Member spotlight: Matt Barber
January 11, 2021
Opportunities to lend a helping hand led Brevard County native to his career … and to Rotary
Matt Barber
found Rotary to be an excellent fit with his values and career path.
His father taught him to pursue both a career and a calling: something that pays the bills and, simultaneously, makes a positive difference in people’s lives. Accordingly, he attended the University of Central Florida to study health services administration – a field that could deliver on both counts.
His father taught him to pursue both a career and a calling: something that pays the bills and, simultaneously, makes a positive difference in people’s lives. Accordingly, he attended the University of Central Florida to study health services administration – a field that could deliver on both counts.
Barber is now director of development at St. Francis Reflections Lifestage Care. His healthcare career spans more than 18 years of helping administer various services, including emergency department services, surgery, home healthcare and hospice.
“I enjoy the opportunity of helping others, especially with services that people don't have a lot of insight into,” said Barber, a Brevard County native. “It’s one of my jobs to help people understand what resources are available to them and to their families.”
St. Francis Reflections Lifestage Care has provided hospice services in Brevard County
for more than 40 years. The organization’s services include all stages of end-of-life care, from pre-hospice to post-hospice. That includes care for patients in their homes.
“Concerning hospice, there's a lot of misunderstanding about the qualifications for the services, and what those services provide to patients,” he said. “That's where I like to come into play and make a difference.”
Barber believes in service above self, and his role with St. Francis Reflections Foundation ties into that mission well. Part of his work is educating the community, meeting with individuals and speaking to groups about the organization’s mission. He makes people aware of the many opportunities to provide gifts, volunteer and use their skills to support that mission. As individuals and companies learn of the important work at St. Francis Reflections, Barber finds new partners in philanthropy.
He also strives to show the community how St. Francis Reflections lives the Rotary Four-Way Test daily. Barber's desire to make a difference and live by these principles was one of the factors that prompted him to join Rotary.
“I checked out several Rotary clubs and attended their meetings,” he said. “But Rockledge Rotary just had a great group of energetic people and there were a lot of things happening there. It’s an excellent opportunity to connect with the community and get to know a lot of people.”
A husband and father of two teenage sons, Barber enjoys a range of outdoor activities that includes biking, surfing
and fishing. “I really enjoy anything that involves spending time with my family outdoors,” he said.
Peace professionals become effective catalysts for change
Rotarian sails the lagoon, once bagged an ample alligator
Rotarian is all about books, baseball and working smarter
‘Service Above Self’ motto strikes chord with longtime Rotarian
'It's hard to remember when I ever did anything else.'
Helping others succeed, from Japan to the Space Coast
Careers take Rockledge Rotary’s president-elect to the Pacific Northwest, the Middle East and the Space Coast
Local Rotarian returns to Florida after insurance business keeps him on the move for 23 years
Rotarian Duane Daski is a member of the Rockledge City Council and has extended his service to countless people through volunteer work over many years. “I've always been involved in giving back and helping out,” Daski said. “I’m a big-time believer in giving back to your community whenever you can and helping out in any way you can.”
Cheryl Cominsky just wanted to do a little volunteering for The Children’s Hunger Project – that’s all. It turned out to be more than that. In April 2020, she became the nonprofit organization’s executive director. “I started as an office volunteer and then it just became my heart,” said Cominsky, a Rockledge Rotarian . “It was never my aspiration to be executive director. I didn't walk in here with that idea in mind.” The Children’s Hunger Project in Cocoa is addressing a gap in schoolchildren’s meal programs. While in-school breakfast and lunches are available during the week, some children go hungry on weekends. In response to this problem, volunteers for the organization get together and pack weekend food packages that teachers place into the children’s backpacks. The packages contain nutritious, easy-to-prepare foods these children can bring home on Fridays. Volunteers meet at the Cocoa location to prep the weekend food packages. A number of businesses, civic groups and faith communities in the area support the effort with generous donations. “It’s just wonderful to be supported and surrounded by so many good people,” Cominsky said. The Children’s Hunger Project has been in Brevard County for 11 years. It started out serving 27 students. Now, the program is in 46 elementary schools helping to feed about 2,700 every week. In the early days of the pandemic, the number of meals served reached 6,000 but has since tapered off. “We're 72 miles of beautiful beaches with spaceships and rocket launches , but we still have families and children who need help,” she said. A New Jersey native, Cominsky moved to Florida with her husband and son in 2000 (a second son was born in 2002). The move came after she spent years in Pennsylvania managing sales for a software-reselling business. After that job brought the family to the Florida east coast, her husband's job prompted a move to Tampa. Seven years ago, they relocated to Viera . For much of her adult life, Cominsky has been involved in volunteer efforts, helping organize events, fundraisers, and functioning in other child-advocacy capacities. “You’ve got to care for other people,” she said. “Everybody needs some help sometimes.”