About Us
We recognize the need to encourage families who are caring for these special people. Our family retreats provide a balanced schedule of workshops and activities for the family, as well as for each individual, while providing a refreshing and fun environment for the entire family.
The objective of our family retreats is to provide not only focused times of educating and providing resources, along with group activities and couple activities, but to provide opportunity for family character development. Principles, critical to the character of every individual and family, are emphasized with the hope of continued growth and development of these attributes in the lives of these specially gifted families.
We are eager to reach out to families affected by any disability, with particular emphasis on families with special needs children or adults. Our ultimate goal is to equip these special families for a more intimate faith in Christ, passionately lived out with love.
The Board
The goal that Justin and Tamara are leading TEF towards as it grows is to provide resources beyond the Family Retreats. Educational advocacy, counseling and special needs ministry resources are among the priorities of TEF as it grows. Critical to the need of any community is the local church. We are endeavoring to make the local church a focal point of support and foundation for any family that we are blessed with the opportunity to serve. Churches need not, necessarily, have a "special needs program" just people who love Jesus and are willing to extend that love and fellowship to someone in need. Most of the churches we link to through this site currently do not have a "special needs program" but have lovers of Jesus with an enfolding love for others. Justin and Tamara can be reached via email at Justin.Reimer@TheElishaFoundation.org
Cynthia White has been with TEF since the initial concepts started taking shape years back. Cynthia brings a wealth of health care education and experience as well as a vast business acumen. Her depth of love for children is evident in her involvement in various children's ministries and charities.
In the past Miss White has worked as Assistant to the Dean of the Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside. She has also taught management and human relations classes for the University of Phoenix. Her MBA carries a specialty in Health Care Management, her BS is in Vocational Education, and her AA is in Paralegal Studies. She has served on the boards of Secret Pal Angel Volunteers (an all volunteer group working with the frail and elderly in San Diego) and the Garden Grove Symphony in Orange County. Miss White is active in her church choir, enjoys sewing and other handcrafts, and can usually be found acting as an aunt or grandmother to one child or another in her life. Cynthia can be reached via email at Cynthia.White@TheElishaFoundation.org
Chris and Ashley Wick recently joined the Board of TEF. Chris and Ashley are the proud parents of Tahlia (4) and Mikaela (2). Chris and Ashley are graduates of The Masters College and worked for Sonshine Day School in Southern California for a number of years. They have a heart of ministry and particularly for children. Chris works as a police officer in Redmond, Oregon currently and was formerly a police officer with LAPD.
The Wick's were asked to be a part of TEF due to their sincere desire to serve families of people with special needs and to help TEF grow in its outreach abilities. They are deeply involved in the planning, praying, and support of TEF and help with maintaining and promoting the vision for the ministry. Chris and Ashley can be reached via email at Chris.Wick@TheElishaFoundation.org