Meet Cherie' Richards - New staff member to ACS

Working with others has always been the focus of Cherie' Richard's life. Growing up in a Christain family who firmly believed that worshipping God with their musical talents, helped Cherie` to develop a love and proficiency in singing, playing the guitar and the piano.

Cherie`s love for nursing began at age 14. During her academy years at Mt. Pisgah Academy in North Carolina, she worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). After graduation, she completed her Assorciate degree in nursing from Pasadena City College. She attended Pacific Union College and received her Baccalaureate degree, later completing her Masters in Nursing at the University of Phoenix.

Cherie` holds nursing degrees/certifications in pulbic health, lactation, home health and education. Each level of nursing has God's plan to save His people physically, mentally and spirtually. As the Director of Medical Services, ACS Community LIFT provides the opportunity for her to further expand her life's mission to serve those whos are in need of His touch.

Welcome to Cherie`. She adds a special touch to our team and we are blessed to have her on our staff!

In 2010, we reached into the community and successfully alleviated the worries of hunger and sickness for over 75,000 people in Colorado through: FamilyCare, Medical Services and Disaster Response

We confront the issues of hunger, sickness, high healthcare costs, homelessness, and families who live in a state of crisis.

Our programs strive to meet basic human needs, enrich the quality of life and reduce suffering for low income and homeless populations in Denver.

Mission
We build healthy communities by addressing basic human needs and developing relationships that lead to individual accountability and change. We do this by demonstrating faith-based principles in aiding people from all walks of life.

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Focus
Food distribution and human services
Free Healthcare
Emergency assistance
Seek measurable and visible improvements in the health and well-being of individuals and families.

Goal
Provide support for clients to enable them to make positive choices toward self-sufficiency and economic stability

Objectives
We want to collaborate with the community to reach and assist as many people as possible. Through this effort we will secure a minimum level of existence for clients by identifying needs and distributing resources in order to meet the human requirements for food, clothing, shelter, and healthcare. This will provide opportunities for clients to make positive, proactive choices toward self-sufficiency

History
Rose Gates, a woman with a passion for helping disenfranchised people,
established the agency in 1951, to provide food and clothing for homeless and disadvantaged people in Denver, Colorado. Over the years, our services have expanded to include emergency shelter, rental and utility assistance, free well child checks and health care, senior services and disaster response.

ACS Community LIFT, formerly Adventist Community Services, is a subsidiary of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists which holds the agency’s original non-profit status.

In the structure of the Church, we are considered the domestic humanitarian arm.
Our purpose is to provide humanitarian aid. As such, our services focus on early intervention and prevention.

The services are available to all Denver Metro area residents regardless of their race, religion, sex or any other factor.

We are supported by individuals, corporations, foundations, constituent churches, and local events.

Impact
This is a picture painted without our services:

A young child is hungry. She has to go to school everyday in used clothes, torn from wear and wash. She knows her mom is worried about something she just cannot understand, but she did hear her say to a friend that they may have to move again. She struggles in school because she just cannot focus and she gets sick a lot. She receives poor grades. She grows up, becomes the mother of a young child and repeats the cycle because she just does not know any other way to live.

The same picture painted with our services:

A young child is well fed, has new clothes and school supplies. His mom is learning new skills to keep a job and thereby a home. He visits the doctor regularly because the healthcare comes to his school. He has a better chance of being successful in school and growing up to be a self-sufficient and independent adult because he has learned a new way to live.

Annual Reports and Other Financial Documents:

2010 Annual Report

2009 - 990

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