Stuart Ray (left), Executive Director of Guiding Light Mission and Don Tack, shortly before the 2014 Annual Guiding Light Mission Banquet, where Don received the First Annual Good Samaritan Award, recognizing his 20+ years of work on behalf of the mentally ill homeless and poor population.

Honoring Our Founder

Servants Center will be forever grateful to our founder, Don Tack.

Don was an educator and pastor for 30 years who not only felt the call to serve the poor and homeless, he acted on it. From the very beginning, Don believed, as Servants Center continues to believe today, that the Bible calls us to serve others, including those without a home.

Don shared this message from the pulpit, in the classroom, and through his writing. But for him, it was never just an academic exercise. He walked the streets, met people where they were, and built relationships rooted in dignity, compassion, and understanding.

Alongside his wife, Phyllis—a mental health nurse—Don served faithfully for many years. His calling became increasingly focused on individuals experiencing homelessness, particularly those living with mental illness. Out of this passion and purpose, Servants Center was founded in 1993 as a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization.

Today, Servants Center remains true to its roots—serving people experiencing homelessness—while expanding services to provide guardianship and representative payee support. These services help individuals access housing, healthcare, and essential resources, offering stability and hope. At any given time, Servants Center serves more than 275 individuals and has supported thousands throughout its history.

We do not simply connect someone to a resource and move on. We walk alongside individuals for as long as they need us—often for the remainder of their lives.

Don passed away in 2023, but his life’s mission continues to flourish in the work Servants Center is doing today. We remain grateful for the positive impact Don had on individuals, on our communities, and on Servants Center.

Don Tack with one of many people he helped get off the streets and stay off the streets
in over 20 years of ministry at Servants Center.