| Bio: |
In 2005 Mr. Jon Katov founded Open Table, a faith-based, volunteer-led process that aimed to restore one Phoenix homeless man to wholeness. The process was a success and interest in the “Table” model grew until Open Table became a 501(c)(3) organization in 2007. Open Table develops poverty transformation models for faith communities serving foster youth aging out of care, caregivers of youth with serious mental health needs who are at risk entering or are in the child welfare system, as well as other populations. Currently, Open Table is being used in 12 states and over 45 cities and towns across the county. Under Katov’s leadership, Open Table has partnered with local, state and federal government to expand use of the model.
The program trains communities, through the Open Table model, to partner their vocational and life experiences with people in poverty to develop and implement plans that create sustainability and wholeness. In 2012, Open Table and The Institute for Innovation and Implementation joined together in a partnership to design an Open Table model for use by System of Care (SOC) communities. Referred to as the SOC and Faith-Based Communities Integration Project, this effort will bring together SOC and faith-based communities in an integrated process that develops economic stability and wholeness for impoverished families served through the Wraparound service delivery process. The integration of the Wraparound and Open Table models will equip SOCs with an approach to building partnerships with faith-based communities that will support the provision of significant transformative investments of time and resources to families who are participating in the Wraparound service delivery process and have an identified need for economic stability. This collaborative project will result in a new approach to fostering faith-based/community partnerships to support families in reaching their human potential and maintaining resiliency attained through the Wraparound service delivery process.
Mr. Katov was appointed by the Bishop to serve on the Bishop’s Strategic Advisory Committee for the Desert Southwest Conference of the United Methodist Church. The Desert Southwest Conference is a jurisdictional area of the 7.5 million member United Methodist Church. |
