The Green River Asset Building Coalition (GRABC) has appointed Courtney McCarthy as its new executive director, bringing with her more than a decade of leadership experience in housing, operations, and community services.
McCarthy, who began the role in early September, succeeds Teresa Thomas, who she said helped expand GRABC’s reach and solidify its reputation as a vital community resource.
“Theresa had done a lot of growth for the organization, and she was very well organized,” McCarthy said. “It’s really felt like I’ve been able to pick up the mantle and run with it.”
A Kentucky Wesleyan College graduate, McCarthy previously worked at Audubon Area Community Services, overseeing housing operations and maintaining near-full occupancy while building strong relationships with residents and families. She also held leadership positions with Facilities Marketplace Solutions and Karat, where she focused on service expansion and operational improvements.
McCarthy said she was drawn to GRABC by the strength and dedication of the organization’s leadership team.
“For me, it was the resilience of the board and how much they truly cared for their mission and what they could do for the community,” she said. “I was looking for something that allowed me to truly do more for the community and amplify my outreach as a citizen.”
Under McCarthy’s leadership, GRABC plans to continue expanding the reach of its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which has been operating locally since 2004. The national VITA initiative began in 1971 and provides free tax preparation services to eligible individuals.
“We operate the IRS VITA program, which allows us to put anywhere between five to six million dollars back into the pockets of tri-state taxpayers,” McCarthy said. “We don’t charge a fee for our services. We mostly work with low- to moderate-income individuals, but we also work with veterans, retirees, and people with disabilities.”
McCarthy said seeing the direct impact of those refunds is one of the most rewarding parts of the job.
“It’s exciting to see what people can do with those refunds they might have otherwise missed,” she said. “Sometimes that refund means catching up on bills, buying food, or just having a little more security.”
In addition to strengthening outreach, GRABC is updating its website and marketing materials to make resources more accessible. The redesigned site — expected to launch within the next two weeks — will feature information for volunteers and tax season sign-ups.
McCarthy also noted that the coalition’s work has become even more important following recent federal and local changes. With the closure of the IRS office in Owensboro, GRABC now serves as one of the few remaining local resources for free, in-person tax assistance.
“We’re not going to have the IRS open in Owensboro anymore, so we really see ourselves as the next answer for general tax knowledge that’s available to everyone,” she said. “People need a place they can go to ask questions and get accurate information without having to pay for it.”
She added that potential delays tied to the federal government shutdown could temporarily affect GRABC’s training schedule for volunteers — though the coalition remains committed to being fully prepared for the upcoming tax season.
“The only thing that’s impacted right now is how quickly we can do our training,” McCarthy said. “It may be that we don’t get to start until December, where we’d normally do it in November. But otherwise, we’re moving forward and ready to help our community when filing begins.”
For more information about GRABC and its programs, visit grabc.org.
