Our Story

We started as the CHW Strength Foundation with a simple but powerful belief that Community Health Workers deserve to be strengthened, celebrated, and supported. Today, that mission is bigger than ever.

WHO WE ARE

A National Nonprofit Built for CHWs

By People Who Care

Nonprofits 4 CHWs, formerly CHW Strength Foundation, is a national nonprofit headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, serving Community Health Workers across the United States and Africa.

We were founded on the belief that CHWs are among the most vital and underrecognized members of the public health workforce. Through free membership, training, peer networks, advocacy, and recognition programs, we work every day to ensure that CHWs have everything they need to thrive.

Our Leadership

The People Behind the Mission

Our board and staff bring decades of experience in public health, community development, and nonprofit leadership.

Marco Thomas

Marco Thomas, MNS, CCHW, is the Executive Director of Nonprofit 4 CHWs (NP4CHWs) and a CHW workforce cultivator advancing health equity through training, mentorship, and advocacy. He has developed CHWs across the U.S. and internationally—from Virginia to California to Malawi, Uganda, the DRC, and Kenya.

"Empower the people. Equip the workers. Engage the Spirit. Repeat."

Stephanie Toney

Stephanie Toney is the Board President and a Hope Dealer who wakes up every morning with one mission: to evoke hope that moves communities forward.

Stephanie Toney is a certified Community Health Worker (CHW) and visionary at CHW Strength. With 25+ years in healthcare and a decade advancing the CHW workforce, she builds pathways for CHWs to lead, thrive, and become CEOs at the CHW CO-OP Company.

From local impact to global service in East Africa, her work centers on equity, connection, and community-driven solutions. She transforms bold ideas into real opportunities, strengthening both people and systems.

Stephanie Toney isn’t just shaping the future of public health, she’s building it with others.

Cozie Sawyer

Cozie Sawyer is a board member who brings more than two decades of accounting, finance, and operational leadership experience to CHW Strength. Her background includes financial oversight, budgeting, compliance, internal controls, and organizational operations across both startup and established companies.

With a strong commitment to community-centered initiatives, Cozie supports CHW Strength’s mission through strategic financial stewardship and operational guidance aimed at strengthening long-term organizational sustainability.

Patrice Shelton

Patrice Shelton is a board member and the founder and Executive Director of Hillside Court Partnership,
Certified Community Health Worker Senior and CHW Supervisor for Virginia
Department of Health/Richmond Henrico Health District for the past 12 plus
years.

While at RHHD she has helped with securing Grants and working with the
Data teams. Patrice has been a Notary since 2013. She has launched more than 14
groups and teams in Hillside Court/Richmond Public Housing (RRHA). She has help
the community members to know their worth and rights one at a time.

Our Mission

The mission is to strengthen community members by providing training and support so that community members can build careers as trusted community leaders who enhance the health of our communities.

Our Vision

A world where every Community Health Worker is recognized, resourced, and supported — and where every community has access to a trusted health leader who understands their needs.