Today we’d like to introduce you to Masada Roberson.
Hi Masada, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
From Hardship to Hope: How Deep Launching Was Born from One Woman’s Determination to Serve
Long before Deep Launching, Inc. became a growing force of compassion and relief in Maryland, its founder carried a deep desire to serve those most in need. In her early twenties, she felt a strong pull to help people experiencing homelessness in Washington, D.C. Even if all she had to give was a turkey sandwich and an orange, she wanted to offer something meaningful—something that could meet an immediate need and remind someone they were seen.
That heart for service took on even greater meaning years later.
In her mid-thirties, around 2001, she faced one of the most difficult seasons of her life: a divorce while raising two young daughters, ages 4 and 8. During that time, she became displaced and had to move in with a nearby family member. As she slept on the living room floor, she realized just how fragile stability could be. She was only six feet away from the front door—and, in many ways, only six feet away from homelessness with her children.
That moment changed everything.
What could have become a season defined only by hardship instead became the spark for purpose. That personal experience gave birth to her first nonprofit effort and deepened her commitment to helping homeless and low-income individuals and families. For several years, she personally funded programs and outreach initiatives, often with the help of her friends and daughters. Together, they distributed warm meals, socks, toiletries, and clothing to people in Washington, D.C. and Maryland.
In 2012, that vision expanded with the founding of Deep Launching, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing immediate and sustainable relief to homeless and low-income children, families, men, women, and veterans.
Today, Deep Launching has grown into a powerful community-based organization, securing over nearly $100,000 in grants, donorship and in-kind gift annually with a mission rooted in dignity, compassion, and action. Through its Compassionate Response Programs, the organization has served more than 4,000 households. Since 2018, Deep Launching has distributed more than 80,000 pounds of basic necessities, including toiletries, clothing, diapers, and small household items through its Distribution Center.
The organization has also established three emergency food pantries—two in Charles County, Maryland, and one in Prince George’s County. These pantries provide one week of emergency groceries to homeless and low-income families, regardless of household size. To date, Deep Launching has distributed more than 36,250 pounds of food.
Still, the work continues to grow. Deep Launching is currently developing two new initiatives: On-Demand Love™ Mobile Pantry and On-Demand Love™ Bags. The On-Demand Love™ Mobile Pantry is designed to increase food access for homeless individuals, senior citizens, and veterans living in rural areas of Southern Maryland. The On-Demand Love™ Bags initiative will provide homeless individuals with essential items they can use immediately.
What began as a desire to give someone a sandwich and fruit has become a far-reaching mission of relief and restoration. Deep Launching stands as a powerful example of how pain can be transformed into purpose—and how one woman’s personal struggle became the foundation for helping thousands of others. In 2024, Masada Roberson received the President’s Lifetime Achievement award in recognition of 4,000 hours of service from the Office of Joe Biden.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Operating a nonprofit has definitely not been a smooth road, but it has been a meaningful one. Building Deep Launching required me to learn so many things in real time, often through experience, prayer, persistence, and trial and error. I had to understand how a nonprofit truly operates, learn how to write grants, secure funding, engage donors, fundraise, manage a growing budget, and recruit volunteers. I also had to learn how to build strong community partnerships and become deeply engaged in the community we serve.
One of the biggest challenges was wearing so many hats at once. In many seasons, I was managing multiple parts of the organization on my own while also working a full-time job and raising my two young daughters. That required discipline, sacrifice, and a great deal of resourcefulness. There were moments when the weight of the work felt overwhelming, but the mission always reminded me why I started.
What has made the journey more manageable is realizing that I did not have to learn everything alone. Along the way, I have been blessed to connect with incredibly smart and generous people who were willing to mentor and guide me. I am especially grateful for business mentors like Tonya Jackson-Smallwood and Sabrina Hayden, who are both dynamic entrepreneurs and CEOs. Their wisdom, encouragement, and example have helped me grow as a leader and continue building with confidence.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My work has been rooted in service, leadership, and creating meaningful experiences that make a real difference in people’s lives. Since 1987, my professional journey has spanned from serving as an Executive Assistant to corporate presidents, CEOs, vice presidents, and attorneys to growing into program and nonprofit leadership roles centered on community impact. Over the years, I have developed a strong foundation in operations, administration, relationship management, and strategic coordination. In 2014, my career began to evolve more deeply into event management for nonprofit organizations, and that opened the door for me to lead and support large-scale fundraising galas, golf tournaments, robust community events, 3-day summits, VIP experiences, and even national political conventions.
What I specialize in is bringing vision, structure, and heart together. I am known for being highly organized, mission-driven, and able to manage both the big picture and the smallest details. Whether I am planning a major event, building community partnerships, coordinating volunteers, managing programs, or implementing systems that help organizations run more effectively, I lead with excellence and compassion. I have also built experience in nonprofit administration, hunger relief outreach, donor and volunteer engagement, grant management, and creating systems that strengthen how organizations serve people.
What I am most proud of are the moments when my work has directly or indirectly helped individuals and families in need. While I value the professional expertise I have gained over the years, the greatest reward has been using those skills to serve others in a meaningful way. That is especially true in the work I have done through community-centered initiatives and leadership roles that focus on relief, dignity, and access to resources. What sets me apart is that I do not just see projects, programs, or events—I see people.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I was definitely the comic relief. I always seemed to find a way to make things light-hearted, and if there was an opportunity to make someone laugh, I was probably going to take it. I was a pretty well-tempered child, but let’s just say my teachers were very familiar with one word when it came to me: “talkative.” Back then it got me in trouble; now I like to think it was just an early sign that I had the gift of gab.
I was also a little girl with a big imagination. I loved to sing, play dress-up, and step into my mother’s clothes whenever I had the chance. My mother was a seamstress and made the most beautiful outfits, so of course I thought her closet was practically a fashion showroom. Between the singing, the talking, and the dress-up, I was probably giving equal parts comedy show, concert, and runway presentation at any given time.
Looking back, I think a lot of my personality today was already there then—joyful, expressive, people-oriented, and always drawn to bringing warmth and energy into a room.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.deeplaunching.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeepLaunching/
