News release from the City of Fort Wayne:
Mayor Henry names Senior Advisor for Community Engagement
Terry Anderson to serve in volunteer role
(December 20, 2013) – Mayor Tom Henry today announced that Rev. Dr. Terry Anderson has been named Senior Advisor for Community Engagement for the City of Fort Wayne.
Anderson will serve as a volunteer in the Senior Advisor for Community Engagement position. Mayor Henry created the opportunity to meet a variety of community-building needs in the City.
Highlights of the Senior Advisor for Community Engagement position:
- Promote community-building and community engagement through activities to bring us closer as a community.
- Explore the possibility of developing an interfaith advisory council and/or citizens community council to further build rapport, increase understanding, celebrate community diversity, and seek input.
- Participate in City-initiated activities, such as the “Prayers for the City” event, which brings people together.
- Partner with City employees to increase and enhance citizen participation in improving the quality of life and well-being of citizens.
- Assist with issues of conflict resolution, reconciliation, and community dialogue.
- Promote Fort Wayne as a community of compassion, civility, and character where all people are deserving of dignity and respect.
“Terry is a valuable addition to our team as we continue our commitment to engagement, innovation, and performance,” said Mayor Henry. “Terry is passionate about our City. He wants what’s best for citizens and those in need of care and encouragement. I appreciate Terry’s willingness to serve in a volunteer role to assist us in efforts to be a welcoming community that provides opportunities for growth and success.”
Anderson serves full-time as executive director of Just Neighbors (Interfaith Hospitality Network) in Fort Wayne. Just Neighbors was created in 1999 as a grassroots response to the need for emergency shelter for homeless families in the community. They work with families to return them to self-sufficiency, keeping the family unit together throughout the process.
Anderson previously served as senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Fort Wayne, as well as executive director of the Samaritan Counseling Center, and as associate director of the Associated Churches of Fort Wayne and Allen County. Anderson holds graduate degrees in theology, psychology, and social work.
Nominated by the City of Fort Wayne, Anderson was a recipient of the “Gandhi King Ikeda Community Award” in 2008 from the Martin Luther King Jr. International Center at Morehouse College for “lifelong commitment to social justice, community-building, interfaith and interracial dialogue…distinguished leadership of American society for human rights, humanitarianism and peace … extraordinary compassion for those in need and efforts to promote unity through diversity.”
Related Images:
