William Collier
Deacon
Center of Hope International Church
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: William Collier, 47, has been a deacon at Center of Hope International (COHI), a Long Island City church serving the community of the Queensbridge Houses. As a deacon, Collier opens and closes the church, at 12-11 40th Avenue, and assists the bishop.
One of the things he’s done for the church is to persuade his current employer, FreshDirect, an online gourmet food purveyor in Long Island City, to donate $1,500 for food to his church’s pantry, Bread of Life, which is open on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from noon to 2:30 p.m.
Because of Collier’s commitment to the community, on Wednesday, October 29, FreshDirect honored him with the title “FreshDirect Hero.”
“It’s there, but it hasn’t sunk in yet. It’s like when you buy a new house but it hasn’t sunk in yet that you have a new home,” Collier said about the honor.
PERSONAL: Collier joined COHI four years ago, after having recently moved to Queensbridge, in search of spiritual growth. He found that - and more. “It was feeding my spirit and it was helping me get on my feet,” Collier said, explaining that at the time he also started using the services of the East River Development Alliance (ERDA), an organization housed in the same building as the church and founded by the church’s bishop, Mitchell Taylor.
Through ERDA, a provider of social and educational services to public housing residents of West Queens, Collier got his job with FreshDirect four years ago. “Bishop took me to FreshDirect and we filled out an application,” Collier recalled.
Soon, FreshDirect hired him as a shipper, a job that involved packing the trucks that deliver food. Not seeing room for growth at that position, Collier applied for a different job at FreshDirect - in the walk-in freezer. This position required him to go to the freezer to get ice cream, veggies and other products to be delivered. Soon, Collier rose to his current junior leadership position in the freezer, where he delegates work to people doing what he used to do in the freezer.
This taught him some leadership lessons. “If six things need to be done, you have to delegate at least four,” said Collier, who’s married and has three children.
INSPIRATION: Being able to help others is what motivates Collier to serve his community. “I feel great when somebody wants to go in the right direction.”
BIGGEST CHALLENGE: “Some people just don’t want help,” Collier said. “But, if one turns down, ten more take it.”
FONDEST MEMORY: One of Collier’s favorite memories is about a friend of his who succeeded with the church’s help.
When the 29-year-old man started coming to the church four years ago, he was confused about his life; but he transformed because of the Bible study sessions he attended, Collier said. Soon he landed a job with Chase, moved out of Queensbridge and bought a house in New Jersey. Now he’s a manager at Chase, Collier said. “That’s growth.”
