Our Story
Born in 2020, the DSCRC initially started as a project of Desert Spring United Methodist Church (DSUMC), to serve neighbors during the first year of the pandemic. As wide-spread impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic rippled throughout out local economy, every corner of Southern Nevada saw an increase in need and wide variability of needs now years later. Many families that had never utilized social programs found themselves in food pantry lines for the very first time in their lives. DSUMC, having been a trusted neighborhood institution for over 25 years in the area, became inundated with the needs of its own members and neighbors. Once DSUMC began operating drive-thru food distribution events, it became apparent with partners and clients that more services were needed in the often-overlooked presumed affluent area of town where the DSCRC began operating.
Since early 2021, when the program expanded into a permanent food pantry, the DSCRC has been working to grow its programs, expand its outreach to those that may need its services, and continually dispel the assumptions of where need may appear in Southern Nevada. In fact, in the first three quarters of 2023, 65% of families served at the DSCRC live in the City of Las Vegas and 47% of all families served live in a Summerlin zip code. In 2022, the DSCRC received its own IRS 501c3 designation of non-profit tax status and has continued to operate in the DSUMC facilities, which keeps the organization physically close to a committed group of volunteers and provides a safe and inconspicuous location for the provision of services.
One of our core values is listening, which is vital to connecting with and serving our clients. We have learned that those seeking food are also in need of support to navigate other resources and programs, thus the DSCRC expanded to provide additional services including case management with volunteers from Desert Spring UMC. Our dream is to invest in relationships between our church community, our clients, and the many social service agencies throughout southern Nevada to ensure that every family can be self-sustaining. Ultimately, we want to empower our volunteers, donors, and clients to participate fully in public life and use our experiences to make positive change for all.
Our Board
Pastor Dave Devereaux
Desert Spring UMC Senior Pastor, Pastor David was ordained an Elder in the United Methodist Church in 1992 and has served churches in Camp Verde Arizona, Tucson Arizona, and Las Vegas Nevada. He has a passion for preaching and teaching, and for encouraging people to answer God’s call upon their lives. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Geri, and their nine children (4 by birth, and 5 by adoption), and fourteen grandchildren.
Linda Lewis
Board Treasurer
Linda is the President of Progressive Policy and Practice, LLC. She has more than thirty years’ experience in community-based health and social services management, program evaluation, policy and fund development, holding local, state, and national positions. She has operated a woman- owned, consulting business in Las Vegas for the past 26 years with a focus on grant writing services for non-profit organizations throughout Clark County and in other states as well. She was married to Jack K. Lewis for nearly 47 years, until he passed away in 2016. Prior to moving to Nevada, She was the Executive Director of a non-profit drug abuse treatment and prevention program in Tampa, Florida for 13 years and then worked for the State of Florida as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Alcohol and Drug Abuse. In 1990 she and Jack moved to Washington, D.C., and she worked in the Executive Office of the President as the Deputy Director for Treatment and Rehabilitation Services in the Office of National Drug Control Policy. She has testified before state legislatures and congressional committees. She loves Las Vegas and enjoys spending time with friends and family. She is a long time member of Desert Spring United Methodist Church and attends Church Council meetings.
Patti Chance
Patti Chance was on faculty at UNLV from 1998-2009, during which time she served as Program Coordinator for PK-12 Educational Leadership. In 2009, she moved to San Diego to serve as Chair of the Department of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University. In 2014, she returned to UNLV to direct efforts at redesigning their Educational Leadership program preparing teachers to serve in administrative positions in PK-12 schools. Prior to her service in higher education, Dr. Chance was employed as a building level principal, assistant principal, and teacher. She retired in 2017, and is honored to serve on the Board for the newly established Desert Spring Community Resource Center. She brings a passion for helping to meet the needs of children, families, and educators in the Las Vegas area.
Summer Worrall
Board President
Summer is a South Carolina native and an Air Force military spouse. The military brought her family to Las Vegas originally in 2018 and she loved the area immediately. She is currently the Chief Financial Officer at Hope Christian Health Center and has been in the non-profit sector most of her career. Summer is passionate about helping others and is called to serve in her Christian faith. In Summer’s free time, she likes to visit family, read, and be outdoors. She and her husband have two cats and one child.
Julie Hart
Julie Hart serves as Director of Connectional Ministries at Desert Spring United Methodist Church. Prior to this, she worked in children and youth ministries and as a supervisor for the Department of Family Services. She served on the Friends of Las Vegas Academy Board for 7 years and currently serves as the chair of the Site Committee at Potosi Pines Camp Camp and on the Board of Camp and Retreat Ministries for the Desert Southwest Conference. The mother of two adult sons, Julie is passionate about the education and enrichment of children and helping people of all ages find meaningful ways to serve.
Lynn Robinson
After she retired from her career as a Chief Deputy District Attorney at the Clark County District Attorney’s Office, Lynn Robinson wanted to use her newfound free time in service to the community. She found that opportunity at the Desert Spring Community Resource Center. Lynn started participating in our drive-through food distributions, then at our food pantry hours. Lynn was honored thereafter to join our board of directors. Lynn is a native of New York, but has called Nevada home for so long, that she considers herself a “ nearly native” Nevadan. During her career, Lynn volunteered her skills as a coach and as a jurist in local mock trial competitions and never hesitated to visit local schools to discuss legal careers. Lynn was also the first prosecutor to participate in the rewarding work at Las Vegas Township Community Court. She is a longtime member of Desert Spring UMC, who enjoys traveling, playing golf, and cheering for the Vegas Golden Knights!
Bev Darrow
Board Secretary
Bio coming soon
Lisa Schumacher
Bio coming soon
Our Staff
Rae Lathrop
Director
Contact via email
Rae Lathrop is passionate about environmental sustainability and community involvement. She believes in the vibrancy of Las Vegas and is committed to inspiring a sense of “home” for both long-term and newly-arrived residents of the community. After earning both her B.A. in Environmental Science and an M.A. in Energy and Environmental Analysis from Boston University, Rae returned to Nevada to work in nonprofit and public management. Throughout her career, Rae has maintained an active community role by serving on multiple nonprofit boards and she enjoys gardening in her spare time.
