Helen Crouse

Member Since: 2014

Currently Resides in Venice, Florida

Tell us about your professional background.  I am the V.P of Administration with Brooks Financial Group, Inc., the V.P. of Administration with Founders Financial, Inc. and Founders Financial Securities, LLC, and the Secretary - Board of Directors for the Joe Brooks Foundation for Conservation and Outdoor Education, Inc.  As for my role within Building for God Community Foundation, I am the former Chairperson for Board of Governors.

Why did you choose to get involved with Building for God Community Foundation?  I grew up in Baltimore County and attended public school. I went on to attend Villa Julie College (which is now Stevenson University) for two years and acquired my Bachelor's Degree from the University of Baltimore. It took me 7 years to get my degree because I was also working full-time, but I had the drive and passion to persevere. I've seen the best of the Baltimore community and the worst and feel that I have a broad perspective of the area would like to take my life experiences and contribute my time and skills to being an active member of Building For God Community Foundation.

In what ways are you connected to the community?  Since high school I have been involved with different committees.  During my daughter's time in elementary school I was PTA president for two years and have always stayed involved and contributed my time and skills.  However, now that my daughter is grown, I wanted to still be part of something that I could use my professional experience and skills to help a great organization. In 2014 Michael Brooks offered me an opportunity to be part of the Foundation in a more professional capacity.  The rest is history.

The Foundation is growing by leaps and bounds and we are touching so many lives in small increments but making big impacts. And, with our 10 year vision plan on the table, we are going to be more effective than I could have ever imagined especially being the sole person managing, coordinating and overseeing the Foundation from an administrative perspective. I am at a loss for the true words of joy!

Is there any other information or fond BFGCF memories you'd like to share? I had the opportunity to donate a Dr. Suess book to each child in one of our Head Start classroom and witness how excited all the kids were to receive a book and book mark with their names. My purpose for donating the books was because my mom didn't have a high school education (things were different back then...finishing school wasn't mandatory) and had trouble reading but each of her children had great grades in school and all graduated from high school. I was the oldest of my family, I was the only one that graduated from college and went on to be blessed to do great things in my life.  When the opportunity came to visit the Head Start classroom BFGCF helped to renovate, I thought presenting each child with a copy of the same book would be a great idea. Every time I think of that visit I know that my mom is looking over each and every child and hoping that they will go further, develop great reading skills, and do great things in school and college.