Bridge Building Between Faith-Based Organizations And Communities

For the first guest episode of season 2, Tracey and Tim welcome Maria Cristina Fuentes, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Youth Faith & Family in Arizona. She has worked with George W. Bush at the US Department of Labor, served in the White House Faith-Based Office and the Justice Department. Throughout her career, she has helped governors set up their own faith-based offices. In this episode, Maria explains the three major cornerstones the office faces in today's day in time. Maria praises School Connect for their work with communities and schools - especially recognizing work with trauma-informed schools and how they skillfully pair volunteers from all areas to schools in need. The group talks about the greater impact that churches can make by working together, sharing ideas and amplifying communication, while maintaining their own independence. Tracey closes out the show today by giving three concrete takeaways that organizations can follow to best serve those who need it.