The Center for Community Transformation (CCT) did not begin with a strategic blueprint. It began with a simple conviction that lasting community transformation starts by listening. More than a decade later, that same commitment continues to shape how CCT equips entrepreneurs, strengthens churches, develops nonprofit leaders, and invests in communities across the Central Valley.
On July 15, 2012, Randy White and Jeanette Jaurena walked into a new office at Fresno Pacific University with a vision, a willingness to learn, and no way of knowing what the future would hold. There was no detailed strategic plan or a roadmap for the years ahead. There was simply a desire to help communities flourish by listening to people, building relationships, and responding to real needs.
More than a decade later, Jeanette still remembers the day without hesitation.
“Life-changing date for us both,” Jeanette says with a smile.
That one day became the beginning of what is now the Center for Community Transformation (CCT). While the programs have grown and evolved, the mission has remained remarkably consistent.
A Vision Bigger Than a Program
Long before CCT existed, Randy had spent years working with leaders across the United States and around the world. He had seen communities facing poverty, broken relationships, and economic hardship. He had also seen what was possible when local leaders were equipped to create lasting change.
When Fresno Pacific University invited him to establish a new center, Randy saw an opportunity to bring those experiences home.
“What God had put on my heart was something far more interested in mobilizing and equipping God’s people to pursue projects that would affect transformation,” Randy says, and that vision became the foundation of CCT.
Randy wanted to build an organization that listened first. He believed every community already possessed gifts, ideas, and leaders capable of making a difference. The role of CCT would be to help those people succeed.
Building Without a Blueprint
Starting a new organization meant figuring things out one step at a time. Randy focused on building relationships throughout the Valley while Jeanette, CCT’s first Administrative Assistant, transformed ideas into systems, coordinated events, and kept everything moving behind the scenes. The work was exciting, but it was also unpredictable.
“There was a lot of experimentation involved in that process,” Randy recalls.
Each new partnership and opportunity required them to learn something new. Over time, they developed a rhythm that made even the busiest seasons feel manageable.
“Eventually, we shared one brain cell where he would start a conversation and say, ‘Who is the person that…’ and I’d be able to answer,” Jeanette says.
It is a lighthearted memory, but it reflects the trust that shaped CCT from the beginning. Together, they learned to adapt, solve problems, and follow opportunities as they emerged instead of forcing a predetermined plan.
Listening Before Leading
One decision shaped nearly every program CCT would eventually launch. Instead of asking what programs they wanted to create, they asked what the community actually needed. Those conversations revealed recurring challenges. Churches wanted practical leadership training. Families needed financial education. Entrepreneurs were looking for guidance and encouragement. Nonprofits wanted sustainable ways to strengthen their communities. Jeanette believes that willingness to listen became one of CCT’s greatest strengths.
“The CCT really fills a niche that is needed in the community,” she says. “I think we listen to what the community needs.”
That mindset influenced everything that followed. Programs like Faith & Finances helped families gain confidence in managing their money. Leadership initiatives equipped pastors to better serve their congregations. Entrepreneurship programs created new opportunities for business owners to strengthen their neighborhoods. As new needs surfaced, CCT continued to respond. The programs looked different, but they were all driven by the same mission, which was to help communities flourish.
When Transformation Becomes Personal
For Randy, one story captures why CCT exists. During a Faith & Finances class, participants learned practical skills for budgeting and managing money. One participant, Maria, realized her financial future could have looked very different if she had learned those principles years earlier, and she became emotional as the realization sank in.
Months later, she had changed the way she managed her finances, started saving money, and created greater stability for her family. Stories like Maria’s reminded the team that transformation often begins with one conversation, one lesson, or one new opportunity. Jeanette has witnessed countless moments like that over the years.
“Seeing those light bulb moments go off and the transition in lives that happens,” she says, “it really makes it all worthwhile.”
Those moments reinforced an important lesson that real transformation rarely happens overnight. It grows through relationships, practical support, and people who are willing to invest in others.
A Mission That Continues to Grow
As CCT listened to the community, new opportunities continued to emerge. Pastors needed accessible leadership development, leading to new ministry training programs. Entrepreneurs needed coaching and encouragement, inspiring initiatives like LaunchPad and Spark Tank. Churches and nonprofits wanted to create sustainable employment opportunities for people facing barriers to work, opening doors for innovative social enterprise initiatives. While the work expanded, the mission never changed.
Jeanette summed up their goal in one sentence. “Ultimately, the goal is transformation.” Randy agreed.
Whether CCT is supporting entrepreneurs, equipping pastors, developing nonprofit leaders, or strengthening schools and neighborhoods, every initiative points toward that same purpose. Looking back, neither Randy nor Jeanette could have imagined how far CCT would reach. What started with two people, a shared vision, and countless conversations has become an organization serving communities across the Central Valley and beyond.
Because lasting community transformation has never been about having all the answers. It begins by recognizing the potential that already exists within a community and walking alongside the people who are committed to helping it flourish.
