ABOUT
THE IMPACT COLLECTIVE
The Impact Collective is a 501c3 nonprofit foundation inspired by the life and work of Chris Toomey. Chris spent his life on mission loving Jesus and others and invested his life providing spiritual transformative experiences for students and young adults. The Impact Collective continues that investment by providing grants to high school and college students going on local and global mission trips.
ABOUT
THE IMPACT COLLECTIVE
The Impact Collective is a 501c3 nonprofit foundation inspired by the life and work of Chris Toomey. Chris spent his life on mission loving Jesus and others and invested his life providing spiritual transformative experiences for students and young adults. The Impact Collective continues that investment by providing grants to high school and college students going on local and global mission trips.
VISION:
To be a community of people demonstrating the love of Jesus in a way that transforms lives.
CORE VALUES
• Extravagant love
• Intentional community
• Transformative experiences
• Contagious joy
• Lavish generosity
COLLECTIVE LEADERSHIP
Kelly Toomey Elliott, Executive Director
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dr. Rick Toomey, President
Michael Elliott
Stephanie Johnston, Secretary
Jeff Cook, Treasurer
Susie Toomey
Beth Wayland
Chris Houston
Melissa Mowery
Zach Young
John Johnston, ex officio
ADVISORY BOARD
Jordan Berry
Daniel Burns
Lucas Coelho
Isaac Elliott
Anna Elliott
Stacie Fessler
Dion Garrett
Crystal Miller
Pua Parker
Jessica Stollings Holder
Bob White
WHO WAS
CHRIS
Christopher Ryan Toomey spent his 46 years on this earth with love and intentionality. Chris passed away unexpectedly in his home of a cardiovascular event on June 6, 2022. But his life will continue to impact the world in light of eternity through the innumerable lives he touched and invested in. Chris was the beloved son of Susie Kelly Toomey and Rick Toomey born on August 3, 1975. He attended Sullivan Central High School in Kingsport, Tennessee, and King University in Bristol, Tennessee where he played on the tennis team and worked with the women’s volleyball team.
Following college, he received his master’s degree from the University of Tennessee, where he was a member of the men’s volleyball team and served as the student assistant for the Lady Vols volleyball program. Chris spent over 15 years as the assistant and head coach of the King University women’s volleyball team, leading the storied program and investing in the lives of his players and the King community. Chris also served as the youth pastor of Indian Springs Baptist Church and Cold Spring Presbyterian Church. He spent the last nine years of his life serving and leading as the Life Journey Director at Pathfinder Church in Ballwin, Missouri with a staff family that he deeply loved.
Chris served on and led over 30 mission trips spanning 5 continents, 14 countries and 9 states. His passion for travel and adventure was contagious and his smile was infectious. Time in his presence was filled with joy, laughter, and adventure. Ultimately, his life was defined by faith, family, and friendships. Chris loved and pursued Jesus relentlessly. His deep love and investment in his family and friends was rare. He made others feel seen and known and called out their best through encouragement and affirmation. His kind and generous heart impacted all those around him, as he pursued building intentional community. If you knew him, you loved him. The ripple effect of his life is immeasurable.
In addition to his parents, Chris was survived by his sister Kelly Toomey Elliott, with whom he shared a special bond and love; by his brother-in-law and friend, Michael Elliott, and by his nieces and nephews, Isaac Elliott, Anna Elliott, Brooke Elliott, and Ethan Fultz –who were one of his greatest joys in life. Chris was also survived by his stepmother, Marcie Toomey, and numerous family and friends spanning many places from East Tennessee to St. Louis to Kentucky to Georgia to Brazil.
Chris truly lived his life “on mission.” He longed to invest in people for the sake of eternity whether at home or abroad. Chris traveled extensively sharing the love and hope of Jesus with all those he encountered. So, in light of the overwhelming outpouring following his death, Chris’s family established The Impact Collective to carry on his legacy of love and being on mission.