Dan Esquirell is a Telford native who now lives and works in Harleysville. Being from the area, he always knew that Indian Creek Foundation existed, and he had a general idea of the services we offer. Dan gained a much better understanding of our mission when his neighbor and ICF Board Member, Andy Stankus, started sharing his own passion for the organization. Andy approached Dan about joining the Board in 2022 and invited him to an event to meet more people involved with ICF.
Already impressed with Andy’s enthusiasm, Dan was more than happy to learn more about Indian Creek. He happily attended the event and felt that Board membership would be a great fit for his values and service goals.
“What drew me in is that the mission and values of Indian Creek Foundation are in alignment with my own Christian values,” shared Dan. “Good communities take care of their people, even those who might be considered the ‘least of these’ by some. The people we support are valuable individuals, and serving them is only ever about the service itself. The only thing we gain is knowing that we have helped another person, and that’s a pretty big reward.”
Because Dan is a financial advisor, he thought that he might be on the Finance Committee. However, that committee already had a big team, so he was placed on the Development Committee. Dan appreciated the experience of getting to support Brett Wells, ICF’s Executive Director of Development. Development Committee meetings are highly productive, and the Board members engage openly with Brett to discuss ideas, challenges, changing circumstances, and where to allocate resources. Development Committee members are also typically first in line to volunteer for events like the Roll Stroll & Run, Annual Sporting Clays Challenge, and the Holiday Friendship Dinner. Dan especially appreciates getting to know people through these events, including individuals and families who receive services, staff, and faithful supporters.
Most notably, Dan is proud of the work his committee did to support the Mission to Serve Every ONE. Raising $2 million is a major accomplishment, and he attributes much of the campaign’s success to the committee’s intentional thought process in establishing its goals.
With a few members of the Finance Committee recently completing their final terms on the ICF Board, Dan has now transitioned over to that team. He is excited about this change, as the new Committee Chair is a former colleague, and the CFO is great to work with. As many of the finance professionals on our Board have shared, much of the organization’s longevity can be attributed to fiscally responsible leaders. Dan agrees; supporting a financially strong nonprofit allows for higher level decision-making that genuinely focuses on positive outcomes for individuals.
Looking forward, Dan hopes that the Indian Creek Board will continue attracting people who have a servant’s heart and who see the value of ICF’s mission. Board members come from all walks of life, but what they need most is compassion for others. Individuals on this Board are very unified in their focus to continually improve the organization and its impact on the community. It’s clear when meeting with the employees that they have an impressive passion for their work, and any incoming Board member should take that to heart. Everyone involved with Indian Creek is personally invested in contributing to its excellence.
That is what really sets Indian Creek Foundation apart, in Dan’s opinion. If he could help the local community understand one thing about ICF, it would be the level of service as compared to other providers in the industry.
“The other organizations of this type don’t have the same level of quality and depth of services. What we are accomplishing, especially in Day and Residential Services is really unique, and it’s only possible because of the dedicated staff and Leadership Team, and the support they get. I hope we can gain more attention for the standard we set.”
Dan hopes that community awareness of Indian Creek Foundation’s history, mission, and service excellence will continue to grow in the near future. As the Board seeks out new members, and the organization engages with a new generation of donors, there are abundant opportunities to grow our impact in the community.