Elaine Mendes
Board Clerk
she, her, hers
Elaine was born and raised in Governador Valadares, a city near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and is the third of nine children. To Elaine, being in a large family started her in her ‘organizing path’, a path that continued from the age of fourteen when she got involved in community events.
She graduated from university with a degree in education and a diploma in child psychology. She taught for ten years. At that point she took a course in philanthropy and thus began a travel adventure that took her through the countries in the southern cone of South America. Elaine worked with indigenous communities and youth throughout while learning Spanish and appreciating other cultures.
Upon returning to Brazil, she continued her studies with a master’s degree in theology. For the past thirteen years Elaine has been in Chelsea as pastor of a community church and center that has as a basic tenet “we may not be able to change the world, but we can change lives.”
The Revival Center offers classes in English, Martial Arts, twice-a-week food pantries, support groups all with an emphasis on health and social justice.