John is the Executive Director of Long Island Youth Mentoring, which is a ministry that recruits Christians, from over 140 Long Island churches, to mentor fatherless and orphaned children. John has led this Christian ministry for over 30 years. He has taken what he has learned on Long Island and worked to expand this vision for relationship based ministry across this great land. He has a great interest in answering God’s call to care for the fatherless and orphan but not in encouraging multigenerational dependence which he sees as the government’s lead approach to caring for the orphan and fatherless in this land of opportunity.
Following are a few the accomplishments of this ministry as led by John: LIYM was honored by President George Bush as one of the nation’s Thousand Points of Light. John was the founding president of the Christian Mentoring Institute which is a national ministry that has become The Christian Association of Youth Mentoring. This ministry has trained and supported over 270 Christian groups which have started mentoring ministries to the fatherless and orphans in different communities across our nation.
Started and is still operating The Partners-To-Potential Ministry, (aka The Homework Club) This is a ministry that encourages partnerships between public schools and churches with a shared goal of helping children who have little home support or direction. This ministry was honored in 2010 with the “Promising Practices Award” by the nationally recognized organization Character Education Partnership (CEP).
Established the Bridges Ministry, a mentoring ministry that partners churches with foster homes. Each orphan receives a mentor from the church. The church has a focused ministry to orphans within one home. Currently 18 homes are being ministered by local churches. John has a Master’s Degree in Applied Behavioral Science. He enjoys preaching God’s word, especially when he is able to share God’s heart for the fatherless and orphan. He also enjoys being a consultant to other mentoring ministries. John and his wife Kay have been married for 37 years. They have three grown children who are married and serving the Lord. They also have ten grandchildren.
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