Giving Back

Margot Hunt Photo by Linda Smolek

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By Jessica Laskey Giving Back: Volunteer Profi le

Helping The Helpers

NONPROFIT RAISES FUNDS FOR CRISIS NURSERY

An anniversary is often a special occasion, but for Philanthropy Inspired by the Needs of our Community Sacramento this year’s 10th anniversary signifi es a decade of helping those who help others.

“It’s been quite a 10 years—I get quite emotional when I talk about it,” says Margot Hunt, founder and president of the local chapter. “The fi rst year, we didn’t know what we were doing. We just knew our mission was to be a nonprofi t that supports other nonprofi ts.

“We threw our fi rst fundraiser for Angels for Hearts, an organization that assists families of pediatric heart patients, at the Croatian Center. We raised $17,000. From that point on, we grew and grew and grew and now we’re raising a quarter of a million dollars or more per year for the Sacramento Children’s Home.”

By 2008, Hunt had left a career in medical device sales to focus on her family. She was pregnant with her fi rst child. She and her husband, the thirdgeneration owner of petroleum products distributor Hunt & Sons, knew they couldn’t both continue their hectic work schedules.

Since Hunt is “not the type of person that can just not do anything—I can’t go from 60 to 0,” she searched for volunteer work. Over the years, she participated in many fundraisers, particularly for multiple sclerosis (to which she lost her dad when she was 18) and breast and ovarian cancer (to which she lost her mom when she was 29).

When she connected with a girlfriend who started an organization called Philanthropy Inspired by the Needs of our Community in Fresno, Hunt was intrigued. After meeting with her friend, Hunt decided to open a Sacramento chapter.

“I did all the nitty-gritty work on how to start my own nonprofi t,” the Sierra Oaks resident recalls. “I had to really do my homework. I was able to convince six women—half family, half friends—to jump on ship with me and see where it sailed.” The group now has 16 women.

The original plan was to host a fundraiser for a different nonprofi t each year. After three years, however, they fell into a relationship with the Sacramento Children’s Home Crisis Nursery program, where parents bring children ages 0–5 for emergency or overnight child care during diffi cult times.

For years, the Sacramento Children’s Home hosted its own fundraiser, Luxe for Life. When the organization lost the volunteer group that helped run the event, PINC Sacramento was asked to take over. Seven years later, the gala ensures the program’s survival.

“Each year comes with a different challenge,” Hunt says. “At one point they lost their government funding, so without our event, they would have had to close the doors to at least one nursery. Knowing that we’re really, truly helping this organization means a lot.”

This year’s Luxe for Life will be held Nov. 5 at Del Paso Country Club. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, PINC has made this year’s fundraiser black tie and has added a lineup of inspiring speakers to the festivities, which include dinner, dancing, live music, and live and silent auctions that Hunt says is “nothing short of a good time.”

“I’m so impressed with how this has evolved,” Hunt says. “Every year, we take a tour of the nursery as an organization to remember why we’re doing this. We have such a wonderful group of women who pour their heart and soul into this. We’re having a really good time.”

To purchase Luxe for Life tickets or for information, visit pincsacramento. com.

Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Previous profi les can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @ insidesacramento. n