ABOUT US
New Direction SAVES (Saving A Valuable Endangered Species) was birthed in 2014 out of the heart of Pastor Kenneth Sullivan, Jr., Senior Pastor of New Direction Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. Initially established as a response to the question of how to keep young Black men safe in our communities, SAVES has prioritized connecting all youth and young adults to educational, vocational, financial, legal, health, and other opportunities to provide a path to deliverance from the societal ills that threaten their very existence. Whether through workshops on financial literacy or entrepreneurship, scholarships for vocational programs, youth employability skills training, or partnership with New Direction Church for their annual Community Day, the board of SAVES strategizes each year to implement initiatives intent on building safer communities on Indianapolis' east side, one person at a time.
Members of the SAVES Board of Directors all work tirelessly to advance the mission of the organization. Each Director serves on one of SAVES' committees to plan and implement programs throughout the year. Volunteers are recruited to serve on each committee to execute the organization's initiatives. See our Get Involved page for more information.
The Board of SAVES has been blessed to partner with several organizations over the years, including Duke Energy, Children's Bureau, CICF, Wheeler-Dowe Boys and Girls Club, and The Mind Trust, to name just a few, in addition to countless individual donors who have ensured that SAVES continues to make a positive impact on our community.
Pastor Kenneth Sullivan, Jr. addresses youth during the annual Safe Streets Summer Employment Program.
New Direction SAVES Board of Directors:
Tiffany Jackson, Interim Board Chairperson
James Wide, Board Treasurer
Jetra Daniels, Board Secretary
Erica Young, Board Member
April Spells, Board Member
Dr. Kimberly Walton, Board Member
Julia Davis, Board Member
Pastor Kenneth Sullivan, Jr., Founder/Ex-Officio Board Member