Meet Denise Kendrick | Founder, Executive Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Denise Kendrick and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Denise, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor in the success of the Embrace “brand” is the people who make up our team. Embrace provides direct services to 700 children in foster care each year. The excellence, efficiency, and intentionality with which these programs are executed is made possible by the God-given, unique gifting of my coworkers. And we’re not alone in these efforts. Where tasks fall beyond our “wheelhouses” or the work before us simply requires more boots on the ground, our committed volunteers step in to bolster all we do. Leading a growing organization is challenging, but this team is a gift. The right people, unified by strong core values are an unstoppable force. We ditched the one-word values in our staff handbook and worked collaboratively to create a set of core values that capture the spirit of our organization. What sets us apart and connects us. Each value begins with “At Embrace, we….” Let our hearts be broken
Are rooted
Invite people into the story
Can do
Rally
Are in it for the long haul
There’s a bit of narrative to accompany each value, but they’re not just dusty words like “integrity” buried deep in our staff handbook. (In my opinion, integrity shouldn’t be a core value you need reminding of anyways, but a quality of everyone you bring on the team). When the going gets tough… which it does a lot in the field of child welfare, we lean heavily on these values to share the burden of our work, grieve disappointments, and celebrate success (both big and small). The core values don’t guarantee great culture, morale, or success, they’re a tool that helps your team achieve those goals. Which comes back to having a great team. While we set goals and milestones and metrics, our focus isn’t on churning out results. We focus on teamwork and innovation and the value of each individual. Our job titles and descriptions and even our org chart are unique. Instead of siloing people with unlimited potential into a narrow role, we give space for team members to utilize their gifting as well as develop new skills. It may mean the Executive Director is on a ladder with the drill to fix a sagging cabinet door. But as it so happens, I’m handy, love an excuse to use a power tool, and (most importantly) “Can do” is part of our culture. The nonprofit world is sometimes characterized as a place where saints labor away with much passion and little compensation. At Embrace, we believe we can do great things and be a great place to work. And that helps us attract more great people to join the team.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

Working in the field of child welfare, specifically the foster care system, you’re guaranteed to hear and see heartbreaking situations and stories on a daily basis. One of our Core Values at Embrace is that we “Let our hearts be broken”. It means we never become indifferent or callused to the hurt happening around us. That we see each child as an individual, not a statistic. And some days that means we sit at our desks and have a good cry. We also get to hear and see incredible stories of healing and restoration… and that’s what keeps us going. We see children reunited with parents who’ve worked hard to create a safe home for their children. We see new families created and generational cycles broken. This ministry started with a handful of volunteers (myself included) and has grown exponentially over the last 16 years. Those years were hard and sometimes turbulent but we’ve built a strong foundation for the ministry. There were days we could hardly afford to keep the lights on, but the services we provide to the community were too vital to fail. I’m proud of us for pushing through, thankful for God’s provision, and humbled to think about the many lives changed through Embrace.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
While I live in Richardson, I’ve worked in McKinney for over 15 years. The Embrace office is just off the historic square in downtown McKinney, which also happens to be one of my favorite places to shop, eat, and stroll. The new mural on the old grain silo that towers over East McKinney is worth a drive in itself. While you’re on that side of town, you can’t beat the burgers, brisket, or cocktails at Local Yocal BBQ. McKinney is also known for live, local music, so keep your ears open as you stroll. We’re fans of The Maylee Thomas Band, who perform in and around McKinney on a regular basis (you can also tune in Maylee’s weekly radio show on The Range FM). But it’s the people that give McKinney a special place in my heart. Embrace is powered by volunteers, and there’s no shortage of caring people willing to roll up their sleeves and serve others. McKinney has an entire non-proft dedicated to connecting volunteers with needs called Volunteer McKinney! They do a great job of spreading the word about opportunities to serve and invest in the community.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to the families we serve. Our purpose as an organization is to support, encourage, and walk alongside parents opening their homes to care for abused, neglected, and abandoned children. While they’re grateful for the connections and relationships Embrace helps them build, they’re also contributors to this very special community. In the midst of some very challenging times in their own families and lives, these parents never fail to check in on our team or lend a hand at events. They pour into the kids they’re caring for, and they pour into one another. The theme of our foster/adoptive moms’ retreat this year was “Better Together”, which really sums up the heart of this shoutout. I’m so thankful for the kids and families I get to meet through Embrace.

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