Thanksgiving Salute to Dr. John H. Grant

Pastor, Visionary Leader

On behalf of the Board of Directors and Staff of Mount Zion Community Development, Inc. we salute you for:

• 25 Years of Service to Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church of Asheville, Inc.
• Founding Chairman, President, CEO of Mount Zion Community Development, Inc.
• Founding Chairman, President, CEO of Eagle-Markets Development Corporation
• President, Unity Fellowship of Churches, Inc.
• Vice-President at Large of the National Save the Family Now Movement, Inc.
• Organizing and directing the IMA’s 1st Community Summer Day Camp, which is still in operation today under a different name.
• One of the co-founders of Asheville’s Building Bridges (1993; along with Rev. O. T. Tomes, Susan Presson, and Sue Walton)

As well as for your leadership and service to others in Buncombe County, the state of North Carolina, the United States of America, and international services to citizens of underserved countries.

Silent gratitude is of no use to anyone; therefore we are taking this time to say “Thank you Dr. John H. Grant, for your impeccable character, for being a visionary, a leader, a man of integrity, character, and strength.”

We thank you for the vision of the Mount Zion Community Development, Inc. whose mission is focused on: (1) empowerment of the individual and community by providing spiritual, economic, socio-economic educational, and cultural opportunities to the greater Asheville-Buncombe County community to address the need for jobs, housing, crime prevention, education and health care; and (2) collaboration with local community-based organizations in the physical redevelopment of the “Block” for housing and supportive services.

Leadership entails great responsibility, and we thank you for your leadership; for not going along just to get along, but for your willingness to endure challenges, yet remaining committed, dedicated, steadfast, and faithful in service to others.

With sincere thanks and appreciation, we remain grateful.

Board of Directors:

• Mrs. Verita Woods, Chair
• Mrs. Meryl McDonald, Vice Chair
• Ms. Vanessa Penix, Secretary
• Ms. Sophie Dixon, Treasurer
• Ms. Sara Wilcher, Fundraising Co-Chair

In Memoriam:

• Ms. Arthur Mae Higgins
• Mr. Bennie Lake

Staff:

• Belinda K. Grant, Executive Director
• Shari Smith, Outreach Worker & Projects Director, MZCD Programs
• Caryn B. Monroe, Project EMPOWER Outreach Worker

Mount Zion Community Development, Inc.
47 Eagle Street, Asheville, NC
(828) 350-9821, www.mtzionasheville.org