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Bob needs no introduction with this community. Our former Executive Director played a starring role in nearly half of our 71-year story.
To tell that story, we would begin with the original house on Warren Boulevard when Rev. James Jones invented re-entry work in Chicago. The next chapter belongs to Bob’s leadership and innovation as he advanced our West Side footprint.
Simply put, Bob is the founder of the campus you know today. With the principles established by our founders in 1954 – the importance of dignity, having a place to slow down, providing housing – Bob took them and ran with them. He opened Grace House for women, Saint Andrew’s Court for men and the Michael Barlow Center for all.
Saint Leonard’s grew from a housing provider to a hub for education, workforce development, healthcare and, of course, more housing. For these reasons and many more, our campus now bears Bob’s name. We once asked Bob about his time at Saint Leonard’s, and he summed it up this way:
“It didn’t feel like I was going to work. It was never a job to me. It was always an opportunity to be present to people who need help. It was an opportunity to take the words we read in the Gospel and follow the Gospel mandates,” he said.
“I always felt it was a better day at Saint Leonard’s than if I hadn’t been there. It was good for me to be there.”
Thank you, Bob. We know exactly what you mean.
And we look forward to celebrating your impact on October 23.
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