Jun. 11—Jeff Newton has never been afraid of change, especially when it meant better serving the needs of the community.

It's part of the job as a United Methodist minister. As a pastor, one moves from community to community making an impact.

Now, another change is coming for the founder and director of Kokomo Urban Outreach — retirement.

Newton is ready for retirement — and to hand over what started as a vision — to someone else.

"This at one point was all in my head, and now it's all real," Newton said. "I feel like I've accomplished everything I wanted right now, and I think someone else can take it to the next level."

Newton announced his retirement as both KUO director and pastor at Hillside United Methodist Church last week. His retirement from KUO won't be official until the end of 2023. The announcement was made ahead of time so KUO can hire a new leader who Newton will train.

A willingness to change

With a little luck, and maybe some divine intervention, Newton returned to Kokomo — his hometown — in the mid-2000s.

He had a vision of establishing some sort of outreach program that would serve the community.

In late 2005, the seeds of Kokomo Urban Outreach were planted when Newton and others helped people displaced by Hurricane Katrina who had made the trip north.

Trinity United Methodist Church's congregation was dwindling around the same time. The church on Locke Street faced a fork in the road — keep going until it ran out of money or leave a legacy. Church officials chose the latter.

The church later became the headquarters of Kokomo Urban Outreach, where the organization remains today.

"They didn't run out of money, but they used it to leave a legacy," Newton said.

By January 2006, Kokomo Urban Outreach was incorporated and had a board of directors. The organization was up and running, providing meals to the community. It was "neighbors helping neighbors," as Newton described it.

The group served 800 meals on Sunday nights to children.

"We wanted to make sure they were rested for school," Newton said.

KUO went through a significant transition around the time a tornado ripped through Kokomo in 2016.

The people who came to KUO following the tornado repeatedly mentioned they needed a job; they were out of work. Instead of doling out grants, Kokomo Urban Outreach put people to work cleaning up the community. They earned their money.

Staff at KUO also observed teenagers returning, picking up food just like they had as young children.

"We'd been helping people through poverty and not out of poverty," Newton said.

The realization continues to guide the organization's mission today.

KUO started a program for adults where they would learn self-reliance skills to help escape poverty.

The program flopped. Only one person made it through. The problem was that adults were so ingrained in the cycle of poverty it was nearly impossible to change.

Newton and the staff transitioned one more time. They turned their focus to kids, establishing the UP (Unlimited Potential) program.

Children learn work ethic, life skills and the importance of education. Kids learn about finances, mental health and volunteer in the community. They earn points, which are redeemed for money. The end goal is to give them skills to be a self-reliant adult.

"Our overarching mission of the whole program is to stop generational poverty," Newton said.

Newton was inspired by "Toxic Charity," a book that argues that charitable giving misses the point and leads people to expect help, which perpetuates the cycle of poverty.

"It changes everybody who hears it," said Eulaine Delgado. "It changes everything."

Delgado, a retired Spanish teacher, had heard about KUO and recognized Newton as a former student.

Then she witnessed the kids in the UP program.

"I saw them being thoughtful, eager, hardworking," Delgado said. "I loved, loved, loved the program."

Delgado was a true believer. She became KUO's marketing director, leveraging her years of connections when the organization was nearly out of money.

She helped spread the mission of KUO. When people listened, money followed.

"Lots of things started happening when they heard the stories," Delgado said.

There are more than 300 kids in UP and MiniUP, a similar program for younger kids. More than 1,200 kids have been through the program.

Way down deep with Jeff and Kareen

Kareen Dunn sat at home day after day while on house arrest. He had promised his wife he would not go to prison. Dunn knew what would happen if he went back out on the streets. It's what had landed him on house arrest in the first place.

He volunteered with Kokomo Urban Outreach at the urging of his probation officer. Dunn, who is Black, will be the first to admit he had authority issues. He didn't trust anyone. It's how he grew up. And he especially didn't trust "a white dude" like Newton.

