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Who is the leadership of Horizons?
Who serves on the Board of Directors?
What is the mission of Horizons?
How did Horizons get started?
What is being accomplished?

 

Who is the leadership of Horizons? (Back to top)

Our staff at Horizons includes only a handful of paid workers.  A lot of what we accomplish is a direct result of our volunteers: over 300 different volunteers each month, coming from 11 different churches here in Quincy.  We THANK YOU for your participation if you have ever volunteered with us.  You are appreciated. 

 

Like our volunteers, our paid staff members come from different backgrounds and different churches here in Quincy.  Please allow us a moment to introduce our staff to you...

 

Dr. Bill Barker is the Executive Director of Horizons Social Services of Adams County, Inc.  He and his wife Sara have one son, Aidin.  The Barker Family worships at LifePoint Bible Church.  In his work for Horizons, Bill oversees the strategic planning, fundraising, grant-writing, staff oversight and management, and the networking and recruiting of area churches and volunteers.  

 

Mrs. Peggy Grant is the Program Manager for the Quincy Soup Kitchen at Horizons.  She and her husband Jim have one son, Keith, who lives and works in Macomb, IL.  Peggy worships at River of Life Church. In her work for Horizons, Peggy oversees the soup kitchen operations and the volunteers.  Given the number of people served at each meal (an average of 70 people per meal), and the number of volunteers that work with us each month, this is an enormous responsibility. Peggy manages the food collection, preparation, service, and clean-up.  She also insures Horizons is meeting all the health and sanitation requirements required by state and federal government, collects statistical information, and trains new volunteers. Our two licensed cooks report to Peggy and assist her in the soup kitchen ministry. 

 

Mr. Chris Woodard is the Program Manager for the Quincy Transitional Work Program. Chris and his wife Debbie have three children Savannah, Sierra and Cameron. The Woodard Family worships at LifePoint Bible Church.  In his work for Horizons, Chris screens all potential candidates for the work program as well as discipling and mentoring those who are accepted into the program in a weekly Bible study and job skills training sessions.  Chris also supervises the work program as they provide free custodial service for the entire St. John’s Parish facility every week.  Chris insures that the members of the work program submit to random drug and alcohol testing, and he recruits and works with area businesses in securing long-term employment for individuals who graduate from the program.  Additionally, Chris seeks to assist those in the transitional work program with transportation and housing issues.

 

Mr. Don Cottingham is the Program Manager for the Horizons Clothes Closet.  Don and his wife Dianne have 4 children, 9 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild.  Don and Dianne worship at Bible Baptist Church.  In his work at Horizons, Don oversees the collection, cleaning, organization and distribution of clothes at the Horizons Clothes Closet.  Don assesses the needs of those looking for clothing and then seek to provide for those needs, especially during the winter months.  Don works with individuals as well as families and children in this ministry.  Don also coordinates with volunteers and churches to list clothing needs, accept donations and track their collection and distribution. 

 

Ms. Pam Nokes and Ms. Randi Reinhard are our two licensed cooks.  When they are on duty, they supervise the food preparation, service and clean-up, in addition to managing the volunteers on duty. 

Who serves on the Board of Directors? (Back to top)

Father James Derbyshire is the President of the Board of Directors for Horizons Social Services of Adams County, Inc.  Father Derbyshire has been the priest of St. John’s Parish here in Quincy since September 2006.  Father Derbyshire earned his Master’s degree in Aeronautical Systems in 1973 from the University of West Florida.  Father Derbyshire later earned a Master of Divinity in Mission from the Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, Pittsburgh, PA.  Father Derbyshire has worked internationally using business development strategies to assist the poor in developing countries.  He also served for 11 years as a pilot in the US Navy.  Following his time in the Navy, Father Derbyshire had a successful career working for the aerospace industry in business and airport operations.  In addition to his work for Horizons and St. John’s Parish he also serves on the Board of Directors for Barnabas Community Builders to develop resources for community improvement projects.  He and his wife Beth have been married for 30 years. 

Dr. Bill Barker is the Executive Director of Horizons Social Services of Adams County, Inc.  After co-founding a marketing firm for the financial industry in Boston, MA, Bill left this career track to pursue theological studies, earning a Master of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and then a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge, England. He taught as a faculty member at Gordon College, Wenham, MA and at the University of Cambridge, England.  He has been involved in some form of pastoral ministry for over 10 years and is the author of 19 published articles with more on the way.  Able to read and write in over 15 languages, Dr. Barker has lived and worked in Europe, the Middle East and South America.  In 1999 Bill says he made the best decision of his life and married Sara Wood of Elvaston, IL.  After 10 years of marriage, their son, William Aidin Barker II, was born.  Dr. Barker is the Lead Minister of LifePoint Bible Church here in Quincy.

Mr. Ramsay Easterling, Jr. serves on the Board of Directors for Horizons Social Services of Adams County, Inc.  Mr. Easterling began his career working at Hy-Vee here in Quincy, eventually becoming an assistant manager there. After his time at Hy-Vee, Mr. Easterling became a financial advisor for Merrill Lynch.  Ramsay and his wife Heidi worship at St. John’s Parish, where Ramsay also serves as the Business Manager.    

