Church basement to ministry model

In 2002, nonprofit veteran Dave Tuttle was offered a dream job.

His church, First Presbyterian in downtown Jacksonville, asked him to build a mission program. When he inquired about the criteria, there were none.

"Whatever you want …," he said. "That was like a gift."

Having departed Lutheran Social Services — the refugee services agency lost its refugee flow for a time after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks — he was looking for a sign to help decide his future direction. The mission program offer, he said, "was a sign."

Now 74, Tuttle retires at years-end after building Presbyterian Social Ministries from a fledgling outreach in a church basement into a thriving nonprofit that has had to relocate twice after outgrowing its quarters. Currently based adjacent to Murray Hill Presbyterian Church, the agency sorts and distributes donated clothes to organizations that serve the needy, runs a subsidized housing program and coordinates local community-service projects for volunteer youth groups.

"This is meaningful, this is gold. … It's been a good ride," he said. "Helping people and getting paid to do it."

AUNT TERI AND UNCLE DAVE

When Tuttle started the mission program, it was just him. Now the nonprofit has seven employees, five of whom are full-time.

Chief Operating Officer Teri Ketchum will succeed him as executive director, and Tuttle sees more enhancement under her tenure. One of her first goals is to find a 15,000-square-foot warehouse because the nonprofit again needs more space.

"I'm a builder. I start things," he said. "Teri is going to make it grow."

The ministries' first program, back when Tuttle was operating out of that church basement, was Urban Mission Experience. College students on break volunteer for agencies across the city that serve people in need, performing such assignments as serving meals at a shelter, sorting food at a food bank, working with disabled children and repairing or building homes.

"Youth from all over the country come to Jacksonville," Tuttle said. "It's exciting."

The largest recent group was from AmeriCorps, a national program that places young adult members in high-need urban schools to serve as tutors, mentors and role models. For Presbyterian, they volunteered on local storm recovery efforts, Ketchum said. Recent college groups were from Georgia State University, University of Florida and University of Central Florida.

"They go all over town," she said.

Next came the clothing ministry, which sends boxes and boxes of clothing from donors and manufacturers to agencies that serve the needy. All those boxes — about 10,000 items of clothing a month — are the primary reason the nonprofit needs more space.

Meanwhile, they have added new clothing recipients, from St. Johns County to a community in the Philippines, through a staff member who hails from that country. In February, Ketchum and Tuttle will travel there to meet families who have benefited from the clothing.

The two are known there as "Aunt Teri and Uncle Dave," Tuttle said.

Presbyterian's third primary program is Home Safe, a U.S. Housing and Urban Development-funded, permanent supportive housing program for people suffering from chronic alcoholism and homelessness. The referral-based program, which has 63 units scattered across the city, provides case management, recovery support services, employment coaching and assistance and life-skills enhancement.

Tuttle's work has not gone unnoticed in the community, particularly among nonprofit partners.

"What a blessing Presbyterian Social Ministries has been. Dave Tuttle is … a blessing," said Penny Kievet, executive director of the City Rescue Mission. "His ministry model has helped so many. They have provided extra beds when we were full, housed mission groups who have traveled in to help City Rescue Mission, prayed for us and those we serve and been a friend. It is an honor to celebrate all he has done and the legacy he has created."

The organization has supported HabiJax for years through its volunteer program, said chief programs officer Angie Leatherbury.

"They generously provided space at a reduced cost for college students from around the country … to volunteer with us during their spring breaks. In addition, they also had their own youth groups travel in and they too would support us," she said.

'MEANINGFUL WORK'

Tuttle tried to retire once before.

In 2010 the nonprofit's board was poised to search for a new executive director. At the same time, they were searching for a new location. To ease the board's workload, Tuttle took his retirement off the table.

This time a successor is in place who has the same passion for nonprofit work as her boss.

"At the end of the day, I feel like I do something, I make a difference," Ketchum said.

Tuttle, whose wife Diane runs the Angelwood nonprofit for children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families, said he is looking forward to waking up every morning and having his next move undecided. But he has enjoyed the moves of his nonprofit past.

"Caring for each other is the hardest and most meaningful work," he said. "The best work in life."

Beth Reese Cravey: (904) 359-4109

To donate, volunteer or get more information, contact Presbyterian Social Ministries at (904) 338-0920, TeriKetchum@PresbyterianSocialMinistries.org or 4115 Post St., Jacksonville, FL 32205 or go to presbyteriansocialministries.org.

Presbyterian Social Ministries