From Foster to Adoption: Finding a Forever Family

Dave Donaldson is an author, speaker, and humanitarian leader. He previously served as the national director of Operation Blessing and co-founder of Convoy of Hope. In these roles, he spearheaded global partnerships with churches, businesses and governments to mobilize tens of thousands of volunteers worldwide. In 2016, Dave left Convoy of Hope to launch CityServe International (CSI), an organization with a mission to train and resource local churches and non-profits to help people move from dependency to sustainability. CSI helps communities address systemic poverty, addiction, foster care, job readiness and other areas of need. Dave is an advisor to Produce Alliance Foundation, a non-profit which works to be a part of the solution to provide hunger relief, grow jobs, and strengthen local economies that are underserved in rural and urban communities. He also serves on the National Faith Advisory Board. Dave hosts the podcast, Influencers, in which guests from corporate, government, non-profit and church sectors share valuable insights. He earned his master’s degree from Fuller Theological Seminary with an emphasis on “developing and implementing social programs in a cross-cultural environment.” Dave and his wife, Kristy, have four adult children and reside in Northern California.   

Wendell Vinson is a pastor and the president and vice chairman of CityServe International, (CSI). He and his wife, Lynda, became the senior pastors of Canyon Hills Church in Bakersfield, California, over thirty years ago when it was a small congregation. Today, it is one of the leading multisite churches in Southern California, pioneering fresh approaches to church planting, church renewal, and taking the gospel to unreached communities. Wendell has trained pastors around the globe, advised world leaders, and helped to coordinate government briefings in Washington as part of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. He currently serves (or has served) as a member of the board of trustees for Vanguard University, Covenant Foundation of California, Convoy of Hope, Kern Leadership Alliance, Mission One Eleven, and the National Faith Advisory Board. Wendell and Lynda have two adult children and three grandchildren.