CSL’s President & CEO, Doug Cowan, Celebrates 10 Years!
April 7, 2023 | By: Doug Cowan, CSL President & CEO
Doug at CSL’s 2010 Gala.
On March 13, 2013, CSL’s Board Chair, Cliff Jones, called me to ask if I would serve as the agency’s next President & Chief Executive Officer (previously titled as Executive Director). CSL, at that time, was 97 years old, but was experiencing revolving leadership. Since 2009, five people had served as Executive Director (or Acting/Interim Executive Director). I started at CSL as the Director of Development in 2010 and served as the Acting Executive Director all of 2012.
So, on March 13, after I said yes to the role, I thought, “What do I do now?” After reflecting, the best answer was to be present and consistent. I was 32 years old, and maybe didn’t have all the know-how to lead an effective organization (I’m still working on that today!). However, I knew if I showed up and was consistent, that would make up for most everything I lacked.
Inconsistent leadership can cause confusion within staff and volunteers about the direction of an organization, and it’s difficult for a board of directors to lead when it’s worried about the day-to-day operations. Inconsistent leadership can also give donors and funders doubt about an organization’s commitments or general direction.
We have a saying that we “say yes” around CSL. “Yes” to taking on the tough work. “Yes” to the collaboration. “Yes” to the new opportunity. Saying yes has served us well. In 10 years, with your support as our backbone, we’ve accomplished so much. Here are some of the major programs we have introduced in the last decade:
Family Stability Initiative: Intense wrap-around supports for families with school-age children
Financial Coaching: Incorporating financial coaching into our work and coaching towards long-term goals
Bridges to Career Opportunities: Short-term, certificated trainings to help adults instantly have a career path in a high demand field
Vocational Rehabilitation: Customized employment solutions for adults with disabilities
Resident Services Coordination: CSL staff provides wrap-around supports to residents at Hawthorne Place Apartments to build resiliency and opportunity
Wealth and Asset Building: Families can open wealth-building accounts to purchase homes, reduce debt, and/or invest in higher education
Small-Dollar Lending: Small-dollar loans that help families avoid predatory, toxic loans
Cultural Connections: Programming that shares stories of families from a diverse background of cultures and experiences
Permanent Supportive, Bridge, and Rapid Rehousing Programs: These public and private programs provide CSL with nearly 100 apartment units to help move people towards permanent housing
BlendWell Community Cafe: A spark of economic development in Northwest Independence and Sugar Creek as a community-friendly place to connect and build relationships
Doug at CSL’s 2022 Gala.
We’ve grown from a staff of about 12 in 2010 to more than 80 in 2023. While it’s been a meteoric ride in some respects, I just tell people that we are right sizing the social service offering in our community to better meet community needs. Strong communities need strong social services. A community can’t just have a place where things are given to people and call it social services. We need programs and resources that invest in transformational change in families. To do that, we need to invest in families for years, and connect them to coaches in many life domains (housing, financial, employment, and basic needs). No meaningful change ever happened without meaningful investment.
Like I said above, just being present made all the difference. I have worked to show up every day for our community for the last decade as President & CEO. You have also been there for me, and for our community, as loyal CSL supporters. There is no gift that better reflects the need to be present and consistent than a 1916 Club gift. CSL’s 1916 Club is our monthly giving program and ensures CSL has the resources it needs day in and day out. Will you join me today in making a monthly gift to CSL?
I hope you will consider making a monthly pledge by clicking here. Any amount you choose will help transform our work every day.
Thank you for your generosity and your friendship over the last 10 years. Together, we’ve changed many lives, and I look forward to helping more of our neighbors in the future.
