Holding Steady When Everything Shifts: John Van Cleef on Leading Through Crisis

When the world feels like it’s unraveling, how do you hold your team—and your mission—together?

That question sits at the heart of a conversation between John Van Cleef, CEO of Community Resource Center (CRC) in North County San Diego, and May Harris, host of the Nonprofit Counsel Podcast. John leads an organization deeply woven into its community, one that exists to meet essential human needs—healthy food, stable homes, and safe relationships—with dignity and compassion.

But this episode isn’t just about what CRC does. It’s about how and why they do it—and what that says about leadership in times of uncertainty.

Seeing Need Where Others Don’t

CRC operates in a region many outsiders might assume doesn’t struggle—coastal North County, with its ocean views and comfortable neighborhoods, seems affluent and without the need of nonprofit support. Yet, as John explains, appearances can be deceiving. Even in affluent areas, hunger, housing insecurity, and domestic violence persist quietly behind closed doors.

Part of CRC’s work, he says, is helping the community see that need exists everywhere. “People often think, ‘There’s not much need here,’” John notes. “But we’ve seen a steady increase in people seeking help—especially since the pandemic.”

CRC serves more than 7,600 individuals a year and reaches even more through education and prevention programs in local schools. From food distribution and housing assistance to teaching youth about healthy relationships, the organization works across the full spectrum of human need.

The unifying thread, John explains, is dignity: “If you just boiled it down to one word, our vision is dignity.”

Caring for the Caregivers

As the conversation deepens, John and May explore an often-overlooked reality in nonprofit work—the toll that service takes on those who deliver it. CRC’s staff and volunteers face stories of trauma and hardship daily. They support people navigating crisis while also living through crises of their own.

That’s why John has made psychological safety a leadership priority. “We can’t control all of the chaos in the world,” he says. “But we can create a workplace that is as focused, supportive, and safe as possible.”

This focus on staff wellbeing isn’t symbolic. CRC builds it into their culture, whether it’s offering time for self-care, holding all-staff meetings that include sound baths and reflection, or simply acknowledging the emotional weight of the work.

It’s a reminder that resilience isn’t just an organizational quality—it’s a human one. Leaders must intentionally create conditions where their people can recover, connect, and keep showing up for the mission.

Advocacy as a Moral Imperative

Another thread woven through the episode is advocacy—something many leaders shy away from out of fear or misunderstanding. But John is clear: advocacy is not optional. It’s part of the responsibility of service.

He describes how CRC works with coalitions and state and national networks to ensure that policymakers understand the realities of their clients’ lives. From housing and food security to domestic violence protections, these advocacy efforts directly influence the systems and legislation that shape their community.

“We’ve not lost our voice,” John emphasizes. “And we need to still use our voice.”

For John, advocacy isn’t about partisanship—it’s about information and humanity. It’s about helping elected leaders make informed, compassionate decisions. And it’s about empowering nonprofits to speak on behalf of those who often cannot.

As he puts it, “If we don’t, who will?”

Perseverance, Perspective, and Purpose

John’s leadership philosophy can be summed up in two words: determined perseverance. The work is hard, he acknowledges. The crises are real and overlapping—what he calls a “polycrisis,” where economic strain, social tension, and mental health challenges converge. But perseverance and purpose, he believes, will always attract the resources and people needed to keep moving forward.

He also grounds his approach in something deeply personal. Reflecting on advice from his mother, John shares a phrase that has guided him through both youth and leadership: “Remember who you are and whose you are.”

It’s a simple line with powerful resonance for nonprofit professionals—an invitation to lead from identity and integrity, even when circumstances feel uncertain.

Finding Calm in the Chaos

For nonprofit leaders, this episode is both grounding and galvanizing. It’s a reminder that doing good work doesn’t mean doing easy work—and that the most effective organizations are those that care as much about their people as they do about their programs.

John’s reflections offer a quiet kind of wisdom: that clarity, compassion, and courage can coexist, even in crisis. And that advocacy—whether for your clients, your staff, or your mission—is one of the most powerful forms of care a nonprofit can practice.

If you’ve been wondering how to sustain your team’s energy, deepen your impact, or rediscover your own sense of purpose in the face of exhaustion, this conversation is worth every minute.