John Bates

John Bates is no stranger to caring for the vulnerable and neglected. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated his passions for juvenile justice, the foster care system, alternative education for adults, and crime prevention in cities.

After graduating from West Virginia Wesleyan College with a BA in Psychology and Social Services, John began as a Program Administrator working with students with behavioral problems in Philadelphia. He worked for the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families for seventeen years, supervising and managing foster care programs, and served on the board of State Foster Care Managers. John has also served as the director of Bancroft Vocational Day Program for Autistic Adults in Mullica, New Jersey. He founded a nonprofit called We are One to serve boys from single-mother households and provide them with adult male role models.