249 CLT nonprofits were featured as part of #SpotlightOnCLT in 2020. Check out who won each month's $5K!
In 2020, SHARE was able to give away $5K monthly to a #SpotlightOnCLT featured nonprofit of our community's choice, thanks to a generous gift from the Amy and Brian France Foundation. Over 27K community votes were cast, and the lucky winners are below!
About Amy and Brian France
Brian France is the former Chairman and CEO of NASCAR as well as Founder and CEO of Silver Falcon Capital. Brian and his wife Amy co-founded the Amy and Brian France Foundation as well as the Luke and Meadow Foundation, named after their children.
Brian France, recognized as one of the most influential leaders in sports and entertainment during his 15 years as Chairman and CEO of NASCAR, is also an entrepreneur and philanthropist.
Silver Falcon Capital, founded by Brian France, is a direct investment company and brand incubator, partnering with entrepreneurs to globally scale emerging consumer and sports entertainment businesses.
In 2011 Brian and his wife Amy France co-founded the Luke and Meadow Foundation. Named in honor of their twins, Luke and Meadow, the foundation supports organizations and causes that help children thrive.
Good Reading
Check out the latest stories from SHARE Charlotte's #SpotlightOnCLT content series!
April 28th, 2021 -
“Volunteers are truly essential, especially for these children who benefit from a high level of attention, Pat Shaw, Director of La Escuelita Bilingual Preschool in Davidson, explained. “They (volunteers) speak English with the children - different accents, different backgrounds and different vocabularies. Plus, they share invaluable talents. These interactions are cultural experiences for everyone,” said Shaw.
Founded in 2014 and initially supported by St. Albans Episcopal Church, La Escuelita Bilingual Preschool has grown in every way. Shaw loves the relationships that form as families come through this pre-kindergarten, play-based learning program. Hosted in a Davidson Community Center, the children enjoy large classrooms with a wall full of windows, tons of sunlight and multiple play centers, indoors and out. Many attend the five-morning program nearly tuition-free thanks to local community members’ sponsorships.
“These mommies love, love, love their children…...
April 21st, 2021 -
“It takes a village to raise a child” - African Proverb
We’re all familiar with the saying. Even if you didn’t know its origins, you’ve likely heard it said. The proverb is based on the premise that the responsibility of caring for a child extends beyond parents to the community in which they live.
It’s this mentality that Mind Body Baby NC takes to heart. Raising a child is hard enough as it is, not to mention navigating the complexities of pre-and-postpartum struggles like postpartum depression, anxiety and birth trauma.
Founded by four independent perinatal practitioners, who are also mothers with their own postpartum experiences, Mind Body Baby NC was created to fill the gaps in community care and support that they felt were lacking. Fueled by this passion, these mamas built a local village of perinatal support, free of cost and judgement, in the Charlotte Metro area that new parents can rely on for educational resources and support.
Mind Body Baby NC,...
April 19th, 2021 -
Written by Amy Andrews
Founded by clinicians Gwen Harris and Aisha Yesher-el, The FACTS Initiative provides mental health treatment to children and families in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area.
The FACTS Initiative is focused on providing access to quality care for all patients, many of whom are dealing with trauma, yet a great deal of their time was being spent navigating the medical billing process.
Approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S experience mental illness each year. Many of their struggles can be traced to traumas suffered in childhood or adolescence. The FACTS Initiative offers interventions, tools, and techniques to get children and families on the path to wellness.
“We got to the point that we were not able to see clients, because we were spending time on the phone with insurance companies,” shared Harris. “And then, through a common connection, we found Sophia Brown.”
Sophia had over ten years medical billing experience and would work a full day at...
March 25th, 2021 -
In 2010, Dale Gillmore, had a for-profit business but wasn’t seeing the community impact where he was donating and desired to be more vested in social programs helping children. Corporations often have entire departments for social responsibility initiatives, but Gillmore experienced little tangible tie to the projects in which his small business was investing. Thus, he started Make an Impact Foundation (MAIF) as a grant program to promote the education and well-being of children, so he could directly invest in the lives of children in the Charlotte region. MAIF identifies children in severe need (homeless, impoverished, etc.) as well as those with learning or emotional needs, disabilities, diseases or chronic illness and creates opportunities to produce change in their lives.
As the needs increased and more projects were being funded, Founder and MAIF President, Dale Gillmore, saw the space for MAIF to do more of the heavy-lifting for planning and executing volunteer...
