2023 Giving Circle Awardees
A giving circle is a form of collective philanthropy where individuals come together to pool their financial resources, knowledge, and expertise to support charitable causes. Members of a giving circle typically share a common interest, passion, or goal related to a particular cause or issue. The pooled funds are then collectively donated to selected nonprofit organizations or projects.
“Bloom where you are planted. ”
In the heart of Mobile, Alabama, a unique and powerful force is at work — the Society of Clotilda Giving Circle. Comprising 24 extraordinary women, this collective embodies the spirit of community, philanthropy, and empowerment. Inspired by the biblical adage "Bloom where you are planted," these women have come together with a shared vision to nurture and invest in the people and places around them.
The Society of Clotilda Giving Circle draws its inspiration from the story of Clotilda, the last known ship to bring enslaved Africans to the United States in 1860. The resilience and strength exhibited by those who survived and thrived in the face of unimaginable adversity serve as a guiding light for these women. Their mission is rooted in the belief that, like the seeds carried across oceans, they too can plant seeds of positive change in their community.
At the core of this giving circle is a commitment to uplift projects led by Black women in Mobile County. These projects, driven by a dedication to providing safe spaces, fostering community, and delivering essential services, form the foundation of the Society of Clotilda's collective mission. The women of this giving circle understand the power of investing locally, recognizing that when we nurture the roots, the entire community blossoms.
The phrase "Bloom where you are planted" is not just a slogan for the Society of Clotilda; it's a guiding principle deeply rooted in their collective values. It reflects the idea that, regardless of circumstances, individuals can flourish and make a positive impact right where they are. This ethos is woven into the fabric of the giving circle, shaping their approach to philanthropy and community building.
One of the distinctive aspects of the Society of Clotilda Giving Circle is its focus on uplifting Black women leaders. Recognizing the unique challenges faced by women of color, these 24 remarkable women have come together to amplify the voices, projects, and initiatives led by Black women in Mobile County. Through their collective resources, they are sowing the seeds of empowerment and equality.
The giving circle's impact is evident in the various projects it supports. From community centers that provide a haven for connection and growth to initiatives focused on education, health, and economic empowerment, the Society of Clotilda is actively contributing to the vibrant tapestry of their community. Every project funded is a testament to the shared commitment to blooming together, as one community, one force for positive change.
In a world that can sometimes feel chaotic, the Society of Clotilda Giving Circle has become a sanctuary of support. Through their financial contributions, shared wisdom, and collaborative spirit, these women are cultivating safe spaces not just for the recipients of their philanthropy but for each other. It's a sisterhood that understands the power of unity and mutual upliftment.
The Society of Clotilda Giving Circle stands as a shining example of what can be achieved when individuals come together with purpose and passion. Their commitment to blooming where they are planted, invites inspiration and a deep sense of community responsibility, and an invitation for others to join in the collective effort of positive transformation.
Congratulations to the following projects:
New Mindz Mentorship Program LLC was created by Shamek'o Barren as a means to mentor, educate, empower, and help develop self-esteem in young girls. Shamek’o is an author and mental health advocate. Through New Mindz, she has hosted book-writing workshops, roundtable discussions, friendship seminars, and girl retreats. Her tireless efforts to promote healthy minds, bodies, spirits, and souls in our young girls have had a massive impact on this community. She is relentless in her efforts and I have no doubt she will utilize the funds to help further her mission.
https://www.facebook.com/newmindz17/
Ambitiously Him & Her King Foundation is a non-profit organization that supports young parents, aged 13-23, to develop appropriate skills to live positive and productive lives. The foundation offers a Teen Parent program that provides mentorship, family planning assistance, and education. Other services/supplies provided by the foundation include baby essentials, clothing and hygiene items, workshops, field trips, sex education courses, as well as child CPR/First-Aid. The work of Ambitiously Him & Her King Foundation is vital to the Mobile community. Often teen parents, particularly teen mothers, are ostracized and left with no loving support. Motherhood (and the visible and invisible load that comes with it) can be detrimental to young parents, particularly Black young mothers. By providing no-cost, shame-free support and supplies, this organization uplifts young Black mothers (and fathers) and helps to remove barriers to success and reintegration.
