OUR MISSION
We serve people in the greater Fredericksburg area through vocational training, job placement, educational services, and mentoring to help fulfill God’s purpose in the lives of individuals, families, and communities.
OUR VISION
Helping people live with a sense of God-given purpose and hope, better equipped to serve their communities.
OUR VALUES
Faith: We believe that Jesus Chris is our only hope in this life and the one to come. The Bible teaches that faith without works is dead. Knowing this, our aim is to share the object of our faith, Jesus, with all persons. In doing so, we offer lasting hope to our community. (2 Tim 1:9-10, Heb 11:1-3)
Community: We believe that God created us to live in unity with fellow Christians and to work for the benefit and good of the Fredericksburg community. Our goal is to build up local churches, organizations, and businesses and help equip them to serve individuals and families. (Jer 29:7, Gal 6:10)
Dignity: We believe that all persons have worth and inherent value. The Bible teaches that all people are made in the image of God and that sin has distorted our view of ourselves and others. Our desire is to contribute to the redemption of individuals and institutions, so they are better able to fulfill their God-given purpose. (Psalm 8:4-5, Psalm 130:7)
Career: We believe that work is a gift that God has given to his creation. Initiated in the Garden as a good thing, sin has tainted our attitudes and approach towards work. We aim to restore the view of work as a blessing and ensure others have opportunities to use their abilities to flourish. (Ecc 5:18, Col 3:23-24)
OUR HISTORY
The Open Hand name comes from Deuteronomy 15:11. It symbolizes compassion, generosity, partnership, friendship, service, community, and ready to work. An open hand can give and receive.
Pastor Bob Becker founded Open Hand in 2002 as a ministry of New City Fellowship. Incorporated in 2004, Open Hand of Fredericksburg is an outgrowth of a vision for a cross-cultural community-development ministry.
A Summer Youth Intern Program (now called GRAD) began to hire youth from low-income families to work in a summer internship with local companies and non-profits and placed the youth with job mentors who taught them job-specific skills and work ethics. The GRAD program features education classes in job readiness, character formation, life skills, career counseling and financial literacy, all to add to the student’s abilities to prepare for college or other postsecondary education and to be able to have a sustainable employment in the future.
In the Fall of 2009, Open Hand began providing job readiness and life skills training as a paid consultant to James Monroe High School’s STARS GED program. The STARS program meets twice a week during the school year and incorporates academic enrichment for students using practical real-world experiences.
Today, Open Hand of Fredericksburg continues to serve the community by providing its programs to those in need.
Bob Becker
Open Hand Founder & President
bobbecker@openhand-fred.org
I founded Open Hand in 2002 as a ministry of New City Fellowship, a cross-cultural church. I became President in 2017. My purpose is to keep Open Hand focused on its vision and mission to be a faith-based non-profit which seeks to empower youth ages 14 to 19, their families and the community by providing needed resources to build skills and confidence so they can identify and pursue opportunities that inspire and create a vision for the future.
Open Hand started as a ministry of New City and became a separate non-profit in 2004. I believe our churches and communities should not be divided along racial and class lines. New City and Open Hand give youth and adults of diverse cultures, classes, and ethnicities the tools they need to prosper in their life and vocation, whether inside or outside the church.
I am on the Board because I have leadership gifts and know what it is like to live in a low-income, single-parent home needing someone to mentor and invest in me. I was raised in the city of Buffalo, NY needing someone to show me how to use my God-given gifts to the fullest for His glory. Unfortunately, no one has ever continually invested in my life like we seek to do at Open Hand. Therefore, I want to help in any way I can to give today’s youth and adults whatever life skills and mentorship they need to accomplish their life goals. I do what I do for the glory of God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Ricky Jones
Board Secretary
rjones@openhand-fred.org
I’m excited to continue the development and nurturing of OHOF’s Mission & Vision, not only serving as the Board Secretary but also by continuing to mentor in the Gaining Respect and Determination (GRAD) Program.
I started my professional career hanging over the side of a Nuclear-powered aircraft carrier – painting. I quickly learned the value of hard work and goal-setting. By God’s grace, I was able to advance my career as an Intelligence Analyst for both the Navy and within the Department of Defense. I have several professional certifications in the Information Technology field as well as a Masters of Management w/concentration in Organizational Leadership. I am currently employed by Parsons Corporation as a Senior Systems Engineer supporting our Space & Geospatial business sector.
On a personal note, I have been married for 20+ years to my high-school sweetheart, Esther. We have been blessed to raise seven children and are members at New City Fellowship in Fredericksburg, VA. We spend our time going on spontaneous adventures, pretending to be foodies, volunteering with local Refugee and Foster Care organizations and coaching basketball with the Fredericksburg Victory Athletic Association (FVAA).
My life’s purpose is to reflect the faithfulness, mercy and justice of God in my community. Serving at OHOF is one mechanism to live out that purpose in seeking the welfare of the city that God has placed me in. I stand on the shoulders of those who came before me and those who invested in me – my parents, teachers, my wife & mentors.
Scott Erdelatz
Board Member
serdelatz@openhand-fred.org
On the OH Board since 2021, I am excited to be able to partner with other men and women who share a passion for developing young men and women and helping them to live out of their true identity.
I served as a Marine for 30 years, finishing my time on active service in 2017. I loved serving in an organization with high standards and on close knit teams that tackled tough problems. My primary specialty was logistics and the latter part of my career was focused on leader development and education, fields I continue to work in as a civilian.
The direction of my adult life was established in college where I was discipled by godly men and women associated with the Navigators who showed me by their example that the promises and principles of Scripture apply to every area of life without exception. It’s not easy being a disciple of Jesus, but I think it would be much harder (and less fun) to not be one.
My wife, Omega, and I have two grown children who live out of state. We have remained active in discipleship ministry and strive to keep learning new things. We are grateful to be part of a church, New City Fellowship, that has been devoted to racial reconciliation and Christ-centered community for over 25 years.
Felicia Cook
Open Hand Staff – GRAD Director
fcook@openhand-fred.org
Felecia Cook is a mother of three adult children and grandmother to 14 grandchildren that she adores. She is a member of Shiloh Baptist Church Old Site in Fredericksburg VA and an ordained Minister of the Gospel. She is a native New Yorker and is a resident of Spotsylvania. She is a graduate of Virginia Union University, School of Theology, where she earned a Masters of Divinity Degree. She will return back to her studies in the fall and will continue working on her Doctorate Degree.
Felecia is passionate about helping others be all that God has created them to be! She has worked in Human Services for over 25 years working with Returning Citizens, Higher Risk Youth and adults, single parents, homeless and domestic violence and sexual abuse survivors. She loves to write, create and develop people and programs and services that enable others to be their best versions of self. She has the ability to speak truth to power and loves to coach others through the difficult conversations.
Felecia believes that we can all move beyond our hurts, challenges and needs to be all that we were created to be. Her ability to see positive potential in all things is what makes her so successful in coaching others. She often says that it is her honor to serve God in this way and help others. She is passionate about work force development, youth and seeing God’s transformative power change lives. She considers herself blessed that she can serve in this manner.
Two of her favorite scriptures is Luke 4:18-19, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” and Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!”
Felecia loves spending time with family, reading, writing and traveling and most of all just chillin whenever she can.