Mission Leadership

James VarnHagen, Executive Director
Jim VarnHagen joined the NYCRM as Executive Director in 1990. He began his career with seven years in the U.S. Air Force followed by seventeen years in engineering. He began his non-profit career when he joined the Detroit Rescue Mission as an employee in 1978. Jim has a Bachelor's degree from William Tyndale College, and a Master's degree from Wheaton College Graduate School.
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Carol Bennett, Director of Finance
Carol Bennett had twenty years of accounting and financial management experience before coming to work for New York City Rescue Mission in 2007. After working at the Manhattan Borough President’s Office and Bellmarc Realty, and being educated at NYU and Baruch College, Ms. Bennett confidently and meticulously administrates the finances of the Mission.
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David Chicaguala, Director of Operations
David oversees the day to day running of our facilities. Prior to taking this role, he worked at the NYCRM as a manager and teacher in our Career and Learning Center. David attended college in Memphis, TN and seminary at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Montevideo, Uruguay. He has held ministry positions in Tennessee, Texas and Mississippi. Prior to joining NYCRM, David was the lead planter of the New Dawn Christian Church in Brooklyn, NY and New Dawn Inner City Ministries. David was born and raised in South America by missionary parents.
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Tom Hall, Director of Development
Tom develops opportunities for contributors to participate in the work of the NYCRM by building relationships with new contributors and strengthening relations with current ones. He also oversees Development Department activities, newsletter production and other community efforts. Prior to joining us, Tom spent over 25 years as an executive in the financial services industry. He is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Business School.
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Jeff Kolsch, Director of Donor Relations
Jeff Kolsch discovered NYCRM in the fall of 2005 and came on staff in the summer of 2006. He spent the previous ten years doing development, raising money for such Christian organizations as Campus Crusade and the Bible League. Over the past two decades Jeff has lived out his life-long compassion for the poor, starting three food pantries on his native Long Island and in Queens, New York. As Director of Donor Relations, Jeff makes others aware of the Mission and opportunities for support.
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