St. Gregory’s Parishioner Nominated for Woman Volunteer of the Year Award

Boca Raton, FL, November 3, 2015 — Madonna Turner, a dedicated St. Gregory's parishioner and volunteer with Family Promise of South Palm Beach County, was nominated for Woman Volunteer of the Year, an award given by the Junior League of Boca Raton. She and other nominees will be honored at the Junior League of Boca Raton’s 28th Annual Woman Volunteer of the Year Luncheon on Friday, November 6 at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. The finalist will be chosen at the luncheon.

About Sue Turner: Originally from Toledo, Ohio, Madonna Suzan Turner has lived in South Florida for the past 25 years. She has a long history of serving others, and is passionate about enabling others to live full, rewarding lives. In Ohio, Madonna was a Sunday School teacher for six years, and worked with Meals on Wheels, delivering meals to senior citizens year round.  In Florida, Madonna has been equally active and involved. She is a realtor and thrives in the role of ensuring that people are getting what they need. It is this ability to connect people and opportunities that has allowed Madonna to make such a significant impact in the lives of others.  Madonna has worked with Family Promise of South Palm Beach County (FPSPBC) as the Volunteer Donation Coordinator for four years. She also oversees the administration of the 260 House, owned by St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church. This house is where many of the families that come to Family Promise SPBC stay, and where they are cared for by volunteers from local churches and synagogues. She ensures that the house is cleaned and that the families have everything they need while they are staying there, including linens and non-perishable items.

Through her work with Family Promise SPBC, Madonna set up Past Perfect, which is a consignment furniture store.  Donations are made to the store, which provides Family Promise SPBC a monthly income. She has also established a close relationship with Habitat and those two programs allow the graduating families to acquire items they need for their new homes, such as furniture and dishes. In her role as realtor, Madonna is often able to locate rental homes for graduating families so she is truly able to support them in many different ways, but ultimately with the end goal of ensuring that they have a home and the resources to become financially secure.

As a board member of the Eastburn Advisory Committee, Madonna is involved in the annual grant-making process from the bequest of Jeffrey Eastburn to support the St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church ministries that assist Family Promise of South Palm Beach County and the South Florida Haiti Project.  Madonna is also actively involved in various other volunteer projects, one of which is her son, Nicolas Turner’s ministry “Surfers for Salvation” that helps children and families in Nicaragua. They help children and families by providing them with book bags, school supplies, clothing, shoes and funds.

Madonna is passionate in her volunteer work and a staunch supporter of the families that graduate from the Family Promise SPBC program, as well as the Executive Director and entire team who make the promise of a new life a reality for very deserving families.