Shifting Focus from Crisis to Goals

Authors

  • David Griffith Episcopal Community Services

Abstract

Episcopal Community Services is transforming the way we work to move from maintaining individuals in poverty to giving individuals the tools and ability to lift themselves out of poverty and move towards economic mobility. The work is based on leading edge brain science and backed by 10 years worth of data that shows both impact and results.

Author Biography

David Griffith, Episcopal Community Services

David E. Griffith joined ECS as executive director in May 2013. He is the first non-clergy, non-MSW to head the organization in its 145+ year history.

Dave also serves as director and Chairman on the boards of The Modern Group, Ltd, Delaware Valley Floral Group, Hoober Inc., and Verus LLC., and as a director of Mountain Laurel Spirits LLC and Crazy Aaron’s Puttyworld. His nonprofit interests include serving on the boards of the Philadelphia World Affairs Council, The Economy League of Philadelphia, Friends of Foundation Academy in Trenton, Victory Farms, and The Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel University where he is Chairperson and a member of the Drexel University Board and executive committee, audit, and community partnerships committee. Dave is a director of the Griffith Family Foundation, and Chair of the McEwen family Scholarship Fund. He is an advisor to the Caliper Corporation, IBM, and Journal of Social Innovation.

He is the former President and CEO of The Modern Group Ltd and remains Chairman. Before Modern, he was an executive with IBM and MCI. He is a former trustee and officer of The Westminster School in Simsbury Connecticut and a former director of the J J Haines Company. He is a past president of MHEDA, the Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association, and past or current member of ARA, AED, NAW, and the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities.

He is a nationally recognized speaker on the issues of Leadership, Governance, and Family Business. He is a guest lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard, Temple, and Rutgers. He is the author of the blog Muddy Boots, www.wearmuddyboots.com and a guest columnist at the Philadelphia Business Journal.

Dave is a strong advocate for the environment and the issues of poverty in America. He most recently keynoted on Poverty, Race, and Privilege at ECS ’s forum on Justice and Opportunity and Westminster. He believes that we are all called to service and that the most powerful voice for change needs to be our own. https://www.anspblog.org/challenge-from-new-board-chair/

He is a graduate of Kenyon College and The Westminster School. At Kenyon, he received his BA with honors in Economics and History. While at Kenyon he played DIII Soccer and Lacrosse, volunteered with the local Fire Department and served as both an EMT and line officer and worked as a resident advisor. He is also a member of the Lambda chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon. He is a member of Lookaway Golf Club, Sea Oaks Beach and Tennis Club, The Union League of Philadelphia, Balsam Lake Club, Trinity Episcopal Church, St Peter’s Episcopal Church, the Athenaeum of Philadelphia, and is a life member of Trout Unlimited.

He and his wife of forty years Jacqui have two married adult children and one grandson. Dave is an avid fly fisherman and fly tier, and all things being equal would rather be on the waters of the Beaverkill.

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Published

2020-07-08

How to Cite

Griffith, D. (2020). Shifting Focus from Crisis to Goals. Social Innovations Journal, 2(2). Retrieved from https://socialinnovationsjournal.com/index.php/sij/article/view/345

Issue

Vol. 2 (2020): Social Mobility: Inspiring and Building the Capacity of Local Change Agents to Impact Poverty

Section

Social Justice and Social Mobility

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