We’re appealing for support for our friend/mentor/colleague/inspiration/teacher Garland Yates, a man who has changed the lives of an amazing number of people and helped change our thinking about how to make low income communities more supportive places to live and raise children. “Everywhere I’ve gone with Garland, often to very remote communities, someone has gotten up and said that, because of Garland, their lives had been transformed,” said Peter Pennekamp, who has been working with Garland on building a new organization called Community Democracy Workshop. “I’ve never experienced anything like this. We’ll never know how many people and communities that Garland has touched in his life.” Garland’s life has been remarkable. Son of a tenant farmer in southern Virginia, he dropped out of high school. Seeing a TV commercial for the Jobs Corps, he became part of the initial class of this early War on Poverty program. He went on to get his GED and join the Air Force. Eventually he was asked to lead a community organization in Troy, NY. From there he came to work in Washington with the Center for Community Change, helping community groups around the country. With just his GED and his vast experience and knowledge, he became a senior program officer at one of the largest foundations in the country, working mostly with people who had advanced degrees. He has worked as a community change consultant for the past 10 years. In early September, Garland had emergency surgery. For the next five weeks he was in an Intensive Care Unit, dependent on life support for nearly three weeks. He spent more than two weeks in a rehabilitation hospital and, thankfully, returned home Friday, Oct. 23. His rehabilitation will continue for at least the next several months. He may never be able to do the intensive traveling he’s done nearly his entire professional life. After Garland has supported hundreds of people in communities across the country and as far away as South Africa, Garland now needs our support. Garland and his wife of 38 years, Debbie, would be the last to ask for help. But help they need, which is why we have set up this page for them. While Garland has good insurance, the uncovered costs of five weeks in an ICU and more than two weeks in a rehab hospital -- plus ongoing rehab therapy -- will be substantial. So will related health costs, such as a new bed that will allow him to continue his rehab from home. But even harder is the cost of having to go months without an income. Garland works as a consultant, which means that, when you don’t work, you don’t get paid. Garland and Debbie have always lived modestly. But their biggest expense for a long time has been helping others in their immediate and extended family, most especially their three teenage grandsons. They have mostly been raised by their daughter, a single mother. Garland was hoping to keep working until all three had graduated from college. Two are still in high school. If anyone deserved our help after a lifetime of helping others, Garland is that person. While we encourage you to give as generously as you can, every gift counts, especially to Garland, who has been brought to tears by the outpouring of support – cards, flowers, visits, prayers and much more -- he’s already received. Thank you. Friends of Garland Support GroupTerri BaileyJim HymanDanielle JohnsonJoy MoorePeter PennekampTim Saasta Joe ScantleburyRachel SierraSherece West
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