About Unity4Kids
Unity4Kids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit humanitarian charity designed to help children and families in crisis — growing from the employees of Spencer Home Center and the community outreach efforts they've championed for years.
Born from Community, Driven by Compassion
Unity4Kids was founded in October 2024 with a simple but powerful belief: no child in our community should go without the basics they need to thrive. Based in Lexington, Virginia, we serve children and families across Rockbridge, Bath, and Alleghany Counties — neighbors helping neighbors, one family at a time. Unity4Kids grew from the employees of Spencer Home Center. Led by Eric Spencer, Spencer Home Center is built on a foundation of community and family. With Eric's leadership, the community outreach of Spencer Home Center continues to grow.
What began as a vision to bridge gaps in our community has grown into a network of programs that meet families where they are. Each month, we deliver roughly 500 meals to children and families in Rockbridge County. Our food pantry, clothes closet, and hygiene support programs ensure that essentials are always within reach. When crisis strikes, our comfort and crisis bags and emergency financial aid offer immediate relief. And through initiatives like Unity Reads, back-to-school drives, holiday outreach, and cancer care packs, we're investing in children's futures — not just their immediate needs.
Since our founding, we've served more than 800 children and distributed over 400 emergency food boxes. But the numbers only tell part of the story. Behind every meal delivered and every book placed in a child's hands is a relationship — built on trust, dignity, and compassion.
We don't do this work alone. Unity4Kids partners with schools, food banks, law enforcement, social services, and faith communities across our region, because we believe lasting impact comes from a community united around its children.
Faith that unites. Hope that inspires. Impact that lasts.
Our Mission Statement
Our mission is to help children and families in crisis. We make a positive impact by offering hope, sharing love, and letting families know that they are not alone. We love those that we help unconditionally regardless of their situation.
It is our desire to instill faith, God's love, and belief in humanity to each and every child and family we help. In a world that is divided, we bring people together by uniting them to help meet the needs of children and families.
We work to build communities of hope by supporting vulnerable families to overcome adversity and promote well-being. We strive to provide community connections and self-sufficiency.
Meet Our Board
Dedicated community members united by a shared commitment to serving families and children in need.
Tammy Reid
Director | CFO, Spencer Home Center
Tammy is the CFO at Spencer Home Center and holds a Master's in Accounting. She serves as Treasurer for Rockbridge Recovery and sits on the Board of Directors for The Community Table and the Buena Vista Police Foundation. She is a member of the Rockbridge Housing Coalition and Live Healthy Rockbridge, and has worked with Rockbridge Christmas Baskets for many years.
Rob Rothenberger
Board Member
Retired Air Force veteran with 20 years of service and a Liberty University graduate in Biblical and Theological Studies. An active member of Calvary Brethren Church, Rob is passionate about nurturing children's potential and spiritual growth.
Edie Rothenberger
Board Member
Edie retired from Walmart after 27 years and brought with her essential organizational and communication skills. She launched the Clothes Closet and Unity4Kids Food Pantry that are located at Calvary Brethren Church. Edie has been essential to the success of the Clothes Closet, Food Pantry and to all of the various programs of Unity4Kids. Edie is a founding member of Unity4Kids and volunteers 20–25 hours a week for the organization. She is an active member of Calvary Brethren Church with deep community ties and a love for helping people.
Billy Reid
Director of Broadband, BARC Electric
A lifelong Rockbridge County resident and member of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Billy assists with Unity4Kids operations and brings strong community connections to the organization.
Bobbie Wagner
Executive Director, Alleghany Highlands YMCA
A graduate of Radford University and George Williams College with a master's focused on nonprofit management. Past president of Lexington Rockbridge Chamber of Commerce, Bobbie brings extensive nonprofit leadership experience.
Eric Spencer
President & Owner, Spencer Home Center
A Randolph-Macon College graduate, Eric sits on the Board of Directors of Cornerstone Bank. His compassion and community leadership inspired the founding of Unity4Kids, growing from Spencer Home Center's outreach efforts.
