Celebrating a Legacy of Service Raphael House Honors Elaine and Father David Lowell Thursday, .June 3, ..2010 Presidio Cafe

 

On June 7, 2010, Fr. David Lowell, our Executive Director, and his wife, Elaine, retired from Raphael House, leaving behind a legacy of success that was started in 1971 by Ella Rigney, the founder of Raphael House. We honored their two decades of commitment and dedication with a celebratory dinner at the Presidio Café which was attended by more than 100 guests.  All who have been privileged to work with Fr. David over his 25-year tenure can attest to his leadership, dedication, and unwavering commitment to serving families.

An Executive Transition Committee was formed to manage our leadership transition. A key component to our successful transition was the hiring of Interim Executive Director, Bruce Jack, who provides administrative stability to our ongoing operations as well as space and time to reflect on our future leadership needs and fully consider candidates for the permanent role. Bruce started in late January of 2010 and is guided by the principles and goals articulated in the Long Range Plan developed jointly by the Board and the staff of Raphael House over the past 18 months. During the first six months of 2010, Fr. David assumed the role of chaplain and worked closely with Bruce to fully transition all day-to-day leadership and management duties. At this point, we will begin, with professional assistance and the close involvement of the Board and staff, the search for a new permanent Executive Director. We are proceeding carefully and with great respect for all involved with Raphael House: our families, our staff, our volunteers, donors and the entire community that we serve.

Change can be both exhilarating and challenging. We want to assure you that Raphael House not only continues to serve families and children in need through both the Residential and AfterCare Programs, but that we are positioning Raphael House to be even more effective in addressing the needs of families in crisis over the decades to come. We thank you for your loyal and generous support!