Rich Delp has had a family connection to Indian Creek Foundation most of his life. Rich’s younger brother, Aaron, has special needs. As a family attending a local Mennonite church in the early 1980s, the Delps were quickly introduced to the Gehman family and Joe Landis. Rich’s parents got involved in parent groups and had support in providing the best care and opportunities for Aaron throughout his childhood and young adulthood.
While Rich was raising his own family and navigating a career in engineering, his parents got more deeply involved in Indian Creek. His dad, Lee Delp, joined the Board of Directors with a desire to keep family perspectives in the organization’s decisions. When Lee’s health required him to step away from the Board, he encouraged Rich to continue providing that voice of family advocacy. Rich believed in the values behind our standard of care and felt that his background, experience on other boards, and family member insight would benefit the organization. Rich joined our Board of Directors in 2021, and he was recently selected to be our Board Chair.
About his decision to get involved, Rich said, “My dad’s encouragement was important, because he really showed me the value of having a family member’s voice in the room where decisions are being made. I see how Indian Creek supports my brother, and what it has done for our family. This is how I can make sure that this organization is sustainable long-term with excellent care for the whole individual, maximizing each person’s potential to experience a good life.”
Rich also highlights the faith-based foundation that supports everything Indian Creek does. He would like to strengthen the Christian principles that started the organization and make sure they continue to be integrated into the model of care. Rich believes that by seeing each individual as being made in the image of God, and having infinite value because of that, we have the right framework from which to govern and operate the entire organization.
Prior to becoming the Board Chair, Rich served on the Development committee. He enjoyed his experience of supporting the Development Team through that committee, especially serving in the successful Mission to Serve Every ONE. Rich’s favorite event is the Annual Sporting Clays Challenge because it connects people to Indian Creek who might not otherwise know much about what we do. He also believes the Roll Stroll & Run event is one of the best annual events for the way it brings both the community and the people within our organization together. When people from the area get to interact with the individuals we serve, and see them as friends and neighbors, they develop a much stronger connection and desire to support ICF.
When reflecting on Board accomplishments in the past 5 years, Rich recalled purchasing a new group home and hiring Tim Barksdale as the CEO. Indian Creek owns many homes, and that ownership provides a sense of stability and permanence for both residents and staff. Our residents are proud of their homes, and our staff appreciates the ability to improve and upgrade our properties as needed. As an engineer, Rich thinks about the structural elements of Indian Creek, and he is proud of our commitment to providing safe, attractive homes for our residents to live in and our employees to work in. A lesser known, but vitally important, effort that Brett Wells and the Development Committee undertake is pursuing grants that support home renovations. Investing in our group homes is tangible evidence of how we seek to support a well-rounded lifestyle for each resident.
Rich also noted the impressiveness of Indian Creek Foundation reaching 50 years with only 4 CEOs in its history. Nonprofits tend to have higher leadership turnover than this. Our Board’s dedication to always finding the best person for the role has produced excellent results, and it is clearly one of the most important things a Board of Directors can do. Rich has enjoyed getting to know Tim over his first year as CEO and looks forward to their continued relationship.
Personally, Rich sees his participation in Indian Creek as a family legacy. Knowing that he will be responsible for his brother’s care throughout both of their lifetimes, he could not think of a better partner than Indian Creek.
“Families unfortunately struggle with the idea that they are failing their loved one when they seek a residential placement,” says Rich. “But that’s not true, and Indian Creek proves it. It’s all about quality of life here and supporting individuals in their own choices and preferences. My brother decides what activities he wants to do, and his support staff respects that. I would not be able to get him out and about on my own. But here, he has a team that can get him where he needs to go and also keep him healthy and safe around the clock. In reality, ICF enhances his life experiences and care beyond what we as a family could do on our own.”
Rich highly encourages the community, especially families who have loved ones with special needs, to learn more about Indian Creek Foundation. The quality of care here is excellent because the employees truly enjoy their work of caring for others. He also encourages people with this type of experience to consider Board membership. Those who are passionate about the people we serve are in the best position to support our continued growth and sustainability. As far as technical skills go, Rich would love to invite a local attorney to join the Board of Directors in order to share important legal insight as Indian Creek navigates new legislative landscapes. This Board draws from many talented people and always appreciates what its members bring to the table.