in 1985 as Christian Education Coordinator for United Baptist Church in Akron. From there he went on to serve as Pastor of Mount Olive Baptist Church in Midland, Pennsylvania, for nearly 6 years before his role at Union Baptist Church.
As part of the Foundation’s Board of Directors, Harrison will oversee recommendations and applications that come before the Foundation for grantmaking and work to support organizations that promote change within the communities of Youngstown and Warren.
“In the last few years, the Foundation has become much more community organizing savvy and is really focusing its efforts on groups that effect change in our community. Thanks to Joel Ratner, this new direction has really taken off, and I think that my past experiences will lend itself well to the mission of the Foundation,” Harrison said.
It was Harrison’s history of involvement in community organizing that led him to this new role with the Wean Foundation. Harrison was a member and past president of ACTION, the Alliance for Congregational Transformation Influencing Our Neighborhoods and is a past Chairperson of the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative’s Sponsoring Committee where he has been actively involved since the organization’s beginning.
Harrison is also a Past National Chairperson of the Oasis Network of African American Leadership Commission, the President of the Ohio Baptist State Convention and was chosen as “One of the World’s Most Loved Pastors” by Gospel Today Magazine.
Harrison began his duties on the Foundation’s board this month and replaces outgoing member Patricia Sweet. Harrison has been appointed to a three-year term, and is eligible for up to two three-year terms.
For more information, please contact Joel Ratner at 330-394-5600.
About The Raymond John Wean Foundation
The Raymond John Wean Foundation was created by Warren industrialist Raymond John “Jack” Wean in 1949 with assets and annually gives approximately $3.5 million to nonprofit organizations with a majority of those funds earmarked for nonprofits in Mahoning and Trumbull Counties.
The mission of The Raymond John Wean Foundation is to enhances the community well-being and vitality in the Mahoning Valley through grant making, convening, advocating and providing leadership with a focus on economically disadvantaged people and neighborhoods. Please visit www.rjweanfdn.org to learn more about the Foundation.
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