Dunn broke rules repeatedly. He wouldn't make kids wear seat belts; he'd take them home when told not to. Insurance and liability weren't concepts to someone who had grown up without them.

But Newton made it make sense. He explained why, if you love the kids, you make them wear a seat belt.

"At (that) point, I said 'I'm going to follow this dude,'" Dunn said.

It's one of Newton's defining qualities — the ability to explain "why."

Kelly Barker, an administrator at Kokomo School Corporation and KUO board member, said that not everyone believes in the KUO mission. But after hearing Newton talk, many come around.

"He's stellar at being able to explain the processes and the why," she said. "When Jeff does that, you hear the passion in his voice."

As he hung around the old church, Dunn saw kids who were growing up like he did — on the streets, normalizing struggles children shouldn't.

Dunn found his calling. Today, he is the director of both the UP and MiniUP programs.

"You think you have nothing to give people, but you have experience," he said. "I found my place is here. I was an asset to the program. I had a purpose to be here.

"It's one of the best things I've ever done in my life."

Dunn's role at KUO is an all-important one. He leads weekly huddles where UP kids talk about what they're going through. The talks are real and raw. Every student speaks. It's a confidence builder.

"He's tough on those kids," said Gene Kostrewa, a board member. "Why do they come back? Because he loves them."

"They know when they come through those doors, it's nothing but love," Dunn added.

Dunn serves as an intermediary between adults and kids. He knows the language of the streets and that of authority. With permission from parents, Dunn goes to schools if an UP member is in trouble.

Often times there is a disconnect between teacher or principal and student. The child might not understand what the problem is. Dunn bridges that gap.

Dunn and Newton come from completely different backgrounds. For as much as Dunn has learned since joining KUO, Newton has learned as much, if not more, from Dunn.

And it's knowledge both are happy to pass along. The two speak together, called "Way Down Deep Conversations," where they discuss their different cultures and upbringings.

"If people were willing to listen, it could educate a lot of people here in town," Barker said.

Those conversations will continue in retirement.

The next chapter

Deanna Ancil volunteered at a cookout and was shocked to see the food insecurity in her own community. That was 15 years ago. Now she works alongside Newton as KUO's associate director.

"He (Newton) has the biggest heart, and it's not just for kids but for people," Ancil said.

The story of Newton and Kokomo Urban Outreach is peppered with people who volunteered once or heard the stories of the organization's impact and stuck around.

Joel Larison was Facebook friends with Newton and intrigued by KUO's mission. When Newton approached Larison, pastor of Bridgeway Church, about joining the board, it was an easy decision.

"It's one of the greatest uses of my time ... to pour my energy into a group of people making a difference," Larison said.

Larison has been on the board for seven years and serves as president. He's not quite ready for Newton to leave.

"It's hard to think of the fabric of KUO and the community without his passion and his ability to make a difference," Larison said. "Jeff has helped people in the community understand that physical needs are faith needs."

Newton is ready to walk away. He doesn't want to stay too long and risk founder's syndrome setting in — when someone who starts an organization controls too much.

"I'm not usually like that, but I don't want to ever get like that," Newton said.

It's hard to imagine that happening to a man of Newton's caliber, but he's not taking any chances.

Larison and the rest of the board have their work cut out for them — find the next director of KUO.

But if there's one thing KUO knows, it's how to transition.

Newton won't leave until the end of next year. It will allow the board enough time to find the right candidate, who will train with Newton until they are ready to take over on their own.

"We really want Jeff and this (person) walking side by side for a period of time so those connections are made," Larison said.

When he does step away, KUO will still be there on Locke Street, a safe haven for hundreds of kids who need it. The people will be there, too.

People such as Ancil and Dunn, Larison and Barker. People who heard Newton's message and felt called to serve a greater purpose.

It'll be a little different, but as Newton has proven, one must embrace change to meet the needs of their neighbors.

"We know it won't look the same, but it doesn't have to be successful," Barker said.

Spencer Durham can be reached at 765-454-8598, by email at spencer.durham@kokomotribune.com or on Twitter at @Durham_KT.