https://www.facebook.com/AmbitiouslyHimHer/
Start Smart! College Bound - Career Ready is a college prep program designed to help students and parents navigate through the college admission process. Providing students and parents with resources to help them make informed decisions regarding college and to ensure that they have all the resources needed to be successful in college and the workforce. Their goal to assist any student who has a desire to attend college by equipping them with the information they need to start their search. We believe in preparing students for the workforce by helping direct them to the career path that best fits them and their interest.
https://www.facebook.com/startsmartcollegeprep/
www.startsmartcollegebound.org
Mingo Matters Foundation’s mission is to educate and promote mental wellness in underserved and minority communities. Founded by Eunice Mingo-Blakely, the organization hosts monthly events in collaboration with other mental health and wealth service providers that aim to focus on healing within the Black community. The events are rooted in joy, with one most recently being a Bubbles and Breathing event where a dozen women came together for a fun evening of self-care that featured deep breathing, mindfulness and coping techniques using bubbles. The foundation also co-hosts gardening events such as the “Planting with a Purpose” that teaches the connection between gardening and eating well in order to support mental health and wellness. The foundation regularly collaborates with other Black women-led non-profits such as Health a Sister Out and the Tea to Turnt Women’s Derby Tea & Fashion Show. The organization aims to collaborate in order to provide inspiration, motivation, empowerment, healing, and growth for Black women who deal with social anxieties and other mental health issues.
https://www.facebook.com/MingoMatters/
The MOnthly Project was started by Aiko Lou Pickering to alleviate period poverty. The nonprofit arm of Monthly, a clothing brand for menstrual underwear, brings young women together in Mobile with Period Pep Rally where they package feminine products and make bags for organizations and people who need these supplies. The work of the MOnthly Project helps foster sisterhood and acts of volunteerism.
https://www.facebook.com/the.monthlyproject
https://www.facebook.com/shopmonthlyunderwear
Let’s Think Pink was founded by Tracy D. Walker, a 13-year Breast Cancer survivor, with the purpose of creating a support network for women and families who were going through similar experiences. Let’s Think Pink brings medical personnel together to help facilitate getting information to the public. Since 2015, over 80 local Survivors have received both moral support and financial support that can be used for traveling for treatments and other unforeseen issues that may arise. Let’s Think Pink motto is “A committee where no one fights alone.”
https://www.facebook.com/LivingFightingLoving
Africatown Freedom Tours is co-founded by Joycelyn Davis, a descendant of Charlie Lewis. Joycelyn started the tour company in order to provide tours of Africatown to help spread the rich history of her neighborhood. Beyond being the home of the last known slave ship, the Clotilda, Africatown was a self sufficient community that the people built themselves including a grocery store, a post office, movie theater and much, much more. Joycelyn’s work fits into the values of leadership and is representative of the spirit of the entrepreneurial female ancestors who helped provide for their families. She continues to personify that spirit through her work.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089956477763
https://www.africatownfreedomtours.com/
Vivian’s Door, is an economic justice non-profit with a goal of supporting those aspiring to be business owners or those who are in business for themselves. The organization’s namesake, Vivian Malone Jones, was one of the first two black students to enroll at the University of Alabama in 1963, and in 1965 became the university's first black graduate. The organization is focused on providing wealth, well-being and leadership as a part of their mission. Their work includes specific programming to support women and girls of all ages including the “Digital Divas” program which brought together a mother and her nine-year-old daughter to complete their business and entrepreneurship training class.
https://www.facebook.com/ViviansDoor
Surviving 3.6 Inc, is a non-profit organization that provides resources to grieving mothers that lost their children due to tragic violence. They host monthly support group phone calls, provide burial assistance, provide counseling resources, housing support and help advocate for mothers who are struggling after the loss of a child.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100071267826330
Mothers Involved Against Gun Violence is a support group that offers comfort and hope for mothers suffering with the sudden loss of their child due to gun violence. We grieve together. We receive strength together. And we unify in our actions to help prevent the reoccurrence of gun violence in our community. Too many of our children have been taken away by senseless violent crimes. When a child becomes a victim of gun violence, the entire city is affected.
https://www.mothersinvolved.com/