2014 Annual Letter

What a difference 6 years makes. 

Six years ago, Laura Somerville Woodall had an  idea that her friends and family could make a real difference in a person’s life.  They were already making a difference in Laura’s  life through  their care, support, and love after her diagnosis with ALS.

Six years ago, Laura asked these friends and family to support her idea. She knew that women out there who have been given devastating news might not have the support system that she had.  These women - these mothers living in our community - would need help to get them through the hardest times.  They would need financial support to help pay for rent, mortgage, electricity bills, medical equipment, and medical bills.  They would need you.  They would need us. 

Six years ago, a seed was planted. 

What started out as a group of 25 friends is now a group of like-minded supporters over 700 strong.  And these are just the ones we know about.  Every dollar stuffed in our donation jar during Davidson Town Day, the Davidson Farmers Market, and other Awareness Month events by people learning of AGSF right at that moment means rent to a grant recipient.  We might not know their names, but they heard what AGSF does  and decided Laura’s idea was worth the investment.

Six years ago, two local mothers were given financial assistance and were able to focus on their health and their families instead of the mounting bills.  And since then, 22 mothers have been given that same opportunity.  In six years, over  $73,000 has helped these families do what Laura intended when she dreamt of this Foundation – focus on the family, focus on getting better and have relief from the financial stress and burden that comes with a debilitating disease.  In 2014, over $21,000 has gone toward mothers like Mrs. S of Charlotte.

Mrs. S., mother of a 14 year old, had already lost her car and home during her second round of breast cancer surgery.  She’s now in treatment for Lymphadema and the financial stress is taking a toll on her health in other ways as well. She has sleepless nights at the fear of losing her home.  Rent or treatment, that’s the choice so many face in situations like these. When she learned that AGSF would pay two months of her rent, she cried on the phone.

Mrs. S then wrote this to AGSF: “Words cannot express how thankful we are to all of you. Thanks for caring and being there for us during a great need in our life.  Thanks for giving us home for tomorrow.  Our hearts are forever grateful to you. God bless all.”

AGSF will continue to support research organizations until there is a cure for ALS. Nearly $10,000 has gone directly to these organizations since 2008, including over $2300 raised during the Shut Down for ALS challenge on May 18th and the amazing ALS Ice Bucket Challenge that overtook the world this August.  

Once again, we thank all of you who have nurtured the seed and been with us as it has grown and taken root. 2014 saw another successful AGSF Awareness Month, a community cookbook created by friends of AGSF for friends of AGSF, the Shut Down for ALS event, and the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge movement.

AGSF and Monkees of Lake Norman partnered for their own Wine Bucket challenge – all of the fun, none of the ice water – and the end result was a fun night out and many new pairs of Frye boots on the feet of Davidson residents!

In 2014 we introduced the AGSF Teen Council – a group of dedicated local teenagers who know the meaning of service and are intent on fulfilling the AGSF mission.  Their 24-hour Walk Around The Clock event raised over $10,000 that will go directly toward local mothers needing assistance when health issues impact the family financially.  A huge shout out to Chair Lexi Powers, Chair-Elect Daryl Konstandt and the entire AGSF Teen Council for their time and energy and dedication to AGSF!

And here we are, entering year seven.  We’re planning on continuing the good work started six years ago.  We’re planning on ensuring sustainability for the next six years and beyond.  Your support ensures that Laura’s vision continues to be a reality, helping those who need it most. 

How can you help?  Send your tax deductible donation today!

Sincerely,

A Giving Spirit Foundation Board of Trustees

Thank You to Our Community

"The way you get meaning into your life is to 

devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to 

your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning."  

– From “Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom

Community.  If there’s one thread throughout A Giving Spirit Foundation, it’s community.  Whether we’re talking about a physical location or a group of people sharing the same values and goals, community is what keeps AGSF strong. 

This was made indelibly clear this past May as Davidson businesses and the people of the community showed their ‘giving spirit’ each and every day during A Giving Spirit Foundation Awareness Month.

Davidson businesses stepped forward to support our efforts in many ways.  Some donated a percentage of sales on a given day, others donated the hard earned tips of bartenders from the Saturday night crowd.  Many donated goods for raffle prizes, and one even created a special margarita that remains on the drink menu today (just ask for the Laura-rita the next time you’re at Carrburritos!).  Individual supporters organized a walk and a yoga class, and one teacher inspired her students to create works of art.  Droves showed up to the events, rain or shine ... all to support this organization that first came to life in a home, most likely, down the street from you.

In our 2^nd Annual AGSF Awareness Month, we exceeded our goals and raised over $5000. This money will go directly toward mothers in the greater Charlotte, NC area (one of the benefits of being a small, volunteer driven organization is that there are virtually no overhead costs to divert funds).

