Jeff and Leona

Who we are

Leona George-Davidson and Jeff Davidson founded LifeSupportM.org in 2002 as a way to help young people and their adult mentors make a difference in the world through community service and mentor relationships.

Leona George-Davidson, Founder/Executive Director

Leona holds a Bachelors Degree in Humanities and Cultural Studies with a concentration in Communication and Media Studies from Dominican University of California in San Rafael, California. At age twenty-three she identified her personal mission statement as “people helping people” and has used that as her guide for all of her career work and community service work from that point on. Her specialties are listening, planning, collaborating, synthesizing, leading, and making things happen. Leona has a bevy of career experience in multiple industries: cleaning service, restaurant/bakery industry, chambers of commerce, real estate, business consulting, clutter clearing and organizing, bookkeeping, business management, and construction.

Jeff Davidson, Co-Founder

As a retiree from over thirty-eight years in the firefighting community, Jeff is a man with a heart of service whether he is in his firefighter turnouts or his Mexico Mission work boots. His specialties are planning, organizing, managing, leading, teamwork, and taking action. He earned his Bachelors Degree in management from St. Mary’s College in Moraga, California and his Chief Fire Office Certificate from the National Fire Academy in Baltimore, Maryland. Along with his fire service career and work with LifeSupportM.org, Jeff is also a teacher at the local fire academy, is a volunteer fire lookout on Mt. Tamalpais, is a member of the North Bay Incident Management Team, and is an avid hiker, having walked the Camino de Santiago through France, Spain, and Portugal several times. In all “walks” of Jeff’s life, he looks for ways he can be of service in any situation and also for ways to add laughter and a smile in every day life.

With many qualities in common, one of their most cherished values is their deep gratefulness for the ability to serve the community by creating opportunities for empowerment, learning, and growth in those they work with - and LifeSupportM.org is the way they can continue to give of themselves to the best of their abilities.

Jeff and Leona have been married since 1988 and live in Marin County, California, with their dog, Barney, and their thirteen chickens (Jeff would tell you they are Leona’s chickens, by the way).

We Believe

  • People have the ability to be smart, creative, thoughtful, compassionate, flexible, and powerful.

  • There is abundance in the resources of the world for all to share in an emotionally, creatively, spiritually, and financially fulfilling way.

  • In creating an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere across age, cultures, genders, schools, religions, and socio-economic statuses, in everything we do.

  • In listening carefully and and empathetically while using every opportunity to remind all of us that we each are important and wanted in the world.

  • In recognizing the value of collaborating and partnering with the many exciting, different, and creative organizations doing good work in the world.

  • In creating fun, engaging, meaningful opportunities for young people and their adult mentors to use their great qualities toward enriching their own lives and sharing their good fortune with other people in the world.

  • Encouraging self-discipline which means that we call upon ourselves and our team members to step out of our own egos and materialism to recognize that we can delay and prioritize self-gratification, take responsibility for our own actions, and share our good fortune with others to create more enlightenment, empowerment, and joy in the world.

  • In creating easy to use systems and plans and goals that give general structure, guidelines, but also leeway for creative solution finding and pride of ownership of each project and task.

  • In being willing to try and fail, recognizing and admitting mistakes, picking ourselves up, and moving on with new knowledge and abilities.

  • In persevering in the hardest of times and never giving up on hopes and dreams.

  • Cultivating an attitude of gratitude is part of building and maintaining good relationships with others and especially ourselves.

  • Through a heart of service, we can change someone’s life for the better and transform our own hearts, minds, and lives.

Qualities We Look For

  • Integrity and Honesty

  • Responsibility and Trustworthiness.

  • Cooperation and Helpfulness.

  • Willingness, Ability, and Positive attitude for fundraising.

  • Ability to take direction and follow safety rules at all times.

  • Compassion for fellow team members and people we serve.

  • Confidence to reflect and speak about experiences.

  • Being operationally ready and prepared with all the right gear and personal supplies.

  • Enthusiasm, Flexibility, Patience, and Perseverance.

Projects at Life Support are not a party boat. If you are looking for a “Fun” time, a place to blow off steam, or a self-directed adventure to get away from your parents and play with your friends – this is not it.

At Life Support you will work hard! You will work physically, emotionally, and spiritually harder than you ever have. You’ll have to figure out how to relate to and get along with people you barely know. You will be required to fundraise your mission expenses. You will experience hurrying up and then having to wait. You will be asked to participate in reflection and discussion and to process and share what you are experiencing throughout your mission experience.

We cannot guarantee a perfect experience where everything is wonderful and there are no mistakes or angst. Our projects are designed to take you out of your comfort zone and give you a real slice of life. Our projects are designed to give you the OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH YOUR OWN TWO HANDS AND YOUR ONE BIG HEART. Your life and outlook will be changed by this work. You’ll come away with a new sense of appreciation for your life and ALL life because of this work. At Life Support we put the work and safety first. Then it all adds up to an amazing time that includes friendship, lots of fun and laughter, and a deep satisfaction that you have made good things happen in the world. Did we mention that you will be dirty, hungry, tired, and bossed around? If you are not ready for this – then take a rest this time and we’ll catch you next year. If you are ready, we want you on the Life Support team!