HOLLAND (WHTC-AM/FM) — Scott Rumpsa is Community Action House’s new executive director.
The CAH board of directors selected Rumpsa in June; he officially takes on his new job next month.
“CAH is an organization I’ve known and admired since my college years in Holland,” Rumpsa said in a statement emailed to media. “It will be an incredible honor and privilege to lead such a distinguished organization – which has been made what it is, over the last nearly 50 years, by the commitment and action of countless past and current staff, volunteers, donors, and others. I look forward to working with our community to build on this amazing foundation, and to do more together in the years to come.”
“We have complete confidence that CAH will thrive under Scott’s empowering leadership,” said Brian Pageau, CAH board president. “Scott’s track record demonstrates his ability to to create, develop, and sustain innovative, adaptable, and mission driven organizations like CAH.”
While our community has one of the highest median household incomes in Michigan, deep pockets of poverty remain. One in seven residents in the greater Holland area live in poverty. Nearly everyone in our community is connected to someone affected by poverty. Hunger, substandard housing, homelessness, and financial insecurity are the reality for too many.
CAH works to address this challenge through multiple programs that meet people where they are at, providing increased security and a pathway out of poverty. On average, CAH fights food insecurity and hunger by providing 800+ meals per day, through daily hot meals at the Community Kitchen, a food pantry, and monthly food distribution. Homeless Street Outreach builds relationships with our most vulnerable residents to connect them to resources and stable housing. Efforts to break the cycle of poverty include CAH’s EPIC Empowerment Program, which seeks to restore agency and collaboratively build a pathway out of poverty. Further along, CAH offers home buyer and financial education classes that have empowered 40 families to complete home purchases in the past year alone.
An experienced nonprofit leader, Rumpsa spent a portion of his career running country-wide operations for two nonprofits in East Africa. As Aqua Clara International’s country director, he built a water, sanitation, and hygiene program providing services to thousands of households and schoolchildren across rural Kenya. Rumpsa went on to lead country-level operations for Nuru International, which seeks to end extreme poverty in remote, rural parts of the world. Under his leadership, the organization doubled its client coverage across agricultural, economic development, healthcare, and education sectors, while training local community members to take full operational responsibility for all programs.
“I know that a bold vision only matters when those we’re serving have a say in how we’re approaching a challenge,” Rumpsa said. “Moreover, I’ve found that servant leadership – sharing power, helping others develop and realize their potential while driving progress towards a vision that we share ownership of – is not only rewarding, but effective. CAH, and groups like it, are grappling with very challenging, complex problems. We need everyone’s expertise, and we need everyone fully bought in. I’m looking forward to learning from our clients, staff, volunteers, and partners, as we continue to innovate and enhance the efficacy of our programs.”
Most recently, Scott has served on the executive leadership team at Global Integrity (GI), a Washington D.C. based organization committed to open, accountable, and effective governance around the world. As Director of Operations & Programs, Scott played a key role in revising the organization’s strategy.
Scott’s more local roots include working on affordable housing in the City of Grand Rapids Community Development Department, a fellowship working for long-time Michigan Senator Carl Levin, as site director of Cran-Hill Ranch, and even as a high school basketball coach at Forest Hills Central. He holds degrees from Hope College and Grand Valley State University, an MBA from The George Washington University School of Business, and a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management from The George Washington University Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration.
As CAH moves into its 50th year, Scott is being asked to build upon the many past successes of CAH and the fight against poverty in West Michigan. We’re all looking forward to what’s next.
“Any solution to poverty in the West Michigan region must fit the systemic nature of the challenge, and by necessity must be innovative, multifaceted, and complex,” Rumpsa said. “What sets CAH apart is its strikingly bold purpose to end poverty in our community paired with a long history of innovating and delivering sustained results for the neighbors it serves. I believe that my background has prepared me well for this role. I’m excited to be joining, and look forward to connecting with so many amazing staff, volunteers, supporters, and partners in the coming months.”
Since 1969, Community Action House has operated as a local non-profit serving the greater Holland, Michigan area, aiming to end poverty and help families prosper via financial education, hunger relief, and homeless outreach. Visit communityactionhouse.org to learn more.
