Donna Gaines

Member: Shepherding the Next Generation

Donna Gaines, M.Ed. is a disciple maker who fervently desires to see lives transformed as they encounter God through His Word and prayer. President and Founder of Arise2Read, a faith ministry founded with the goal of targeting third-grade literacy, Donna has a true calling for the children of Memphis. She has worked closely with the school board to organize faith-based volunteers in Shelby County Schools. Embracing God’s missional calling on her life, Donna mobilizes those to live out their faith through both inner city and international efforts.

Donna is married to Steve Gaines, Pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis. Understanding the unique needs that ministers’ wives have, Donna serves as chairman of the board for the Pastors Wives’ Session of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Donna has been a member of Shepherding the Next Generation since 2014, and has been a great partner in our work in Shelby County, TN, on effective teaching and early education. She is an organizing member of FLEET, _________________, a collective of evangelical pastors in Shelby County who read to at-risk second graders in the 10 lowest performing schools in Shelby County, whose goal is to get kids reading on grade level by the 3rd grade, which is a critical year for students.