JANET MARTIN, SHIRLEY QUICK, AND PRISCILLA FRANCIS were three of the organization’s founding members.Their devotion during the early years is a window into the heart and soul of CSC. Listening to their stories, one can trace CSC’s profoundly positive impact back to the 1990s, and four words that were spoken when someone in the community was in need.
Janet Martin Former Staff Member
“I’m on the way.”
Janet Martin remembers getting calls at all hours of the day and night.“A mother would call me at 3 a.m. crying because her son hadn’t come home, and she was fearful for his safety. I would tell her, “I’m on the way. I’m coming to you right now.” I would stay with her that night until we found her son. Martin’s telephone rang because she was a trusted resource for the community. When there was trouble, they knew she would work tirelessly—one person and one family at a time, until the problem was solved.
This work was not glamorous; it was hard and necessary.
“I went through abandoned buildings. I found families, seniors, veterans, teenagers—so many different people.” Often, she invited them into her home. She cooked for them, cared deeply about them—and most importantly, she always listened. Penelope Griffith recalls,“the late Shirley Quick was a key staff member and instrumental in framing CSC’s mission. Shirley gathered food items and baby supplies for families. When she saw families were not eating fresh vegetables, she found a solution — find volunteers to bring in fresh produce. During harvest season, CSC provided the community with fresh produce from local farmers.” Quick knew how to mobilize people to meet the needs of families.When Griffith tried to say no to some of her most ambitious ideas, Quick would smile and say,“Baby girl, we have to give our all to these families.”
Priscilla Francis Former Board Member
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