Since 1998, Side by Side International has been involved in providing buildings for the poor of Central & South America.  The founder of Side by Side, Rogers Strickland who owns Strickland Construction Company in Olathe, KS, was asked to consider donating a building for a group going from the USA to serve with a Mayan community in Guatemala.  It proved to be such a life changing experience by Rogers and all who participated that he was drawn to become more and more involved. 

Since then, Side by Side has provided over thirty buildings to various communities in the area.  The buildings have been used for churches, schools, medical clinics, orphanages, and work cooperatives.  Side by Side has also been involved in Brazil among the very poor of the favelas (slums), in Sri Lanka in response to the disasterous tsunami, in the Dominican Republic building adding high school buildings to an existing Christian school, in Jamaica, and in Greensburg, Kansas USA erecting the first building to be reconstructed on Main Street.

Rogers Strickland’s’ background includes more than 25 years of construction business.  During that time he has also served as a lay-minister.  Rogers co-founded Side by Side with Ken Davidson, who serves as the Director. Glen Richardson, President of Strickland Construction has been greatly impacted by Side by Side and provides for the planning and oversight of each construction project.  Ken has over 25 years of professional ministry and shares a great passion for missions.  The business and construction experience of Rogers and Glen combined with Ken’s ministry experience yields a very complimentary partnership in the development of Side by Side.

Each of these men serve on the Board of Directors along with Dan Hickey, Founder and President of Transformational Journeys, who helps to oversee the hosting of the groups that travel with the Side by Side projects.  The Board of Directors meets at least four times a year and collectively oversee all the functions of each project.