So What Faith

Greg Smith

Giving Thanks – Mansfield Mission Center (#1938)

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Over the last four years, I’ve had the joy of serving the Mansfield Mission Center (MMC). In short, MMC is the place people turn when unexpected challenges arise, and it is the center of opportunity for individuals, families, and the entire community.

Introducing the Mansfield Mission Center

Founded as the benevolence ministry of First Methodist Mansfield and originally known as the Wesley Mission Center, the organization became its own non-profit in 2013, and was renamed Mansfield Mission Center in 2018.

Motivated by Christ’s love for all MMC promotes comprehensive wellbeing so that all who call Mansfield Independent School District home can thrive. This holistic ministry exists not only to meet immediate human needs, but also to journey alongside neighbors to enable long-term flourishing. Some of the current neighbor programs and services include

  • employment services
  • emergency financial assistance (for rent and utilities)
  • financial coaching
  • neighbor choice food market
  • medical services (primary care and women’s wellness)
  • vision services
  • resource navigation
  • benefits enrollment
  • collaborative partnerships with other non-profits, including Dental Health Arlington and the Arlington-Mansfield Area YMCA

Reflecting on my Experience

During my time on staff at MMC the ministry grew dramatically! I had the opportunity to work alongside some of the most faithful, focused, and forward thinking volunteers and staff to

  • Build out, merchandise, and create new business processes for a new thrift store, then relocate the existing store to that facility
  • Integrate a medical clinic into the program model, address risk management concerns, relocate most staff to clinic site, double medical capacity through a minor facility renovation, implement QI and QA initiatives, and enhance technology
  • Accelerate innovation to enable strong outcomes during a pandemic by simplifying the qualification process, introducing telemedicine and tele-visits for non-clinical services, and relocating the food market to the thrift store (also including a minor facility renovation) and launching a drive-through option
Thrift Store Construction, November 2017 (photo by Greg Smith)

I carried out this work while serving in a variety of roles. Notably, I was the first person in each of the positions I held: Director of Social Enterprise, Social Enterprise Consultant, Director of Clinic Operations, and Associate Executive Director.

Giving Thanks

I want to offer my thanks to the caring folks who founded the ministry and all who served over the last 40+ years, the forward thinking leaders who made possible a shift from a church ministry to a 501(c)3, and those I had the opportunity to get to know personally. And, I also give thanks to the many congregations, service clubs, businesses, and individuals who donate, shop, volunteer, and help tell the story. Finally, I extend additional thanks to

MMC Staff Breakfast, June 2021 (photo by John Simpson)
  • Carmin MacMillan (Executive Director since 2015). Thanks for always believing in me, and for providing me with the resources I needed to turn big dreams and strategic plans into new operational realities.
  • Volunteer Clinical Leaders. Thanks for serving not only as volunteer leaders, but also for investing your time in direct patient care. A special thanks to Darin Charles (Medical Director since 2019), Kyle Cooke (Founding & Current Vision Director), Melinda Conn (Nursing Director since 2019), Wendy Collini (Founding Medical Director), Levi Do (Dental Director, 2019-2020), and Barry Cole (Founding Dental Director).
  • Staff Leadership Team. Thanks for bringing the best of yourselves to our shared mission, and for your willingness to go the extra mile whenever asked (and often without being asked). A special thanks to Sandy Anderson, Mike Baker, Carmin MacMillan, Kelly Myers, Laura Rennert, and Lindsey Trook.
  • Board of Directors. Thanks for discerning God’s preferred future for MMC, developing strategy that makes possible that future, and helping the organization deliver world class neighbor programs and services that make a real impact in lives and in our community. And, thanks for trusting me to operationalize, continually improve, and regularly report on how the staff and volunteers lived in to these shared mandates.

So What?

While my last day as Associate Executive Director has now passed, I’ll always be a supporter of this vital ministry.

If you live, work, play, or regularly find yourself in Mansfield or in the Mansfield ISD area, I encourage you to learn more about MMC. And, I feel certain that, once you do, you’ll find a way to get involved and to make a real difference.

MMC Website, Get Involved (Screenshot by Greg Smith)

Additional MMC Mentions

To learn more about the Mansfield Mission Center, please visit their website. To learn more of my experiences with MMC, check out the blog posts below.