Serving Family, Church, Neighborhood, and Community.
About Mae Bell McPherson
Mae Bell's Mission for Humanity
Dedicated to Serving Family, Church,
Neighborhood, and the Community.
The Footprints of a Warrior
Mae’s Mission for Humanity, Inc, a nonprofit organization born of a desire to bring assistance and support without judgment and discrimination — promotes economic stability for all. Mae’s Mission was founded to build a network of supportive services for people to learn, receive support, and empower themselves to overcome social stigmas and challenges.
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Mae Bell McPherson
Early Life
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Mae Bell McPherson was born Mae Bell Clemon on August 2, 1947, in Suffolk, Virginia. Her parents, Bishop Tony Clemon and Lillian (Martin) Clemon, owned a local grocery store and pastored two Pentecostal churches in Virginia.
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Mae Bell received her primary education at Suffolk Elementary School. In 1960, she and her parents and siblings moved to Waterbury, Connecticut. She attended Woodrow Wilson Elementary School and Croft High School, where she met James A. McPherson, whom she married in 1963. To that union was born five children: Wanda (deceased), Glenda, James, Jr., Gloria, and Latoya; and six grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.
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In 1965, her father founded and built the present Mt. Olive Church of God in Christ, located on 68 Berkeley Avenue in Waterbury. Reverend Clemon was a welder by trade and worked at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard building ships during World War II. As he continued his vocation as a welder in Connecticut, he started Clemon's Oil Company shortly after relocating to Connecticut.
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Despite her tending to her young family's needs, Mae made herself available to assist her father in his business. She assisted in taking calls and scheduling deliveries.
The Making of the Woman
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After losing her mother at a young age, this experience gave Mae a greater understanding and compassion for pastors and preachers wives. More importantly, she would often share how her mother's death brought her back to the Lord.
With a concern for the neighborhood children, Mae would feed children and their parents. With the nearest store being a great distance and many residents not having a car, she established a store. All the children who lived in Springbrook Housing Complex would patronize the store from morning to 7:00 pm. This venture developed her entrepreneurial skills, and many of the children remember her as "The Candy Lady."
As the children began to grow older, Mae saw the need to enhance her skills. After completing her high school education, she later enrolled in a business program at Naugatuck Valley Community College (formerly Mattatuck Community College). This career step opened the doors for her to work in several departments for community organizations, including the Waterbury New Opportunities. This community action agency works with economically disadvantaged individuals to increase their standard of living.
In 1984 she obtained employment with Connecticut State Department of Developmental Services, where she worked with individuals with developmental disabilities. With her nurturing spirit, Mae found this job to be extremely rewarding, treating each resident as her child.
Ms. McPherson also had a soft spot for seniors; they were dear to her heart. After retiring from the state, Mae worked part-time as a home companion to seniors.
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