For over two decades, Community of Hope has been the fortunate recipient of the talent and attention of a very hard-working and generous man, Chris Kerns. Most recently, Chris won major awards for his stellar work with Community of Hope and we couldn’t be more thrilled! He has been a dedicated Community of Hope board member, supporter, and volunteer.
Currently Chris chairs both the Real Estate and Capital Campaign Advisory Committees, and has used his extensive background in construction, real estate and legal services for our Capital Campaign – One Step Closer. In addition, Chris has been integral in connecting us to new partners and donors. Because of him we’ve made great strides on the campaign for the new Health and Resource Center which we broke ground on in July 2012.
In October 2012, Chris was awarded the Community Service Award from the Washington Metropolitan Area Corporate Counsel Association for the countless hours he has dedicated to supporting Community of Hope’s growth and development.
On November 1, 2012, Chris Kerns was recognized during the 11th Annual National Capital Philanthropy Day awards luncheon. Organized by the Washington DC Metro Area Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP DC), the event honored “the best of the best” – individuals who have gone above and beyond in their commitment to charitable giving. It was only fitting that Chris received the award for Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer.
Chris has proved invaluable in promoting the mission and work of Community of Hope as a member of its Board of Directors. He has given the organization legal advice in many areas. As one of the donors of the property of Hope Apartments, Chris was instrumental in Community of Hope’s entry into recovery-based housing.
When asked what he likes best about volunteering at Community of Hope, Chris says, “Really, what I like best is seeing and hearing success stories from the people that have really benefited. The second best thing is seeing how much the employees and volunteers at Community of Hope enjoy being involved.” And, why should YOU volunteer? Chris has an answer for that, too. “I’ve gotten more out of this than I’ve ever put into it. Everybody that I’ve ever talked to about volunteering has gotten more out of it than they put into it. It’s just a win-win. There’s a lot of effort and there’s some heartache, but it’s all overcome by understanding how much you grow as a human being. I’ve gotten tremendous long-term relationships out of it. My recommendation to everybody is to think about becoming involved in something that is bigger than you are.”
Chris Kerns has lived in Washington, DC for over 40 years. He has a wonderful wife, Carole, (who shares his dedication to Community of Hope) and three grown sons. He is Vice President and Chief Counsel for Fort Myer Construction, a large paving and construction company in the District. Even with all these accomplishments, Chris’s volunteer work with Community of Hope “is the most important work I do everyday.”