Mr. Troy Figge serves on the Board of Directors for Horizons Social Services of Adams County, Inc. Mr. Figge was raised in Warsaw, IL.  Troy works as the  Supervisor of Network Operations in the Information Technology Department of The Knapheide Manufacturing Company here in Quincy.  He worships and serves as the Senior Warden at St. John’s Parish.  He is married to Jody and has 4 children: Emma, Drew, Kennedy, and Thea. 

Emeriti Board of Directors

Mrs. Anne McDonald Oakley serves on the Board of Directors for Horizons Social Services of Adams County, Inc.  She graduated from Duke University in Durham, NC in 1954 with a degree in English, and she was married to Thomas A. Oakley of Quincy, IL later that same year.  After Tom’s 3 years of service in the US Air Force, Tom and Anne moved to Quincy and have made their home here since 1957.  Mrs. Oakley has been a member of St. John’s Parish since she moved to Quincy.  In the mid- seventies, she served on the vestry and taught Sunday School there, and was active in St. John’s guild.  Through the years Anne has been highly active in the Quincy community, serving a number of important organizations: as the President of the Quincy Service League (1964-1966); as a member and President of the Anna Brown Home Board; as a member of the Cheerful Home Board; and, as President of the Friends of the Library.  She has also worked with many community fund drives, such as the campaign for the United Way of Adams County, Inc.  She has been on the Board of the Illinois Women’s Golf Association for many years and served as its President from 1981-1983.  Mrs. Oakley’s strong record of service for the people of Quincy continues now with her work for Horizons, among other involvements.

What is the mission of Horizons? (Back to top)

Horizons Social Services of Adams County, Inc. seeks to meet the personal and community needs of the disadvantaged and destitute in the city of Quincy.  We also attempt to serve as a communication facilitator between area churches and social service providers. 

 

Horizons meet its objectives, primarily, through three programs: (1) the Quincy Soup Kitchen, (2) the Quincy Transitional Work Program, and (3) the Horizons Clothes Closet. Additional programs are also under development. 

 

The Quincy Soup Kitchen serves approximately 70 meals per day, 5 days per week; the Quincy Transitional Work Program employs, intensively mentors, and comes alongside individuals with criminal records who are seeking positive change in every area of their lives; and, finally, the Horizons Clothes Closet provides clothing of all types (summer and winter clothing) for people of all ages.

 

How did Horizons get started? (Back to top)

In late 2007 the Salvation Army soup kitchen closed to make way for the new community center. By January 2008 people regularly started showing up at St. John's Parish asking for food and help in finding a job. St. John's started filling these needs alone, but it soon became evident there was a tremendous need. Four churches and the Salvation Army began collaborating to provide a soup kitchen and a transitional work program. By August 2008 these groups joined forces to form an independent, non-profit organization to manage and expand these programs. In September 2008 a leadership team was appointed and an Executive Director hired. The team analyzed the needs of the Quincy community, drawing on their cooperation with the Salvation Army, the work of the soup kitchen and the jobs program, and the community data supplied by the United Way of Adams County, the Alliance for Building Community, and the Great Rivers Region Economic Development Foundation. With this analysis and an accompanying strategic plan, Horizons became incorporated as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in November 2008.

 

What is being accomplished? (Back to top)

We feel that given the state of the economy and the increased demand for our services, combined with our status as a relatively new non-profit organization, we have outperformed our first annual operating budget in terms of services offered. For 2009, we operated on an average monthly budget of $4000 that includes 3 full-time employees, several part-time workers and the compensation for the members of our work program.  We feel we maximize the use of our donations.   In fact, over 18% of our budget in 2009 was devoted to direct assistance to individuals, and in 2010 we have dedicated 20% of our budget to direct assistance. Again, given the number of clients we serve in our programs with the soup kitchen and clothes closet, this additional 18-20% of direct financial assistance is a significant financial achievement. 

 

It would take a long time to come up with a comprehensive list of what we are doing, but to give you a short glimpse of what we are accomplishing – and thanks to our volunteers (that’s you!) and staff – in the past year, Horizons Social Services of Adams County has successfully:

• - served approximately 14,000 individual hot meals since January 2009;
  
  
• - regularly fed lunch (5 days per week, every week) to over 1,800 different people in the Quincy community, including some who are homeless, low income workers, recently released ex-convicts or those struggling with medical bills or other financial debts;
  
  
• - employed over 40 different people, finding long-term employment for 6 people, since January through the Quincy Transitional Work program;
  
  
• - mentored 3 fathers, all ex-convicts, about parenting duties and roles;
  
  
• - collected and donated dozens of coats, gloves, shoes, shirts, sweaters, socks, shirts, umbrellas, and other clothing items directly to needy families;
  
  
• - hired or received the pro bono services of 3 full-time program managers, plus 3 part-time licensed cooks, a CPA and a web site creator and manager;
  
  
• - donated a car and several bicycles to individuals in the Quincy Transitional Work Program in need of transportation;
  
  
• - encouraged and supported 12 individuals and three families in attending and getting involved in 6 different area churches;
  
  
• - supported a husband/father in successfully completing the Addicts Victorious recovery program for recovery from alcoholism; and,
  
  
• - mobilized over 350 volunteers per month from 11 different area churches.