The Rev. Eugene Wellington, who has stood at the helm of Community Christian Concern for the past 14 years, has announced he will step down this summer as the agency’s executive director.

Wellington helped steer the respected nonprofit organization, which provides food, clothing and financial support to the needy, thorough a tremendous period of growth, as well as the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The agency’s Olde Towne office was heavily damaged by the wall of water that poured into the area, and donations, both financial and otherwise, dropped off sharply.

He first began considering a change last fall, however, when he suddenly found himself a single parent with four children at home.

The Rev. Eugene Wellington is shown at his office at Community Christian Concern where he will step down as executive director after 14 years. (Staff Photo by Anne Lautzenheiser)

“Your priorities change when that happens,” said Wellington. “When you find yourself at a crossroads, you have to ask yourself, ‘what is the will of God?’”

With several projects in various stages of completion, Wellington worried about spreading himself too thin.

At CCC alone, he is involved a number of year-round projects, such as holiday food drives and a voucher program for school uniforms. He is also the pastor at The El-Bethel Apostolic Ministry, and is nearing completion on the expansion of the Miramon Center, a transitional housing facility for men that has been years in the making.

A native of Sierra Leone, West Africa, Wellington is also involved in a mission program to build wells, eye clinics, churches and more in his home country.

“I had to take something off my plate,” he said. “By stepping down from this position I’m removing several things at once.”

While initially Wellington had intended to leave the position by the end of July, he has agreed to remain in place a little longer to ensure a smooth transition. A search committee has been busy reviewing applicants, and while they have received over 40 resumes, a decision on a candidate has not yet been reached.

When Wellington took over from former director Waneta Merry in 1995, he felt he had some extremely big shoes to fill.

Now people are telling him the same thing, but he knows it is the right choice. He talks excitedly about the trip to Disney World he will take with his children next week, the first time he has ever been able to do so.

A pastor prior to joining CCC, Wellington plans to maintain the focus on his church and the West Africa projects. He has been invited to sit on the board of the agency, but has declined for now, saying he wants to allow his successor time and room to settle into his or her role. He plans to volunteer and serve as a counselor, if necessary.

Wellington praised the CCC board, and said the agency has always received tremendous support from the community as well as the parish.

Though private donations have decreased by 44 percent in the last year, and currently serves about 7,000 people yearly, he knows it will survive, despite the challenges of serving the needs of the community in such tough times.

The organization has been through times of abundance and times of hardship, but has never once wavered, he said. He was once a client himself, so he wants to make sure the legacy continues.

“When my family first came to Slidell, we had nothing, and CCC is where we got food and clothing,” said Wellington. “Hopefully another there will be another Eugene Wellington to tell the story someday.”