Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Welcome New Board President James Tisdel

Longtime professional and classroom volunteer James Tisdel began a two-year term as First Place Board President in September. “First Place provides hope to kids who have seen little of it,” James said of why he joined First Place five years ago.

“As Board President my main goal is to not get in the way of the already successful program, and to help create funding sources that will allow consistent support of those programs and the retention of good staff and teachers
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James, who from his youth knows first-hand the risks of homelessness, will continue to offer personal and professional insight as First Place begins new programs in its 20th year. “My mother, siblings and I were lucky to get help from family and friends to get through a hard period in my life. First Place is a family and a friend to its students, which reminds me every day that it’s that other person who is will to reach and help when there seems to be little hope at all that makes all the difference.”


Here is a picture of James on stage at our 20th Anniversary Gala on September 29, 2008.