Jeremy Gwaltney has been lead pastor of Harvest Community Church in Goshen, Indiana and the Board Chairman of Downtown Ministries, since October 2015. He has nearly two decades of pastoral, economic development, marketing, and ministry experience.  He earned an undergraduate degree in Public Relations and Organizational Communications from N.C. State University in 2000, and a Master’s of Divinity in Advanced Biblical Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2009. He was ordained in 2009, and has been in full-time pastoral ministry since then.  Prior to his ordination, he spent nearly seven years working in the P.R. and marketing industries as an account representative and consultant.

Jeremy has a deep love for the Goshen community and the social issues and needs that are in our region.  In addition to pastoring a community church, Jeremy serves in a variety of capacities with other Elkhart County non-profits and is very active in the Goshen school system.  He has been married to his wife, Tiffanee, since 2003.  They have five children and reside in the city of Goshen.

Jolene Roth has over 35 years of experience in the financial industry. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from DePaul University, Chicago, IL and her Certified Financial Planner designation in 1991. She also worked for a non-profit foundation as a Senior Director, Development and Gift Planning Services.

Jolene developed a strong sense of devotion for the non-profit sector as a former Board member of Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation, Rainbow Hospice and The Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Association, and a volunteer for Off the Street Club and Anti Cruelty Society.

This experience gives Jolene a deep appreciation for how Downtown Ministries seeks to improve the quality of life for our community.

Matthew Heffernan is a business leader and Lean practitioner in the northern Indiana region with over 20 years of Business and Engineering experience in Automotive and Transportation industries. He earned his Engineering degree from Tri-State University in 2005 and his Masters in Business from Indiana Wesleyan in 2010. He is a member of Harvest Community Church since 2019 and has served in Downtown Ministries since 2020 acting as Lead Facilitator in the Jobs for Life program.

Matt is a passionate problem solver, enjoys working on projects in a hands-on fashion and believes that God magnifies our potential when we collaborate as a community. He has been married to his wife Cheryl for over 12 years and is a father of 3 children.

Dan Temple is a Mortgage Loan Originator at Interra Credit Union with over a decade of banking experience. He earned a bachelor's degree in Counseling and Sociology from Grace College in 2001. Dan also has experience in social services and church ministry leadership.

For 20 years, Dan has been actively involved in youth ministry and currently serves as a volunteer in student ministries at Harvest Community Church in Goshen. His passion for building into young people is motivated by his desire to help each individual understand their inherent worth, created and loved by God.

Dan has been married to his wife, Tonya, since 2005. They have four children and reside in Milford, Indiana

Jared Yoder is retired after 32 years working in customer service at Miller's Building Supply. In the past, Jared has served as an elder and pastor. He served as the ministry leader of Celebrate Recovery at Harvest Community Church for 12 years. Jared has ministered as a bible teacher in several countries and has taught in a leaders training school in Kenya a number of times. He is now serving on the leadership team of Jobs for Life as the champion (mentor) trainer. Jared and his wife Ruthie of 47 years have raised three daughters and are now enjoy eight grandchildren.

Maria Hernandez is currently a supervisor for a local RV manufacturer. She successfully leads a team and is respected by both her colleagues and employer.

Maria is a mother of three children and a beneficiary of Ben’s House. Being a survivor of abuse, she knows first-hand that empowering women and children can bring transformational improvements in the health and prosperity of families, communities, and societies.

Maria is a graduate of Downtown Ministries Jobs for Life program.

Being fluent in Spanish and English, her service on the Board of Directors for Downtown Ministries is a way to not only give back but also be a tremendous resource for future recipients of Ben’s House.

Lynn has been co-owner of a construction business in Goshen for 33 years with responsibilities in sales and customer service.

He received his bachelor of arts degree in Christian education from Huntington College and served as the director of Christian education and Youth pastor in Pennsylvania.

Lynn and his wife, Kathy, have attended Harvest Community Church since 2000. He has served as elder, worship leader and life group leader at Harvest. He has served on the JFL leadership team and is also a facilitator. He is passionate about helping people find their God-given strengths and abilities in order to find success and satisfaction in their work.

Lynn and Kathy just celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. They have 5 children and 5 grandchildren.