Welcome to Home Runs Matter.
I founded Home Runs Matter as a platform to draw more attention to what matters to make life better – for everyone.
I see Home Runs Matter as a place for (1.) Advocating – for what matters when decisions need to be made, and focusing on who is making the right decisions and who is not, (2.) Engaging – the role that private sector can play to help make lives better – for everyone., and (3.) Informing – putting a spotlight on what matters in our community – St. Petersburg, Fl., the greater Tampa Bay area, and nationally.
In my professional career, I served as President and Founder of Raymond James Affordable Housing, the leading provider of equity for the development of affordable housing nationwide.
After 30 years, I moved on to serve as Director of Strategic Community Partnerships, also at Raymond James. During that time, I became a mentor to several students at Mount Vernon Elementary School in St. Petersburg. That led me to the formation of Lunch Pals, Pinellas County Schools mentoring program. I am currently a mentor to a great fifth grade student at Lakewood Elementary School.
I have also chaired the boards of a number of non-profit organizations.
Since retirement, my focus is on what matters to make lives better – for everyone.
I am a board member of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Suncoast, and most recently worked to improve the Historic Gas Plant agreement between the City of St. Petersburg and Rays/Hines to build a new baseball stadium. I met and listened to concerned citizens, local coalitions, and faith leaders to learn what matters in their communities. Having formed No Home Run, I outlined key changes for consideration by city and county decision-makers. While, initially not very successful in getting enough St. Petersburg City Council members and Pinellas County Commissioners to require much better terms focusing on what really matters or to vote no, it solidified my conclusion that there is not enough focus on what matters when important decisions are made. With two hurricanes, elected officials are more focused on real community priorities.
LUNCH PALS
About 10 years ago, I had lunch at Mount Vernon Elementary School with Tommy, a third grader. He and his brother were living in a group home on the grounds of the Salvation Army, as his parents were found not fit to raise them. He was a bit of a handful at school. But who could blame him. I always imagined what it was like to go home every day after school and your mother was never there. He told me that it was often hard to sleep due to the number of young children living there. Over lunch we talked and read books. It always made me feel good that when he would see me, he always had a big smile.
It quickly became apparent, there are many children like Tommy – kids who struggle through no fault of their own. And I was confident there were other people like me who wanted to help. I approached the Superintendent of Pinellas County Schools, and we founded the Lunch Pals mentoring program.
Under my leadership, Raymond James and Pinellas County Schools activated a strong partnership that grew to the involvement of over 130 local companies and community organizations and thousands of volunteers. Lunch Pals is a simple model to address the very complex issues our community’s face, particularly those related to socioeconomic advancement for children who have so much potential yet face multiple difficulties. I believe in the potential of each child, and the potential that this simple program has in improving the vibrancy of our entire community. Pre-Covid more than 1,800 children had a Lunch Pal, and the program has received national recognition.
I am glad that we have connected, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on Home Runs Matter and your ideas for how we can make a difference in what matters in our community.
Sincerely,
Ron
