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2.27.20 – Gerald Piro – RSVP Required
February 27, 2020 @ 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm
**This event requires an RSVP to attend. Rotary Club of Grand Rapids members will be given first option and guests will be placed on a waiting list.**
Gerry cares deeply about the homeless youth population as he has devoted his entire professional career to a ministry of service and advocacy for those who are in need with little or no resources available to them.
As the Executive Director for Covenant House Michigan, he leads local efforts of the largest homeless youth organization in North and Latin America, overseeing operations at campuses in Detroit and Grand Rapids.
Prior to joining the staff of CHM in 2014, Gerry spent 24 years with Boys Hope Girls Hope, providing academically motivated youth in need with wrap around residential services and placement in a private college-prep environment. He advanced through several roles of progressive responsibility at Boys Hope Girls Hope to the position of Executive Vice President overseeing the executive staff of all 30 homes in 15 locations throughout the United States.
Gerry is an ethical visionary with a strong financial acumen having earned CHM the coveted 4-star rating from Charity Navigator for the past five years. This award recognizes CHM’s strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency.
Under his guidance, CHM undertook a $4 million capital campaign to build a second campus in Grand Rapids with a 28-bed shelter. In his tenure, he has also strengthened CHM’s programming and raised vital awareness about youth homelessness in Michigan.
In 2017, Wayne State University awarded CHM the Dr. Arthur L. Johnson Community Leadership Award for their partnership with students enrolled at WSU’s Co-Curricular Programs at the School of Medicine, a partnership Gerry was determined to continue.
Originally from New York City, Gerry has resided in the Detroit area for over two decades. He holds advanced degrees in both Rehabilitation Counseling and Theological Studies in addition to a CAC certificate for substance abuse.