For Immediate Release
Contact: Linda Arrington, 540.985.0131, ext. 104, lindaa@councilofcommunityservices.org
Council of Community Services Announces Continuation of Leadership with Dan Merenda
Former President, Pam Kestner, not to return to the Council
Roanoke, VA (June 18, 2013) – Council of Community Services’ Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Dan Merenda will continue in the role of president of the Council providing leadership at an opportune time to pursue its mission of improving the quality of life in our community.
Serving as a catalyst for community change and action, the Council of Community Services has been in the forefront in developing initiatives and programs to address challenging community issues during tough economic times.
Over the past five decades, the Council of Community Services has worked closely with its community partners to identify community problems, to link the community to solutions, and to develop programs that will provide the solution. The Council of Community Services provides on-time data on community needs through the use of indicators, presentations of valuable data that show change over time. Eliminating the time between research and production, 150 indicators are maintained in an electronic library, updated monthly and made immediately available to policymakers, practitioners, and community leaders throughout the region. Using this data the Council and its partners have launched new well funded programs to address community needs such as the Community Housing Resource Center, dedicated to preventing individuals and families from becoming homeless, and the Nonprofit Resource Center committed to improving the capacity of the nonprofit sector.
The former president of the Council, Pamela Kestner, has extended her length of service as the statewide Homeless Outcomes Coordinator within the Office of the Secretary of Health & Human Resources and will not be returning to the Council. Ms. Kestner served the Council for over 26 years.
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