Dear Friends and Supporters,

Dear Friends and Supporters, This year’s theme for our Annual Impact Meeting was “Prepared for A Different World” and given our current events and the political climate in our nation, it couldn’t be more appropriate. I was tickled to play the song to A Different World for our attendees as a meeting opener, since the words were befitting and our theme was a play on one of the best sitcoms ever!

Whenever we convene for our annual meeting turbulent things are happening in this country. This time around there were ‘No Kings’ protests, and particularly this year we’ve all slept less and worried more.We voted last year but clearly not as one nation, and now our government is being dismantled, our most basic human rights are being stripped away daily, and nonprofit organizations that are rooted in diversity, equity, and inclusion are being challenged. Whether you experience it first hand or not, it’s exhausting.

The saying, “If you gonna worry, don’t pray; but if you gonna pray, don’t worry,” often reminds me that complacency cannot co-exist with action. As the lyrics go, “It’s a different world then where you come from/ Yes it is now, yeah/ Here’s our chance to make it, hey/ And if we focus on our goal/ You can dish it, we can take it, hey/ Just remember that you’ve been told…”

I want to remind you that the power in philanthropy and the work nonprofits do is withstanding, no matter what our government believes. Now at the close of our fiscal year in June 2025, we have surpassed $900,000 in our investments. We contributed $30,000 towards academic scholarships for college-bound students, and a total of $5,000 in grants was awarded to two local organizations. The whys behind their work shared during our annual meeting were deeply moving.

Each year I give a charge to the scholarship recipients. This year my advice was to not only go to college but to finish it. Preparing themselves through this summer and each year following: mentally, physically, emotionally and financially. It’s all about getting to THEIR goal, not their parents’ (although they will tell them otherwise), and changing the world at the same time because its been a different world for us and it will surely be different for them.

For the past five years, I have proudly served on the Board of Directors, and with every change comes a lot of reflection. Twenty-four years ago in 2001, I was graduating high school like our scholars and received a scholarship from the sorority that The Legacy of Love Foundation stems from. This has been a full circle moment and back then you could not have told me here is where we’d be. It has been an honor to serve in this magnitude. It also shows just how impactful and life changing this foundation is at its core!

As the outgoing President, I want to thank the board, past advisors, our partners, and constituents for trusting me with this awesome responsibility. I am excited to see where this important organization goes next.

I urge you to continue supporting The Legacy of Love Foundation by pushing its mission forward. Donate, support our fundraisers, have your employer match your gift, invest in a named scholarship, or set up your charitable bequest. Every bit helps!

Sincerely,

President

The Legacy of Love Foundation, Inc. (LOLF) funds academic scholarships and encourages community leadership in education, economic empowerment, health, and the arts.