By The Rev. Chloe Breyer, Executive Director
Chris P. Thompson
Director of Development
The Interfaith Center of New York
Please welcome The Interfaith Center of New York’s new development director, Chris Thompson, who began working with us in mid-April.
Chris brings over 15 years of leadership within the non-profit sector, with an emphasis on development and social justice. As St. John’s University Alum, Chris was exposed to the unfair treatment of people with disabilities and as a supervisor of Therapeutic Recreation at St. Mary’s Hospital for Children, he assisted in the implementation of “Person-Centered” Planning, an individualized and inclusive approach to treatment and patient care.
Several years later, Chris had the opportunity to serve as an Associate Minister for the New York City Church of Christ, providing leadership for the Youth, Campus, and Singles Ministries. Chris’ leadership led to a dramatic increase in volunteer engagement and several church plantings in the Caribbean. Through his fundraising efforts, Chris was able to provide medical and educational support on a semi-annual basis for the Ukraine, the Philippines, Guatemala, and Haiti.
Chris’ development work was honed as Executive Director for Community Options, a national nonprofit organization that housed and employed developmentally disabled young adults. Addressing the rising issue of homelessness among this demographic, Chris increased Community Options Inc.’s budget by $5.2 million from 2011-2014 and successfully developed over a dozen Individualized Residential Alternatives in Manhattan for over 40 young adults. Prior to joining the team at ICNY he served as a Vice President of Development for Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Newark, New Jersey, providing strategic planning for an under performing local branch and exceeding the annual budget projections by nearly fifty percent.
Chris is excited to be part of the team, and is devoted to the mission of ICNY. He believes that much more can be done to serve our communities if we learn to work together, placing less emphasis on what separates us, and focusing more on the power of collaboration and unity among our generation. He intends to bring awareness and support to further advance the work done by ICNY.
Please join with us in welcoming Chris to the Interfaith Center. He can be reached at christopher@interfaithcenter.org or by telephone at 212.870.3511.
