Meet the Staff: Discover how Becky Schulte’s journey from teen volunteer to grant writer helps Children’s Hunger Fund deliver hope and equip churches to serve kids in need.
The highlight of every day is answering that phone. I have been able to have some of the most remarkable conversations and prayer time with donors and volunteers, and even folks that call for the first time.
The phone in the Children’s Hunger Fund San Antonio office rings on average about 23 times a day, so it’s a good thing that Administrative Assistant Charlene Webster enjoys answering it. She’s also been doing it for the past 15 years.
Charlene first learned about Children’s Hunger Fund at a convention she and her husband, Richard, attended in 1997. Dave Phillips was a guest speaker at the event, and Charlene and Richard were so moved by what he had to say about Children’s Hunger Fund that they went home, did their research, and decided to become monthly donors.
Charlene and Richard were donors for many years. Dave continued to speak at the same conference year after year. Charlene continued to build relationships with the staff members who attended that conference.
“My favorite memory is having Dave tell me that they’re opening a Distribution Center in San Antonio. Because that started the rest of my life until today,” Charlene shared.
The San Antonio Volunteer Center opened in 2009, and Charlene was hired as the Administrative Assistant, a position she’s held ever since. She reviews everyone’s calendars and ensures that conference rooms are set up as needed. “Whatever the day brings, God and I handle that together,” she shared. “I never get bored with it.”
For anyone who knows Charlene, this is exactly what they might expect her to say. San Antonio Senior Director Mario Rubi shared, “Charlene is a great example of someone who approaches her work with the fear of the Lord. Her reverence, honor, and love for God are evident in the way she schedules her week, completes her tasks, and interacts with staff, their families, ministry partners, and guests.”
And speaking of interacting with staff, for Charlene, one of the best aspects of her position is that she interacts with almost every department in the organization. The San Antonio office comprises fourteen individuals from Operations, Ministry Development, Relationship Development, Administration, Communications and Marketing, the Volunteer Program, Gifts-in-Kind, and the Senior Vice President.
Charlene shared, “I have the privilege of watching each one of the departments and supporting them in how they relate to one another to properly and effectively serve the local church.”
Relationships have great value for Charlene, both personally and professionally. In fact, it’s what she values most among Children’s Hunger Fund’s five core distinctives: Pursue Relationships. “I live through relationships,” Charlene shared. “So, watching our different departments, no matter how their department performs at CHF, there’s a relationship involved there, and then that relationship, through the churches, is extended into the homes and families. And that’s all about introducing them to a relationship with Christ.”
This value for relationships is evident in everything she does. Executive Director of Communications and Administration Savannah Nix shared, “It is a gift to serve alongside Charlene. Her heart is for the CHF team, our supporters and friends, and the children we serve. This past December, during our office closure, she volunteered to monitor the general info inbox and quietly forwarded donor needs so no one was missed—because serving people is her joy. Whether she’s supporting the team, entering data, greeting a guest, or taking a donor call, she treats every moment as a divine appointment. Charlene serves with joy, gratitude, and humility. We’re better because of her.”
Over her 15 years at Children’s Hunger Fund, Charlene has been blessed with the opportunity to travel overseas twice to visit our church partners with a team of co-workers. Her first trip took her to Honduras, and her most recent, just a few years ago, was to the Dominican Republic. On both trips, she visited local ministries serving families in need and even participated in several Food Pak deliveries. Both trips were incredibly moving for Charlene.
“The ministries that we worked alongside showed the most incredible hospitality when we were there,” Charlene reflected about her trips. “Getting to meet them and see them in person, knowing that what we do here affects them and their ability to pursue their ministry, was very emotional.”
Charlene has also witnessed many changes during her tenure at Children’s Hunger Fund. Systems and processes have evolved, and teams have shifted, but the heart of the ministry has remained the same, something that has been encouraging to Charlene.
“Christ has never given me any indication that I should be doing anything else anywhere else,” Charlene shared. “Until He moves me, I’m going to be here as long as I possibly can.”
That’s excellent news for Children’s Hunger Fund.
