A Brother’s Influence, a Leader’s Calling: Meet Fred Baerenz
A Story That Started with David
When Fred Baerenz was recently elected Chair of the Board of Jill’s House, it wasn’t simply the next step in an accomplished career. In many ways, it was the continuation of a story that began decades ago with his older brother, David.
David had Down syndrome. Growing up, Fred never thought of him as “the child with a disability.” Though some people had a hard time understanding David’s speech, Fred understood every word. David was his big brother, his best friend, and his constant companion. But Fred also witnessed something else: the extraordinary love, sacrifice, and perseverance of parents raising a child with intellectual disability.
“My parents taught me what faithful love looks like,” Fred says. “They carried an incredible responsibility with grace.”
His father served two tours in Vietnam while his mother cared for David and navigated years of serious medical challenges with Fred’s older sister. Looking back, Fred recognizes how profoundly a ministry like Jill’s House could have encouraged his own family.
“When I first learned about Jill’s House, it resonated immediately,” he says. “I deeply understood the life-changing impact that Jill’s House programs could have on families affected by intellectual disability.”
That personal connection is one reason Fred and his wife, Sheila, have been part of the Jill’s House story since before it even opened its doors. Together, they have faithfully supported the ministry for nearly three decades—as volunteers, advocates, donors, and friends. After a distinguished career building a nationally respected wealth management firm, Fred now brings both strategic leadership and a deeply personal passion to his role as Board Chair.
Leadership as Stewardship
For Fred, however, leadership isn’t about titles. “It’s about stewardship,” he says. “Every generation has the responsibility to build on what those before us have faithfully created. That’s how we honor what God has done and prepare for what He wants to do next.”
That perspective shapes the vision he sees for Jill’s House. Fred sees enormous potential to build on the ministry’s strong foundation—serving more families well, stewarding resources wisely, developing outstanding leaders, and ensuring Jill’s House remains healthy for generations to come. From that position of strength, he believes the ministry can extend its impact to even more families throughout Virginia and, over time, across the country.
Fred is quick to point out that this work is never about one person. He speaks with gratitude for the board members (past and present), staff, volunteers, and supporters who have faithfully built Jill’s House over the past two decades, and with excitement about serving alongside CEO Dana Hecht as the ministry enters its next chapter.
The Best Days Are Still Ahead
“I truly believe the best days of Jill’s House are still ahead,” he says. “God has given this ministry an incredible foundation. Our responsibility now is to build on it faithfully so that even more families experience His love, care, rest and hope.”
As Jill’s House looks to the future, we’re grateful for leaders like Fred—and for the many staff, volunteers, donors, and board members who share his commitment to serving families with love, excellence, and compassion. Together, they are helping ensure that the next generation of families find the same rest, belonging, and community that have defined Jill’s House from the very beginning.
