Episcopal Community Services (ECS) mourns the loss of our beloved former Board President, David Cooke, who passed away on May 16th after a courageous battle against cancer.

David was a loving spouse to his beloved wife Maggie, a devoted father to his children, a distinguished lawyer with Allen Matkins where he specialized in environmental law, and a dedicated member of All Souls Episcopal Parish, yet to ECS, David was a mentor, friend, and an unwavering, committed advocate of our mission to eradicate homelessness in the Bay Area. 

David helped guide ECS for 25 years. Under his stewardship, the organization had innumerable achievements; overseeing the development of both ECS’ first Permanent Supportive Housing site, the Canon Kip Community House, to its largest, 1064 Mission Street, both supporting the creation of CHEFS ECS’ signature culinary workforce development program and being a driving force behind the $2.6M capital campaign to build a 6,000 square foot, state-of-the-art commercial kitchen to expand the program, and spearheading the effort to hire Beth Stokes as long term Executive Director Ken Reggio’s replacement. After retiring from the Board in 2019, David continued to support ECS as Secretary of the Housing Board. 

“I am deeply saddened by David Cooke’s passing. Without David, ECS would not be the bulwark against the inhumanity and indignity of poverty and homelessness that it is today. David was a man of great passion, and believed deeply in not just ECS and our mission, but in a world where nobody must experience the indignity of homelessness. ECS offers condolences to David’s wife Maggie, children, and loved ones, and all those in the community who mourn his loss.” - Beth Stokes, Executive Director of Episcopal Community Services