Meet the Executive Director:
Vicki DeLair
by Carlos Thompson
When you look up the definition of Servant Leader in the dictionary, you will likely find the name Vicki DeLair listed. She is an amazingly down-to-earth person, who avoids the spotlight and will not ask someone to serve in any capacity in which she has not, or is not willing to serve. Vicki has long been passionate about reaching people from all walks of life in making sure they know they matter and are worthy of love, regardless of their circumstances. This philosophy basically became the mission of her life and quite literally is also the focus and mission of the Love Wins Movement.
Since 2015, Vicki has been the Missions Director for The Church at Severn Run, which is from where the roots of the Love Wins Movement stem. In this role, she has been implementing her passion for “Wholistic Mission”, a term she sums up as “Love in action; it’s seeing a person or a need and walking towards it”. Several great initiatives have been launched and the local community has been positively impacted, but Vicki recognized early on that the impact would fall short of what our area needed. This then led to Love Wins Movement being formed.
In September of 2021, the incorporation process of Love Wins Movement, Inc. was completed and Vicki was appointed President and Executive Director of the organization. Vicki, who holds a bachelor’s degree from Liberty University and has been a small business owner, an educator, and a speaker, never envisioned she would be launching a nonprofit. It has been quite a journey, a learning experience by which she feels blessed "just to play a part in the beautiful growth, the lives being changed, and the sense of community being built, even though we’ve been flying the plane while building it.” Although things haven’t always gone smoothly, including launching and leading through the pandemic, no one can deny the massive impact that putting “love into action” has had on so many lives.
Despite her very busy schedule Vicki was able to take time to generously answer a few questions for us.
Why is it important to grow the Love Wins Movement?
Vicki: I hope to grow the Love Wins Movement as a trusted name and resource in our community. Not because we need to become a big name or successful organization, but because there are so many people in our very own neighborhoods, who need to know they aren’t alone, they really do matter, and that hope is never lost.
I can see that you wholeheartedly believe in the mission of the movement. How does “Love Wins" successfully move forward?
Vicki: We need to become louder than the noise created by the brokenness of the world. Real change and success is going to require each individual to do their part in their community relationships. None of us were created to do life alone. We need to be active in looking out for the best interests of one another. I mean, I don’t have hungry friends, but if I did, and I didn't do anything about it, what kind of friend would I actually be?
What exciting things are happening with Love Wins right now?
Vicki: The groundbreaking of the new Love Wins building and the spaces being created and designed for our current outreaches, including the food pantry, addiction recovery, and issues surrounding housing and homelessness. These spaces will provide volunteers the ability to engage with visitors more regularly, bring greater dignity and recognition to the intrinsic value of individuals they serve, and will create room for what's next to keep reaching those in our community who are often unseen, overlooked or undervalued.
What is your greatest accomplishment in life so far?
Vicki: Definitely being married to my husband, Sean, for the last 19 years who is my absolute best friend, and our three amazing kids, Kylee (17), Griffin (14), and Holden (11), that I feel really blessed to be able to parent and see them grow into who God has created them to be.
Love Wins is really big on getting to know who people really are. In that sense, what are your hobbies or some things you like to do when you’re not working?
Vicki: I love 4-wheeling, especially off-roading with my family. I love my dogs, really enjoy kickboxing, reading, learning new things, and teaching/speaking on topics I’m passionate about. I also have a few weird hobbies that are quite comical when I say them out loud, like leaf blowing, power washing, painting, and repurposing furniture. I think I enjoy them mostly because they really help me clear my head, process things I need to process, and connect with God.
What is something you wish people knew about you?
Vicki: I’m not really sure. I try to be an open book and I think most things I would normally want people to know about me I have already shared with them. For example, I have all kinds of ridiculous allergies, I'm not a morning person, and I have ADD, just to name a few. Most importantly, I just want everyone to know that I do this job because God asked me to and He opens the doors to keep me going. Most of the time I feel really, really unqualified and inadequate, but I refuse to ever be someone that I’m not. And if I ever, ever, ever get in the way of His plans and what He’s doing in our community, I pray that I am the first person to recognize it and remove myself. I don’t ever want my “job” to be about me. If that happens, I’ve done it all wrong.
What motivates you to do what you do?
Vicki: Probably sounds cliche, but I want every single person to fully grasp that they are loved, they matter and they have a purpose. I often imagine how different things would be if our community got so loud and intentional with our love that it drowned out all the rest of the noise. I can envision a reality where we, as a collective, wake up and live as if God were really real - we believe that things can be different and that impactful, sustainable change is really within reach…we just need to move toward it.
As the interview closed, we talked briefly about one of Vicki's favorite speakers, Bob Goff author of “Love Does” and other books. One of Bob’s well-know phrases is "Stop waiting for a plan, just go love everybody." And that, in a nutshell, is exactly what Love Wins is about. We are excited to see what open door God is leading Love Wins Movement through next.