Welcome to Fostering Solutions, where we explore the real stories of leaders who are

making a difference in their communities. I'm your host, and today we're continuing our

Fall 2025 Nonprofit Series: "Holding the Mission Together: Leadership in the Face of

Uncertainty."

Some leaders measure their impact in years. Our guest today measures his in

generations. For the last twenty-five years, Reverend James Patterson has served as

Founder and President/CEO of the Partnership of African American Churches, known as

PAAC. But his influence runs even deeper—he's been a pastor for more than 32 years,

which means he's been walking alongside people through their most challenging

moments for over three decades.

PAAC is a faith-based community development corporation that intentionally targets

African American communities throughout West Virginia, while serving all communities.

Under Reverend Patterson's leadership, PAAC has become a powerful force for

empowerment—working not just to provide services, but to equip individuals and

congregational communities to achieve positive policy change themselves. It's

leadership that doesn't just respond to problems; it builds capacity for communities to

shape their own futures.

What makes Reverend Patterson's perspective so rich is how he brings together the

spiritual and the practical, the pastoral and the political. He holds a Master's in

Sociology from Marshall University and a Master's in Applied Community Change and

Conservation. He's the founder of the Saving our Children Program. He serves on the

boards of Habitat for Humanity, the WV Center on Budget and Policy, and the American

Heart Association. This is a leader who understands that faith without action is

incomplete, and that community change requires both heart and strategy.

For twenty-five years, Reverend Patterson has navigated the unique challenges of

leading a faith-based organization that addresses systemic issues—issues that require

sustained funding, long-term commitment, and often, policy change. When you're

working to empower communities that have been historically marginalized and under-

resourced, funding uncertainty isn't just a budget challenge—it threatens the trust

you've spent decades building.

In today's conversation, Reverend Patterson shares what it means to hold a mission together when you're accountable not just to a board or funders, but to congregations

and communities who have placed their faith in your leadership. He talks about the

principles that have guided him through tough decisions, how he's communicated with

stakeholders during uncertain times, and what keeps him going when the work feels

overwhelming.

Whether you're leading a faith-based organization, working in community development,

or navigating the intersection of service and social change, Reverend Patterson's

wisdom—earned through decades of faithful service—offers guidance and hope.

So let's dive in. Here's my conversation with Reverend James Patterson.