Allan Barsema
Courtesy of Civic Ventures
Allan Barsema, 62, became so committed to helping homeless people in Rockford, Ill., that he closed his construction company and jumped full-time into creating and building Carpenter’s Place outreach center. It has helped an estimated 10,000 people, and has 17 paid staffers. Barsema has teamed with a widening circle of Rockford agencies. Through Community Collaboration, a non-profit organization, he also has exported his ideas and approaches to 140 other social-service agencies in five states.