AGSF helps mothers who are struggling to provide for their family and can’t pay rent, can’t pay for electricity, can’t pay for the basics and they find themselves losing. They’re losing the sense of how to focus on being a family when they’re too concerned with whether or not there will be a roof over their child’s head next month because they can’t afford the basics in life anymore.  They’re not only losing to the physical and emotional aspects of the disease but also to the financial aspects of the disease. 

We’ve received more grant requests than in any previous year and we are asking for your help again.  We want to continue the work that Laura Somerville Woodall asked us – and you – to support back in 2008.  Help the family focus on  the family by relieving some of the financial pressures her disease brings with it.

Mrs. J is just one woman that you have helped this past year.  She is 42 years old, married and with 6 children between the ages of 2 and 16.  Mrs. J was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma and, just a few months afterward, so was her 16 year old daughter. The close-knit family was struggling, financially and emotionally, by the double impact of the disease.  AGSF provided a $2000 grant to cover two months of mortgage, allowing the family to focus on getting healthy and not whether or not they could stay in their home.

It is because of you that AGSF has been able to award over $53,000 in grants since 2008, changing the lives of 22 families.  It is also because of you that research organizations like Project A.L.S. and The ALS Association Jim “Catfish” Hunter chapter are making great strides every day in finding a cure for ALS, building awareness of this disease, and supporting families with ALS.

The goals for 2014 are simple: raise enough money to continue funding the grants that have proven vital to many area mothers; continue to support research institutions searching for a cure for ALS; and spread the word about this organization so that it can make a greater impact on the community and secure its legacy for years to come. 

“As one person I cannot change the world, but I can change the world of one person.”  Paul Shane Spear could have been talking about this organization’s supporters when he said this.  While we are small, our force is mighty. We have seen first-hand how a grant of $500 is just as meaningful as a grant of $1500. You are changing lives with every dollar you donate to AGSF and there are many more in our community just waiting for your help.

Here are four simple ways you can  support AGSF:

1)    Mail your check made out to A Giving Spirit Foundation to PO Box 815, Davidson, NC 28036.

2)     Select the DONATE button on the right to give a gift securely using your credit card.

3)    Participate in AGSF Awareness Month – May 2014 (email agsf@agivingspirit.org)

4)    Spread the word about the good work A Giving Spirit Foundation is doing!

Sincerely,

A Giving Spirit Foundation Board of Trustees

PS:   The best way to stay up to date with A Giving Spirit Foundation is to “like” our Facebook page.  Go to www.facebook.com/agivingspirit and hit the “like” button.  And don’t forget to Share our status updates with your Facebook friends and community! 

"They made me feel like somebody."

September 26, 2011

Dear Friends of A Giving Spirit Foundation,

“What do you say to a mother battling life-threatening cancer when she says ‘We will be homeless, me and my kids’ as she shares the journey of her darkest hour. With eviction looming overhead and not a resource in sight, my patient thought the situation was hopeless. She was ready to give up. Until A Giving Spirit Foundation stepped in to shine their light. To say thank you to what I consider a group of angels on Earth is not enough and I wish I could capture the tears of joy and expression of gratitude that patients share upon receiving news they have been blessed by a grant from A Giving Spirit. It’s like having the front row to watch a miracle take place. One particular mom exclaimed ‘they made me feel like somebody.’ What can you say to that? To all the angels of A Giving Spirit Foundation, my deepest gratitude for shining your light, making miracles happen and giving my patients the precious gift of hope.” Mellisa Wheeler, Blumenthal Cancer Center

Mellisa Wheeler understands all too well the stress that families feel when the mother has been diagnosed with a debilitating disease and the family does not have the financial resources to pay for healthcare and choices need to be made between the mother’s health and the basics like rent and groceries. As the American Cancer Society Patient Resource Navigator for the Blumenthal Cancer Center in Charlotte, NC, she sees this pain and struggle every day. Fortunately, A Giving Spirit has been able to ease the burden for three of her patients this year and the gratitude that these mothers have expressed make it clear that there is a need for A Giving Spirit Foundation in the greater Charlotte community.

Every person receiving this letter deserves some of this gratitude. Without your support, AGSF would have been unable to bring relief to the many families that have received grants over the last three years. In the past year, AGSF has awarded over $13,000 in grants to these deserving families.

Operating under the vision of Laura Woodall, A Giving Spirit Foundation strives to lend a helping hand to deserving mothers in the Davidson and greater Charlotte, NC communities suffering from a debilitating disease or other unforeseen major health challenges. Of equal importance is supporting research organizations who are searching for a cure for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Organizations like Project

ALS, The ALS Association and the ALS division of MDA do fantastic work and are making advances every day. AGSF is proud to support them. AGSF donated $1500 to these organizations over the past year to go directly toward ALS research.

