Los Angeles is Home to a Major Faith-Based Initiative Addressing the Needs of Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Africa
Los Angeles is Home to a Major Faith-Based Initiative Addressing the Needs of Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Africa
Bishop Charles E. Blake, CEO and Founder of Save Africa’s Children, Retools with New Leadership, Expanding International Involvement
Los Angeles, CA – Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr. and the Board of Directors of Save Africa’s Children, announced that Paul H. Turner, the former Community Relations Director for Citigroup, will assume the role as President of Save Africa’s Children. Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr., Pastor of the Los Angeles-based West Angeles Church of God in Christ and Presiding Bishop of the 6 million member Church of God in Christ International, established Save Africa’s Children (www.saveafricaschildren.org) in 2001 to address the educational, health and nutritional needs of the estimated 5 million children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“We are so fortunate to find a person with such outstanding credentials, global perspective, spiritually centered, and passionate about the plight of orphaned children.”
Save Africa’s Children has supported more than 400 programs in 21 African Countries, and developed a permanent health clinic in Kenya where 1,000 children are screened annually.
Paul Turner is no stranger to West Angeles Church. In 1994, he co-established the West Angeles Community Development Corporation (CDC) to broaden the involvement of West Angeles Church in community economic development after the 1992 civil unrest. He recently served as Chairman of the Board of West Angeles CDC. Known for good government advocacy, in 2008, he was selected by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to serve on the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission.
“I believe Save Africa’s Children is poised to become the preeminent African-American faith-based organization in a movement, to bring hope and a future to the most vulnerable children on the continent of Africa,” says Paul Turner.
Turner also has a long history with advocacy and development in Africa with the Global Ministries organization of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ.
The appointment of Mr. Turner is part of a larger effort by Bishop Blake to broaden the leadership role of African-American led organizations in United States policy, nationally and internationally, particularly toward Africa. Recently, President Barack Obama
appointed Bishop Blake to the President’s Council on Faith-based and Community Initiatives. Bishop Blake is also on the Board of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, a further acknowledgement of his growing global stature.
Save Africa’s Children seeks to build partnerships among American and African churches to meet the needs of vulnerable children. To date, 1,200 churches from varying denominations have partnered with Save Africa’s Children, along with Hollywood Celebrities such as Denzel Washington (Honorary Chairperson), Pauletta Washington (Board Member), Angela Bassett (Board Member), Courtney Vance (Board Member), Natalie Cole, Ray Romano and Kanye West.
Contact: Paul H. Turner, President
Email: turnerp@saveafricaschildren.org
Latonya Stephens, Executive Assistant
Phone: 323.733.1048
Fax: 323.778.8168
Email: lstephens@saveafricaschildren.org
Website: www.saveafricaschildren.org