Saint Barnabas Episcopal Church extends our congratulations and thanks to Ted Taylor, CEO of Family Promise of Greater Phoenix, as he begins his retirement on July 10. Below is a message from him.
Dear Saint Barnabas Friends,
After 16 years of service, I am writing to share that I will retire as CEO of Family Promise of Greater Phoenix effective July 10, 2026. Beginning July 13, I will serve as CEO Emeritus, advising and supporting a smooth leadership transition through December 31, 2026. The New CEO has been appointed and will be announced shortly!
I did not choose this work so much as I was called to it. Years ago, after my wife and I learned we could not have children, my pastor, Dr. Art Campbell, invited me to consider leading Family Promise. I said yes without fully knowing what “this” meant. Very quickly, joy returned to my life through serving families in crisis. Over the years, the Lord has blessed me with hundreds of kids, and their parents, who became my teachers in faith, resilience, and hope. I have been overpaid in joy.
This mission belongs to God. Time and again, blessings arrived when least expected, enough that I cannot deny a divine hand over this organization. My job was not to mess it up. What makes Family Promise unique is our dual mission: we walk alongside families experiencing homelessness while empowering congregations to live out their faith. Our volunteers are miracle workers who love families back to health; truly, we are a “love immersion program.”
I am proud of moments that reflect who we are: becoming Arizona’s first shelter to welcome pets and helping inspire a national partnership so families wouldn’t have to surrender beloved animals; partnering with congregations nightly to offer dignity, stability, and community; maintaining rigor and accountability that lead to real, sustainable outcomes; and pioneering shared housing with strong graduation rates. Most of all, I’m grateful for the generosity of people who make this work possible. I wish I could bottle that feeling and share it with everyone.
Family Promise remains one of the most effective, community-powered models I’ve seen, graduating families into sustainable housing at a fraction of the cost of traditional shelters, and preventing first-time homelessness whenever possible. The key to solving homelessness is community, staying connected so when challenges come, we can navigate them together.
To our staff, board, partners, and especially Cheryl Chewning’s enduring legacy at our south Scottsdale site: thank you. You are the heart of this work. To our congregations and volunteers: you have shown our families and me what real faith looks like.
It has been the honor of my life to serve. I look forward to supporting the transition as CEO Emeritus and cheering on Family Promise in its next chapter
With deep gratitude,
Ted Taylor
CEO, Family Promise of Greater Phoenix (Transitioning to CEO Emeritus July 13–December 31, 2026)
As we celebrate Ted’s extraordinary legacy, we invite our community to honor Ted’s service by investing in the mission he championed, ensuring that every family has a safe place to call home and the opportunity to build a brighter future.
