About

EMPOWERING YOU TO CARE FOR
ORPHANED AND VULNERABLE YOUTH.

OUR MISSION: Equipping vulnerable young adults including those who have aged out of foster care to thrive instead of survive through supportive housing, structured programs, and mentoring.

OUR VISION: to reverse the cycles of abuse, neglect, poverty, and homelessness for vulnerable young adults including those who have aged out of foster care.

Our Core Values:

A Safe Place: For the young adults we serve, this means we are a safe place where they can begin to heal and are free to dream of a new life. For our staff and volunteers, we encourage new ideas that will help us grow and better serve our young adults.
Fully Transparent: We are fully transparent in all we do from programs to finances, and policies.
Unwavering Faith: Our faith in Jesus is the foundation for what we do and how we love.
Building Community: We cannot do this alone. Partnering with other organizations, government agencies, volunteers, churches, and businesses help us to serve our young adults to the best of our ability.
Intentionally Seeking: To build bridges for foster youth and the foster care community.
Always Learning: We are always researching new ideas, methods, programs, and services to grow and evolve with the needs of our young adults.

Meet The Team

Kathy Lista
Founder and Director
Angie Caldwell
Program Coach
Symone’ Thompson
Program Director

Board of Directors

Ron Galecki
Board Chair
Ron Galecki joined the Board of Directors for The Open Door House in 2023, and currently serves as Board Chair. Ron was previously Vice President of Dispersions for BASF Corporation, a division of the world’s largest chemical industry. Throughout his 40-year career he held numerous leadership roles in the automotive and chemical industry sectors and started his career with General Motors Corporation in Lansing, Michigan as an automotive engineer. Ron holds a BSE in Mechanical Engineering and MBA in Marketing and Corporate Strategy, both from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Ron and his wife Jennifer have been members and active volunteers of Venture Church in Harrisburg, North Carolina since 2013. They also regularly volunteer at the Harrisburg Food Pantry, picking up and delivering donations from local grocers to the Food Pantry.
Heather Taylor
Board Member
Heather Taylor brings over 22 years of financial services experience to her role as a Board member of The Open Door House. She specializes in retirement plans that help corporate clients attract and retain key talent. Heather is an active supporter of animal rescue, historic preservation, and economic development efforts in her local community. She and her husband own a business and commercial property in downtown Concord, and she has served as a Board member of The Residents of Historic Concord and Concord Downtown Development Corporation.
Jane Cauthen
Board Member
Jane Cauthen worked in all aspects of Child Welfare, spending the majority of her career in the areas of Foster Care and Adoption. She retired after 30 years of service and joined The Open Door House Board of Directors in 2021. Jane is also an active member of the Leadership Team at St. James Anglican Church in Mt. Pleasant, serves on the Sonshine Backpack Board and the Cabarrus County Agricultural Fair Board and is a member of the St John's Grange and FFA Alumni Board. Jane truly embodies servanthood.
Kathleen Reeder
Board Member
Kathleen Reeder and her husband Justin have owned The Bead Lady in Downtown Concord for 22 years. Kathleen is also active in the Downtown Concord business community, helping to promote the message of Shop Local. Kathleen's philosophy is customers and partners are always first above all else in her daily business life. She and her husband are constantly seeking God, balance, and truth. Giving back to the community is their heartbeat and one of the principle reasons why their business has survived 22 years- people come first. Kathleen also serves on the Concord Downtown Developement Corporation.