3 minute read
Her Charity Spotlight: Daughters For Dads
CHARITY SPOTLIGHT
High School Scholarship Recipient
BY CHRISTINA RUOTOLO
Daughters for Dads is a non-proft organization started in 2010 and inspired by a fathers never ending love. After losing their fathers to cancer Allison Mallison, her sister, Andrea Dixon, and Lisa Cartwright created
Daughters For Dads. D4D’s mission is to help local friends and families who are fghting cancer. They started by helping several families ease some of the burden cancer brings, such as providing fnancial insurance assistance, treats for caregivers, meals and much more.
The frst year, the friends got together with additional patrons in the community for a girls night out event called “Get Carded” which included wine, food, and rafe items. To attend, guests donated a gift card for various services like gas and groceries to gift cards to restaurants and for other services. This is how they were initially able to help local families for the frst few years. But they wanted to be able to help more people.
Five years ago, Corrie Blackwelder with the Blackwelder Foundation joined the group and helped establish a Daddy Daughter dance to help raise even more money for their non-proft organization. They created the frst Daddy Daughter dance in 2017. The event, which is held every February brings in over 400 attendees and guests get to enjoy great music, dancing, food, beverages, and rafe items. “We started small just wanting to help people we knew, but thanks to the The Blackwelder Foundation, the
26 Her — March 2021 www.reflector.com/her
East Carolina University Scholarship Recipient
Daddy Daughter Dance has allowed us to help so many more people because of all the generous donors and fabulous attendees! We have come so far in just a few short years and we could not be more grateful” Cartwright says.
These generous donations have allowed the organization to provide greater assistance from paying insurance bills, mortgage/rent payments, electricity bills, helping cancer patients take much needed vacations and in some cases even paying for funeral expenses.
The organizations encourages those in need to contact them so they can assist them in their time of need. “Everything we do is on a personal level and based on the needs of the individuals. Last year, we donated a basketball goal to the local Ronald McDonald House. Every year, we donate something diferent, something meaningful and we are blessed to be able to change so many lives in the process. Sometimes the littlest things from a gas card or a comfort basket with goodies is just what they need at the time” Cartwright says.
COVID did slow progress down last fall but they were able to make a large donation of pillows, blankets, socks, and other warm items to the chemo bay at the Marion L. Sheppard Cancer Center located in Washington, NC. this past Christmas. Last month, the 2021 Daddy Daughter dance was canceled. Daughters for Dads needs just as much help now more than ever. They are asking for help with gift card donations and comfort items as well as cash donations so they can continue to provide support all year long. They are hoping to hold another Get Carded event this coming July. For more information on Daughters for Dads, email daughtersfordads@gmail.com or follow them on Facebook.
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