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About Us
We Are Committed
The leadership team has
approved this initiative!
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Young ladies in foster care, often find it hard to adjust to life without a true family.
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We believe that we can have a positive impact on the way that they perceive life, especially in a family environment.
Queen Esther's Place
will be the difference.
Queen Esther’s Place
Queen Esther's Place is a Safe Haven for Girls in Foster Care ages 13-18 who have no place to go.
Our mission and purpose is to positively impact the lives of young girls in the foster care system by providing a stable, safe, and loving home environment. We will teach life skills to help them build self-esteem and worth. We will help to alleviate the housing shortage for this demographic.
Over 391,000 children and youth are in foster care. Studies show that 90% will experience severe trauma, only 50% will reunite with their biological family, and 25% will attempt suicide. Behavior and mental health are the largest unmet health needs for these teens and younger children. State organizations don't want children to remain in foster care indefinitely, so foster care is temporary. The agency wants to repair the problems that existed in the child's home or with his parents that resulted in the child being removed from them but navigating through and trusting that process can sometimes be the most difficult part for these children.
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This is where Queen Esther’s Place will play a vital role! When children are hard to place or suddenly lose placement, they oftentimes have nowhere to go. Although group homes and other congregate settings exist, sometimes these children are forced to live in a range of inappropriate settings such as—child welfare offices, emergency rooms, hotels, and homeless shelters. In addition to the alarming stats mentioned above, studies also show that 71% of the young women will be pregnant before their 21st birthday with half of their children destined to be placed in the foster care system as well.
We will commit to addressing mental health needs through activities and support groups by trained professionals.
We will provide emergency shelter, transportation, food, toiletries, and clothing items to the young ladies while they are in our care in addition to tutoring, teaching them life skills, Godly principles, and addressing their educational and career goals.
It is our goal to play a crucial role in the village. It takes a village to train up a child with girls being our target population.
We will partner with state agencies and other organizations to provide continuous support for each young lady who crosses our path as they transition into permanency and success.
When a young girl anxiously asks her case manager, “Have you found anyone to take me for tonight?" the answer will soon be, “Yes, Queen Esther’s Place!”.
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My vision is to secure our first Queen Esther's Place by our 50th Annual Women’s Convention!
Our Jurisdictional Women’s Department will accomplish this goal through the means of my initiative, “The Power of 75” annual expansion plan and Our Annual “All About The Girls” gala, along with strategic collaborations, donations and various special partnerships.
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“Together We Can Do This”
More information will be available…
Much Love & Blessings,
Supervisor LaShon Young
Woman's Dept.
CF 1st Jurisdiction
Central Florida
First Jurisdiction
Our Leadership
In Conjuction with
FRESH START
GLOBAL CDC INC.
Supervisor LaShon Young
Central Fl. 1st Jurisdiction
Founder and CEO of
Queen Esther's Place
Pastor LaShon Young is a native of Gainesville Florida. She is a second -generation life-long member of the Church of God in Christ, Inc.
In 2019 she launched Fresh Start Ministries of Gainesville.
In 2022 Dr. LaShon Young was appointed as the 4th in succession Jurisdictional Supervisor of the Women’s Department. She is a motivative and impactful leader of the women and the jurisdiction.
She is the Jurisdictional Supervisor of Women for the Central Florida First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction COGIC, under the leadership of Bishop Gary L. Hall Sr.
Pastor LaShon is one who believes in serving her community outside of the four walls of the church. Because of this belief she has given herself to community services.
For most of her adult life she has been a mentor to teen girls and has facilitated safe housing for them even if it was her home.
With the blessing of her jurisdictional prelate, Bishop Gary L. Hall Sr. she initiated Queen Esther’s Place, which is a safe haven for girls in the Foster Care system ages 13-18 who have no where to go.
It is her vision that Queen Esthers Place will be available in all three regions of their jurisdiction.
Bishop Gary L. Hall Sr.
Prelate
Prelate / Bishop
COGIC
Bishop Gary L. Hall, Sr. is the third child of William Henry & Bessie Lee Hall. He was born and educated in Jacksonville, Florida.
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Bishop Hall's life was radically transformed by God's power, after being exposed to the Word of God under the ministry of Bishop C. D. Kinsey, his mentor and father in the gospel. He accepted the call to servanthood in 1975 and in 1979 he was ordained as an Elder under the leadership of Bishop C. D. Kinsey.
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In 1993 he was appointed as pastor of the West Jacksonville Church of God in Christ, Jacksonville, Florida, where he currently serves as Senior Pastor.
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Bishop Hall is committed to worldwide evangelism. He continues to be active in international evangelism, traveling to Ghana, Africa each year conducting leadership workshops for pastors and leaders
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In November 2012 he was consecrated the holy office of Bishop. He now serves as the Jurisdictional Prelate of Central
Florida First Jurisdiction.
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Bishop Hall holds a Bachelors in Biblical Studies, a Masters in Theology and in 2000 he received his Doctorate in Christian Education from Truth Bible College & Seminary in Jacksonville, Florida, which is now known as Truth University.
COGIC
Central Florida First
Ecclesiastical
Jurisdiction
Central Florida First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, COGIC is one of the eight jurisdictions in the state of Florida belonging to the Church of God in Christ, Inc.
The jurisdiction was formed in 1953 and has grown and flourished through the years as several Bishops served well until their demise.
In 2003 the then Jurisdictional Prelate, Bishop C.D. Kinsey transitioned. After his death, Central Florida Third Jurisdiction was divided by the National leadership into Central Florida First and 2nd with the appointment of Bishop Rushie L. Dixon.
The jurisdiction continued to flourish under his leadership as he unified the people with his slogan, “We are Better Together”.
After his demise in 2012, Bishop Gary L. Hall Sr, who is a very progressive and visionary leader, was appointed as Prelate.
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Central Florida First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, COGIC has grown to over 60 churches which reaches from the Panhandle of Florida to the Northeast of Florida. It is comprised of a diverse congregate of innovative Pastors and leaders.
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This jurisdiction is known for its kindness and community work. We believe, when we obey God, people are blessed.
Queen Esther’s Place
