Who are the Community Builders: Executive Director
This post is part of a series in the RIC’s campaign, “Fund our Community Builders.” Our community welcomes your gifts. Being able to provide equitable pay and benefits not only honors the expertise, kindness and hard mental and emotional work of the staff, but also helps ensure longevity in these important roles. Support the fund today.
Diane and Emelia celebrate their birthdays together with friends (L-R): Emelia, Tania, Tania, Liz, Diane, Afsana & Rina
Diane hands out American flags on Independence Day, 2019
Diane meets with a neighbor about applying for a job.
Diane Linton's Experience as an Executive Director
Now that Diane has switched into the role of Executive director, she misses frequent neighbor interactions. However, she does get to meet with other behind the scenes volunteers and partners, like board members and nonprofit managers. One of those people is Jen Gravenfox. Diane first met Jen when they worked together on Monday nights in the office. Diane helped people with jobs and in the room next door, Jen and her daughter played with kids in the playroom. Over time, Diane learned that years ago, in college, Jen took grant writing classes but had not had the chance to work on any grants. Soon, Jen was helping write grants for the RIC. She didn’t have much experience, but neither did RIC staff! Over the past two years, Jen has helped the RIC secure multiple grants that have helped hundreds of people through community care assistance, job help and homework tutoring.
Fact: RIC staff & volunteers have met with our neighbors 6,778 times so far in 2021
A Day in the Life: Our Executive Director
Called to thank a donor
Talked to a volunteer about her next steps in volunteering at the RIC
Went to the office to fix a $99 printer and clean the bathroom
Picked up 200 free face masks from United Way
Created a budget for a grant application that is due in 6 days
Helped a US born couple connect to the RIC internet while they were meeting in our basement to learn Arabic with our neighbor, Khadidja
Had 4 phone calls with one of our beloved, older neighbors, trying to understand each other over the phone in order to make an appointment
Added the latest blog post to our website
Led our bi-weekly meeting to connect with other RIC staff and plan for next week’s work
Why does the RIC need an Executive Director?
The RIC needs a full-time Executive Director who possesses the vision, administrative skills, staff support, and networking abilities needed to run the business of the RIC. In the past 12 months, the RIC has joyfully helped 800 New Americans while increasing administrative infrastructure needs beyond its current capacity. Our current interim director, Diane Linton, is currently filling in to keep things running smoothly but is unable to sustain the workload required by both positions of fundraising and Executive Director. The campaign, “Fund Our Community Builders,” will significantly move the RIC towards reaching its goal of $70,000 to fund a competitive salary and benefits package for our new Executive Director.
Kirsta Benedetti, former Executive Director, and Hamida Ouali, current RIC staff member, meet together in early 2019 when Hamida had just arrived from Algeria.
Lessons from Kirsta, RIC founder and first Executive Director
From 2015 to 2021, one dream Kirsta Benedetti told often was that “our neighbors would work us out of a job and become the leaders of the RIC, helping other newly arrived immigrants on Riverview Drive.” That dream has started to come to fruition as Hamida Ouali, former client, joined the staff this past August. Kirsta instilled the mission, vision and values for the RIC that is the standard for all the RIC leadership endeavors to accomplish. Values include:
Welcoming to All : Our programs and services are free and are open to all of our neighbors regardless of faith or immigration status.
Offering a Voice: We build community by giving our neighbors a chance to express their culture, empowering them with the independence to shape their future.
Serving with Humility: We do this work because we value our neighbors as friends and their cultures as worthy of respect. We will work with anyone or any organization that shares our values.
“Everyone who comes to the RIC either for help or to help, leaves changed and we want to invite you into that. You can be a part of what is happening at the RIC” - Kirsta Benedetti
Why fund our Community Builders?
We want to continue to help our neighbors connect with employment, and we aspire to be an attractive and competitive employer. Being able to provide equitable pay and benefits is important to the RIC; this not only honors the expertise, kindness and hard mental and emotional work of the staff, but also helps ensure longevity in their roles, which allows for trust to be built with neighbors, partners, volunteers, and other staff. Your generous gift will help the RIC continue to hire and retain top talent, in order to build relationships and support our neighbors.
Who is our Community?
Our neighbors. Our volunteers. Our partners. Our staff.