theleaven.com | vol. 35, no. 26 | february 14, 2014
Leaven photo by Jill Ragar Esfeld
Scott Wasserman, CEO/president of Unbound, takes a break from work to express himself on a chalkboard available to all employees in the organization’s home office in Kansas City, Kan.
Walking Bob’s Walk CFCA gets new name, new chief
By Jill Ragar Esfeld jill@theleaven.com
K
ANSAS CITY, Kan. – As a young man, Holy Trinity, Lenexa, parishioner Scott Wa s s e r m a n worked hard to reach his goal of becoming an attorney. He graduated from Harvard Law School at the top of his class and launched a successful career spanning 28 years. But last month, he finally found his vocation. In response to what he felt was a clear call from God, Wasserman closed
Calling all fish fries
his thriving law practice to begin a very different journey as CEO/president of Unbound, formerly the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging. No one could have been more surprised by the move than Wasserman himself. “The whole thing took me off guard,” he said. “But that’s the way God works with vocations.”
A door closes, a window opens When its president and co-founder Bob Hentzen died suddenly last October, a door closed on the heart of Unbound.
It’s often said when God closes a door, he opens a window. Wasserman, then chairman of the organization’s governing board, didn’t expect to be that window. But as he listened to the board discuss the future leadership needs of the nonprofit and the qualifications needed to fill Hentzen’s shoes, he started to think, “They’re describing me.” After much prayer and discernment, Wasserman shared with his wife Annabella the idea that he may be the best applicant for the position. “And she asked me one question: ‘Why do you want to apply?’” he recalled. “So I started describing to her what I would bring to Unbound.” >> See “founder” on page 7
Because of space constraints, The Leaven does not list Lenten fish fries in the calendar during Lent. However, a full page of archdiocesan fish fries will appear — all ready to be clipped and saved — in the Feb. 28 edition of The Leaven. Fish fry notices should be emailed to: todd@theleaven.com. The deadline is Feb. 20. Keep notices to less than 40 words. Please do not include full menus.
Founded in 1981, Unbound is the largest nonprofit in Kansas. Based on Catholic teaching, Unbound supports 300,000 people in 21 developing countries — children, the elderly, and their families — helping release them from the bondage of poverty. That support is made possible by nearly 270,000 sponsors. More than 93 percent of all the money Unbound spends goes directly to program support. The average sponsor contributes about a dollar a day and, in turn, has the opportunity to know his or her sponsored child or elderly person and develop a personal relationship with them. To learn more about Unbound or to become a sponsor, visit the website at: unbound. org.