Monday, October 12, 2015

Elizabeth Cruz Joins the Baptist Temple Team

We welcome Elizabeth Cruz as new Program Director. She will be coordinating our community ministry efforts through our Highland Park CAN ministry. She has already made arrangements for social work students from Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) and University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) to serve as interns at our food pantry. Working with Wesley Nurses, Nancy Parker and Sandy McKinney, she will arrange for healthy living classes on Wednesday evenings and health screenings on Tuesday mornings.

Elizabeth has a wealth of experience in the social services field. She has worked with the homeless, foster children, and food pantry clients. While at Christian Hope Resource Center (CHRC), she was instrumental in developing a case management program designed to help individuals become more self-sufficient. She, also, introduced the client-choice pantry to CHRC.

I met with Elizabeth three years ago to learn more about mentoring-based food pantry operations. She graciously offered to help us develop our program. I took her up on her offer a few months ago. She was ready for something new and was excited at the prospect of leading a program she had designed. Moreover, this would be an opportunity to use her skills in a church setting.

Elizabeth earned a BSW from Texas State University (TSU) and an MSW from UTSA. She, also received a Nonprofit Management Certificate for Veterans Service Organizations through the San Antonio Area Foundation.

She has worked for SAMMinistries, Casey Family Programs and, most recently, Seton Home.

Elizabeth has been leading Zumba classes twice a week at BT and is adjunct faculty at OLLU.

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