Vincent James Sr. works “faithfully” in the community. Once the Chief of Community Building for Metro Louisville, and pastor of Elim Baptist Church, to now… President and CEO of the fourth largest non-profit in Louisville.

James says “I went to Stephen Foster Elementary School, Gutermuth Elementary School because bussing had started at that time and graduated from elementary school went to Southern Middle/High at the time the middle school and high school were actually in the same facility.”

James graduated from Atherton High and got a finance degree from UofL with hopes of becoming a Wall Street investment banker, but he told his church, his purpose in life shifted.  
He said “We are going to be involved and engaged in the community and pretty much we were doing things in isolation as many churches do.”

Then violence renewed his purpose.  He will never forget. “It was a life changing moment.  May 17, 2012 there was a triple homicide outside my church. I was there.  I actually arrived when the first responders arrived.  I saw two young men who had shot at each other and had killed each other and that was devastating to me. And then a couple of hours later a couple of ladies with 60 police officers, detectives and news reporters shot another young lady shot her that was traumatic for the community, myself. I said whatever I need to do I’m going to do it.”

Then Mayor Fischer put James in the forefront.  James says “I know I made a change. When I look at not as much as I want too but when I look at the response of the community. How our community was hurting.  Things in terms of the administration was in. what was happening across the country one of the things I intentionally did as a pastor and chief of community building was how do we begin to build healing in our community.”

 James believes he laid the ground work for the office, and now he plans to nourish the community after being named President and CEO of Dare to Care. “I’m excited! I can’t tell you enough how excited I am about Dare to Care Food Bank.  It’s an incredible organization. Dare to Care’s mission is to led the community feed the hungry and ending the cycle of need.”

 James has found his mission in life.   “I’m walking in my purpose.  I get excited every morning when I wake up and I get to live out my dream in terms of helping people.”

Contact Sherlene Shanklin at sherlene@sherleneshanklin.com or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

To see the story, click the link https://www.whas11.com/article/news/community/vincent-james-sr-dare-to-care-elim-baptist-church-chief-community-building/417-53813831-6c28-4de9-8933-38f1551bb636