Who we are

The story, mission, and vision of Friends of Westchase

In early 2019 -

The idea of Friends of Westchase was born from Grace Presbyterian Church's vision to come alongside nearby residents, businesses and churches to listen to the needs of the community and work together to strengthen under-resourced populations in our neighborhood.

A group smiling at the Friends of Westchase event Warm Up Westchase.

A community event in Westchase with the Attack Poverty pop-up tent.

A group of kids smiling together at a Friends of Westchase event.

A group of women and girls taking a picture together.

A mentor and his mentee sitting together, smiling.

Men working on a construction project in a yard.

Our Mission

To build a flourishing Westchase neighborhood

by collaborating with businesses, schools, churches and neighbors to build strong involvement in education, basic needs, spiritual growth and community revitalization, one relationship at a time.

Our Vision

Empowering people...

Our vision is to empower people to attack poverty in their life and community by utilizing the assets that exist and forming collaborative partnerships to address gaps. By working alongside partners that share the same commitment, we believe we can transform Westchase for all who live, work, play and worship in our area.

Our Partners

Collaboration

What started out as a mission of Grace Presbyterian Church has quickly expanded into a community-wide movement that includes people of all backgrounds, cultures, and faith to create meaningful change right here in Westchase.

Thanks the dedication of many volunteers and partners, as of March 2024, Friends of Westchase has grown into an official non-profit organization with: 6 programs, ~200 volunteers, & more than 200 program participants.

School Partnerships

Mentors

200

Volunteers

200

Program Participants

Meet our team

The Friends of Westchase team is awesome and works hard to facilitate the events and programs offered.

Debbie Kaplan

Walnut Bend Elementary Mentor Coordinator

Farah Armstrong

Emerson Elementary Mentor Coordinator

Kristy Elmore

Executive Director

Susan Jernigan

Paul Revere Middle School Mentor Coordinator

Meet our Board of Directors

We are thankful to this amazing group who keep things running smoothly at Friends of Westchase.

Louis Jullien IV

Board Member, Director of Open Spaces, Westchase District

Andy Frazelle

Board Chair, Retired GWO Operations Director, BP

Bill Welton

Board Member Retired, Petroleum Engineer

Rev. Chris French

Board Member, Associate Pastor - Discipleship Formation / Missional Living, Ministry Advisor

Michael Davenport, PE

Board Member, Manager of Projects, S&B Engineers and Constructors

Tom Lee

Board Member, Retired Oil and Gas Commercial Negotiator

Laurie Schmid

Board Member, Grace Presbyterian Church Member

What we do

Discover your role in the Westchase community.

With ways to serve kids, adults, and the overall community, it's easy to find a place to get involved, or let us know your ideas!

Ongoing

Youth Programs

We work closely with the schools and apartment communities in Westchase to provide support for students, teachers and school staff.

Learn more

Ongoing

Adult Programs

By equipping adults to learn new skills or refresh their knowledge, we aim to help adults work to create a better future for themselves and their family.

Learn more

Seasonal

Community Events

By listening to and engaging with our community we build relationships and develop connections with the dynamic individuals that make up the Westchase area.

Learn more