News & Updates

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Steve retired in 2005 after a twenty-eight year career with Wachovia Corporation.  During his last four years with the bank, he led the Wachovia Foundation, directing all community, philanthropic, and employee involvement activities for the company. 

Since his retirement, he has been active with the Augustine Project, a literacy initiative which provides tutors for low-income students.  He has been active in the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network for the past ten years, and is a lay leader at St Peter’s Episcopal Church.  Bentley served two terms on the board of the United Way of the Central Carolinas, was board chair of Community Works at United Way, and has served on the grants panel for ArtsTeach. 

He holds degrees from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Purdue University and is a certified diversity practitioner

You can reach Steve through email at   ceo@timeoutyouth.org

CHARLOTTE WOMAN TO RECEIVE HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD

Ms. Tonda Taylor, long-time activist and resident of Charlotte, NC, will be receiving a newly instituted Human Rights award from the congregation of New Life Metropolitan Community Church of Charlotte. This award, which will come to bear her name, shall be presented at a special service on Sunday, June 22, at 7:00pm, at New Life church, located at 1900 The Plaza.

A native of Charlotte, Ms. Taylor founded “Time Out Youth” in 1991 as the city’s first support group for lesbian, gay, and questioning youth. Over the following thirteen years, she spearheaded efforts to provide counsel, support, emergency housing, and a variety of educational and social events for some of the most at-risk individuals in our area. She also brought together the first Southeastern Youth Conference for LGBT youth and their allies. Additionally, she convened meetings on human rights with school principles and superintendents, civic and religious leaders, and elected officials.

Following her work with “Time Out Youth,” Tonda Taylor began directing her efforts on behalf of human rights more broadly, resurrecting and reinvigorating the Charlotte chapter of Amnesty International, of which she is currently the coordinator. The mission of Amnesty International is “to undertake research and action focused on
preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental
integrity, freedom of conscience and expression, and freedom from
discrimination.” Ms. Taylor is dedicating herself to acting locally and statewide, as well as internationally.

The New Life Metropolitan Community Church is part of a Christian denomination that welcomes and affirms all persons, and seeks itself to support and celebrate human rights. New Life’s Human Rights Award will be given annually, starting this year.