Ron Ginder
Board Member
Ron Ginder is a Lexington, Virginia resident with more than 40 years of Human Resource Management experience across federal, corporate, and nonprofit sectors. He holds a B.A. in Sociology from Washington & Lee University, an MBA from George Washington University, and completed the Executive Management Program at UVA's Darden School of Business. Most recently, Ron served as the Inaugural Director of Human Resources for the Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine, FL, overseeing 100+ organizations and 2,600 employees across 17 counties while chairing Pension and Investment committees overseeing approximately $240M in assets. Previously, he served as Senior HR Manager at Anheuser-Busch, Inc., leading HR teams at regional breweries in Florida and Texas, after beginning his career as an HR Management Trainee with the Department of the Navy at the Naval Supply Center in Norfolk. In the community, Ron handcrafts approximately 650 wooden toys and games annually for Rockbridge Christmas Baskets, is an active member of Campus Ministry at St. Patrick Catholic Church, and was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society, in May 2025.
MJ Ginder
Board Member
MJ Ginder is a Lexington, Virginia resident with a Bachelor of Science in Family & Child Development from Virginia Tech. She brings decades of experience in education, community outreach, and nonprofit work — including nearly two decades as Community Outreach Coordinator at Twin Lakes Academy Elementary in Jacksonville, Florida, where she built business partnerships, secured donations, oversaw mentorship programs, and managed school communications. Earlier in her career, she spent nearly ten years teaching K–4 in public and private schools, and also contributed to the development team at Catholic Charities Jacksonville. MJ is an active member of St. Patrick Catholic Church and its Campus Ministry program. She also volunteers two days a week at the RARA Food Pantry. In her free time, she enjoys walking, swimming, and traveling.
Lorelei Pisha, Ed.D.
Professional Development Consultant, Virginia Early Intervention Professional Development Center, Partnership for People with Disabilities, VCU
Lorelei Pisha, Ed.D., is an early childhood intervention specialist with more than 20 years of experience supporting young children and their families. Her work spans a range of roles, including educator, parent coach, teacher trainer, and program developer, with a strong focus on building the skills of both pre-service and in-service professionals. Dr. Pisha is especially passionate about fostering and sustaining community partnerships that help prevent or reduce stressors affecting child development while strengthening families' capacity to support healthy, thriving children. She currently serves as a Professional Development Consultant with the Virginia Early Intervention Professional Development Center at Virginia Commonwealth University, working remotely to support practitioners across the state. A native of Rockbridge County, Dr. Pisha is delighted to return to her home community with her two daughters and is honored to participate in Unity4Kids' phenomenal grassroots efforts to respond to the needs of local community members.
Sheriff Tony A. McFaddin, Jr.
Sheriff, Rockbridge County & City of Lexington
Sheriff Tony A. McFaddin, Jr. is the 59th duly elected Sheriff of Rockbridge County and the City of Lexington. A native of Rockbridge County and graduate of Natural Bridge High School, he holds an Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice from Eastern Gateway Community College. Over more than 30 years in law enforcement, Sheriff McFaddin has served in numerous roles including Patrol Deputy, Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Investigator, Drug Investigator, K-9 Deputy, and Investigations Sergeant. He also served as a Virginia Conservation Police Officer before returning to the Sheriff's Office in 2013. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 2015, then selected as Chief Deputy in 2016 — a role he continued under Sheriff Funkhouser beginning in 2019. Sheriff McFaddin is a certified DCJS General Instructor and Defensive Tactics Instructor, and a graduate of Northwestern University's School of Police Staff and Command, the Virginia Forensic Science Academy, and the Virginia Conservation Police Academy. He has earned the Professional Certification for Sheriffs from the Virginia Sheriffs Institute. He serves on the boards of the Rockbridge Area Department of Social Services, the Rockbridge Regional Public Safety Emergency Communications Center, Mountain Gateway Community College and its Educational and Real Estate Foundations, the Rockbridge Regional Jail Commission, and the advisory board for the Mountain Gateway Community College Criminal Justice Program.
Stephanie Noel-Branch
Board Member | BSN, RN | Buena Vista City Council Member
Stephanie Noel-Branch is a BSN, RN, educator, and public servant with more than 24 years of combined healthcare, business, and leadership experience. She serves as a Buena Vista City Council Member and chairs the Citizens Advisory Committee. Stephanie is also a member of the Outdoor Spaces Committee, the Lexington-Rockbridge-Buena Vista Economic Development Committee, Healthy Rockbridge Community Outreach, the Palliative Care Partnership Roanoke Valley, the PCPRV Planning Committee Subgroup, and the Virginia POST Quality Committee. Her deep roots in healthcare and civic leadership make her a tremendous asset to Unity4Kids and the families we serve.
Join Our Mission
Whether you donate, volunteer, or spread the word — every act of kindness helps a family in need.