Board Member Spotlight: Lou Kallas

Although Lou Kallas loves to share how he is happily retired and enjoying life, he is also a big part of Reach. Serving as board treasurer, Lou has been committed to ensuring the organization has the resources needed to make a positive impact on the community. For more than 30 years, Reach has been part of Kallas’ life. What began as a way for his family to volunteer together in the early 1990s grew into a lasting commitment to serving neighbors in need. Over time, Lou started recognizing Reach clients around town and seeing them not as strangers, but as individuals with stories, challenges, and hopes of their own. "Once I saw them as individuals, they were no longer invisible," he says.

That realization strengthened both his understanding of community needs and his desire to help, making board service a natural next step - and since 2020, Lou has been a dedicated Board member, stepping up to become treasurer in 2024. As treasurer, he plays a vital role in financial oversight and leading the Finance Committee, while working closely with our executive director and board chair.

"Lou has spent countless hours to make sure that we have accurate financial information so that we can make responsible decisions and anticipate our ongoing financial needs," says Board Chair Judy Ackerman. "Under his leadership the Finance Committee is highly engaged in advising Reach. I can always count on Lou reaching out when he thinks that there is something that we need to do to help Reach."

When Lou reflects on Reach's impact, he thinks about the people behind the programs. He remembers a family arriving at the clinic anxious and defensive, then leaving smiling. He remembers the relief on a client's face upon learning that a COVID vaccine was free. He remembers the smile of a Language Outreach Program graduate. For him, these moments are powerful reminders of what happens when people feel supported, welcomed, and cared for.

His commitment to service is rooted in gratitude. ”I mainly owe any privilege I have to the post-WWII safety net that allowed my father, a first generation American, to buy a house through the VA mortgage program and attend college at night via the GI bill”. Helping provide a similar safety net for today's families and new neighbors feels like a meaningful way to give back.

The cause closest to his heart is keeping families together and safe, a value that aligns closely with Reach's mission. A Montgomery County resident since 1987, Lou enjoys spending time with his wife, Pat, especially traveling in their camper van. He also enjoys walking with his dog, attending performances at Arena Stage, cheering on the Nationals and Georgetown basketball, visiting Glenstone, and staying active at the Rockville Senior Center gym.

Lou shares with us how he is a devoted Georgetown basketball fan who has held season tickets for more than 40 years. His loyalty has remained strong through every season, whether the team is winning or not.