Bon Secours is excited to announce that George Kleb has been selected to serve as the executive director of Bon Secours Community Works.
Bon Secours Community Works serves the West Baltimore community with a focus on community health programs including youth and family services, economic development, coalition building, community engagement and housing and community development.
George, who has been with Bon Secours for more than three decades and most recently served as director of housing and community development for Bon Secours in Baltimore, will help grow and advance Bon Secours Community Works’ mission of enriching West Baltimore communities through programs and services that contribute to long-term economic and social viability of neighborhoods.
So, while his name might be familiar, we thought it would be a great time to share a little more about George, from George himself!
Q: What has been your greatest achievement at Bon Secours Community Works in your 33 years?
A: Being able to see projects and programs evolve from conversations to visions to plans to completion. There are several examples of this with our housing facilities and the services we provide, but the consistent thread is engaging the community around their interests and priorities and then working together to make things happen.
Q: What has motivated you to work for Bon Secours for more than three decades?
A: It has to be the relationships with people that I never would have met otherwise. I’ve been able to learn so much from the folks I’ve worked with, whether they were co-workers at Bon Secours, program partners or residents of the neighborhoods we serve. Our Mission of Good Help puts us in such a great position to be able to engage at such a meaningful level. People really respond to that.
Q: What are you most looking forward to in your new role as executive director?
A: We have incredibly dedicated and talented staff, board, partners and relationships to build upon. I’m really looking forward to seeing what we can do together in the years to come.
Q: How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the way Community Works supports the community?
A: We’re still providing the services that we did prior to the pandemic, but have adjusted their delivery as needed. Pre-pandemic we served about 4,000 people per year. Through September this year, we have served a little more than 3,100 people, which puts us ahead of that pace.
Of course, some of our programs are seeing more demand, like eviction prevention and food distribution, but others are moving forward with adjustments. For example, I just attended a graduation ceremony for students in our certified nursing assistant program. We provided the bulk of their instruction virtually, but the students were still able to complete the course, and most are already working.
Q: What is on the horizon for Bon Secours Community Works?
A: I’m very excited about what lies ahead for Community Works and the communities that we serve. Of course, we have a lot of work to do (that has always been the case) but we are blessed with a just mission that is rooted in an incredible health ministry that has now spanned parts of three centuries here in West Baltimore.
Q: Anything else to add?
A: Just that I am excited by this new opportunity. Bon Secours and its mission mean a lot to me personally, and I am honored to serve!
Learn more about the programming and services Bon Secours Community Works offers to support the West Baltimore community.
