Time to Say Goodbye

A message from Joy Johnson-Greene, PhD

Executive Director at Sonshine Community Services

What can be said about the year 2021 that hasn't already been said?

There is no doubt that we all had our share of challenges to deal with, many of them carried by a COVID-19 pandemic that doesn't want to let go of its grip on our communities.

Personally, I have made the decision to count the blessings that this year has bestowed upon Sonshine.

As the Executive Director, I have witnessed the unabated commitment of Staff and Board of Directors to clients. I am grateful for their willingness to engage with the challenges and deal with barriers, to pull together to find solutions that are collaborative and compassionate, to move forward always with an eye on Sonshine's mission to help women and children transform their lives.

It is with the knowledge that Sonshine Community Services has a strong, dedicated leadership team that can weather any storm, I have decided to leave my tenure as Executive Director starting January 31, 2022.

Make no mistake: the decision has been a hard one and the thought of it still creates an empty sadness in me. However, I believe that change creates opportunities. I look forward to seeing someone new sit in the Executive Director chair, someone with different perspectives but the same love for the organization. I am confident that my successor will care for Sonshine’s mission as deeply as I do.

In the words of Winnie the Pooh, "how lucky I am to have something that makes saying good bye so hard"!

It has been an honor to walk alongside people like you: community members invested in the well-being and healing of women and children impacted by domestic violence.

Keep up the good work!