Michigan CWS/CROP Regional Office CWS home
Skip navigation

Robert L Barnhart Biography

Bob Barnhart joined the Church World Service/CROP Michigan Region in Lansing on August 5, 1996 and is currently Associate Director. Bob works with some 50 volunteer teams in 20 counties, assisting them with their planning of CROP events.

In November 2002, he traveled to West Africa and visited CWS sponsored development projects in Senegal, Burkina Faso, and The Gambia. The projects visited included community gardens tended by women’s and youth groups, an agricultural training center, micro-loan bank, schools, and skills training center. Bob has given numerous presentations on these programs.

Bob led a Mission Team from his church to Nicaragua in July 2001. They worked with CWS partner agency CEPAD (Council of Evangelical Churches in Nicaragua) to finish construction of new homes to replace ones severely damaged by Hurricane Mitch. “Working side-by-side in solidarity with the Nicaraguan community members was heartwarming and inspiring.” This was Bob’s second trip to the region, having seen first-hand the work of CWS partner agency the Christian Commission for Development of Honduras in 1997. Both agencies do an outstanding job of organizing and equipping very poor communities to improve their situations.

He brings a long history of service to those in need. Beginning as a VISTA Volunteer in 1970, he worked in a job-training program at the Shelby County Penal Farm outside of Memphis, TN. Following this experience, Bob worked as a child-care worker at a home for emotionally impaired children in Kalamazoo before joining the American Red Cross in 1974. During his 15-year career with the ARC, Bob worked as a social worker, a Disaster Specialist, Assistant Director of a Chapter, and a Blood Services Coordinator. He also spent two years as the Planned Giving Officer for the Michigan Division of the American Cancer Society.

Bob has a deep, abiding faith in God and in the goodness people can achieve through Christian service. He is a member of Okemos Community Church, where he currently teaches the High School Sunday school class. Bob has served as the Chairman of the Missions/Outreach Committee and as the Chairman of the Church Cabinet.

Bob is a graduate of Kalamazoo College and Michigan State University. He lives in Okemos with his wife, Laurie, and son, Zach. His older son, Andy, is a student at Michigan State University. Bob believes that the challenges of hunger, conflict, homelessness, sickness, and lack of work or tools can be met by currently available resources if we only choose to lovingly share them.

Back to top