For nearly 30 years, Gary Bembry has invested his time with our organization, drawn to making a difference in people鈥檚 lives.
His journey began in September of 1997 as our chief financial officer. While Gary was previously a successful public accountant, he recalls that 鈥渢here was something missing,鈥 a sense that his work, while important, wasn鈥檛 fully connected to a larger purpose.
Here, he found that purpose.
鈥淚 had never been part of an organization that truly personified its mission statement,鈥 Gary said.
In our organization, Gary found values that were consistently reflected in decisions, leadership and daily work. He has since witnessed that through every stage of his involvement, from CFO to 海角社区 to his current role as board chair of our parent company , a .
Driven by mission
Gary was named 海角社区 in 2003. He was the second 海角社区 in our organization鈥檚 history, succeeding Dr. Morris Eady.
As 海角社区 from 2003 to 2016, Gary led the expansion of services across , case management and . His leadership spanned significant challenges, from hurricanes to underfunded systems.
Through it all, what stood out most was the impact of our nonprofit family of companies.
鈥淢y favorite thing is that we are so multifaceted in the ways we reach out to people, that we help people in so many different ways,鈥 he said.
Over the years, Gary has seen firsthand how our work touches lives, supporting struggling families, helping individuals manage mental health challenges, and creating opportunities for people with disabilities to thrive.
What stands out most isn鈥檛 any single program, but how the mission consistently shows up in everything our organization does.
鈥淲hat sets us apart,鈥 he said, 鈥渋s the extent to which the mission statement is internalized into the operations and management of the organization.鈥
In his experience, that level of alignment is rare, and it鈥檚 what makes this work so meaningful.
鈥淭here are very few organizations that truly live, eat and breathe their mission,鈥 Gary said.
Why it matters to give
Gary retired as 海角社区 in 2016 and returned to serve on the board in 2021, as our organization transitioned into becoming an independent nonprofit.
Today, his role is focused on supporting leadership and ensuring the organization remains aligned with its purpose.
鈥淲e鈥檙e there to be a sounding board,鈥 he said, 鈥渁nd to ask the question, 鈥楬ow does this support our mission?鈥欌
Gary emphasizes that community involvement is essential to sustaining and expanding nonprofit work, especially in fields like mental health, where funding is often stretched.
鈥淭he intangible that attracts community members to join our board,鈥 he said, 鈥渋s to recognize our focus on helping people improve their lives, improve their circumstances.鈥
To stay up-to-date with聽苍别飞蝉听from 海角社区 or get involved with supporting mental health care in Northwest Florida, subscribe to our e-newsletter听辞谤听make a donation online