Laura says it best: “It was the invitation from friends and my opportunity to give back that embarked a journey which has proven worthy. A Giving Spirit Foundation (just three years young) has given to individuals who needed assistance, has given to research, has created a board to guide the mission, and has successfully hosted three fundraisers. It is my and my family's hope that this foundation continues to give back. My vision is that A Giving Spirit Foundation will persevere for years to come. Your support will drive that vision. If you find yourself in a position, when you can give or want to give... I strongly encourage you to give to A Giving Spirit Foundation. My wish is that you become a giving spirit.”

For the past several years, AGSF has raised the majority of our funds through the annual Autumn Fest event. Last year’s event raised over $12,000 from attendees, silent auction bidding and donations from supporters unable to attend the event. Again, we thank you all for your contributions last year! A big special thank you goes to Kelly and Steve Gentry, who hosted the event at their beautiful home, local bands Sunday Union and Billy Jones who kept everyone entertained, and especially to the many wonderful women and men on the AGSF volunteer committee (led by Kim Fleming and Melissa Reddick). These people spent countless hours organizing this phenomenal event and it could not have gone more smoothly.

So, we’re giving our volunteers a year off this year from planning the big event. Instead, we’re going to treat this as a building year. We’re working on strengthening relationships in the community and learn how to build a stronger organization that can raise money year round and not be dependent on one large annual event. We’re here for the long haul so that we can realize Laura Woodall’s vision by continuing to make the lives of deserving mothers in the community facing a health challenge a little bit easier.

If you have fundraising ideas or experience and would like to become more involved, please email us at agsf@agivingspirit.org.

“They made me feel like somebody.” And that, my friends, is why we do this.


Sincerely,


The AGSF Board of Trustees

An Open Letter

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your support over the years for Laura’s League and A Giving Spirit Foundation.  We thought it important to give you an update as to what we’ve been up to and where we’re going.

Four short years ago, Laura Somerville Woodall was diagnosed with a motor neuron disease which falls under the realm of ALS. Upon hearing this news, most people asked “What’s ALS?” Laura jumped into action with the intent to educate others about Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and raise funds toward a cure. First step? Gather 25 friends and form “Laura’s League” and, in her words, “make some difference in the lives of those living with ALS.” 

The League’s first effort raised over $100,000 for the 2007 MDA Stride N Ride.  The original goal was just $25,000 but we found out what could happen when the group banded together and reached out to our generous networks of friends and family.  This made the Woodalls realize that much more could be done to support the tens of thousands living with ALS and other debilitating diseases.

With that thought in mind, and under the leadership of Jim Strodel and Chris Bryant, A Giving Spirit Foundation (AGSF) was formed in October 2008 to help others experiencing adversity in the face of an unforeseen health challenge.  Money raised by AGSF will go toward awarding financial support and assistance to needy and deserving individuals and families suffering from a debilitating disease.  We also plan to continue to support research organizations working toward a cure for ALS, such as the ALS division of MDA and Project ALS.

Since formed, AGSF has awarded over $11,000 in grants to individuals and research organizations.  Nancy Brown of Davidson, NC received a grant earlier this year to help her family of six in the midst of financial issues brought on by three devastating diagnoses .  In 1998 her daughter was born with spinabifida.  Her husband was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2004.  Several years later, Nancy was diagnosed with breast cancer.    

“We've always managed to keep up with, if not ahead of, our medical issues until this last event,” Nancy explains. “A Giving Spirit Foundation reached out to us at a time that couldn't have been more perfect.  We were hard pressed to make the mortgage after a few months and didn't know where to turn for help.  That gift relieved the stress we were under and gave us breathing room to figure out the finances, to locate help. It may not have seemed like much, but when your choices are deciding whether to move or how to afford to feed a family of 6 on $100 a month, it was priceless.”

Nancy’s story exemplifies why AGSF works hard to raise funds and provide grants to families in their time of need. If you know of any family experiencing financial difficulties due to a debilitating disease, please contact us and request a grant application.

AGSF has spent much of the last two years organizing and sorting out the

details of starting a non-profit. We’re energized and ready to move forward in our fight against ALS.  We’re focused on fulfilling the mission of raising awareness of this disease, helping fund research for a cure and helping others facing long term health adversities by awarding financial support to qualified grant applicants. 

All the while, we pledge to never lose sight of the guiding vision of Laura Woodall. She and her family provide daily inspiration to all who witness their courage and hope as they face a life with ALS.

Thank you again for your past support and we hope you will continue to support us in whatever manner you choose. 

Sincerely,

The AGSF Board of Trustees

P.S.  Did you know that you can donate at any time by going to www.agivingspirit.org?  Click on the gold Donate button in the upper left corner to donate securely.  Or, send a check made out to A Giving Spirit Foundation to the address above.

Save the Date:

AGSF’s annual fundraiser

will be held on

Saturday, Oct. 23^rd.