Grandma's Gifts

Grandma's Gifts is an incorporated, non-profit organization started by Emily Elizabeth Douglas in 1993 at age 11, in memory of her grandmother. The organization provides goods and services to impoverished children and their families while focusing on Appalachian areas of the United States. Since its inception, Grandma's Gifts has raised over 12 million dollars' worth of goods and services[1] while never paying its volunteers.[2]

Grandma's Gifts Incorporated
Formation1993
TypeNon-Profit Organization
PurposeTo break the cycle of poverty in Appalachia
Location
  • P.O. Box 2, Powell OH 43065
Region served
Appalachia
WebsiteGrandmasGifts.org

History

Norma Ackison
Norma Ackison's High School Photo

Norma Ackison, Emily Douglas's grandmother, was the last of twelve children to be born before her father died, leaving her mother to raise twelve children on her own during the Great Depression. Norma grew up in and around poverty until she married her husband Odell Ackison with whom she started a profitable business. Remembering the difficulties of being impoverished, she gave back to her community whenever she could while teaching her children and grandchildren the importance of giving.[2]

In 1989, Norma was diagnosed with breast and lung cancer. After her death in 1991, a then 9-year-old Emily Douglas started drives in her grandmother's name.[1] After two years, an organization formed and was named Grandma's Gifts in honor of Norma Ackison.[2]

Development

Grandma's Gifts was started after a series of projects. In 1993, the group of projects prompted the start of a named organization which was when the name was chosen. In 2002, the organization began operating as a donor advise fund through The Columbus Foundation. In 2008, Grandma's Gifts became an incorporation[3] In 2010 the organization's non-profit status as a 501(c)(3) organization was finalized.[4][5]

Contributions

Since its inception, Grandma's Gifts has raised and distributed over 12.5 million dollars' worth of goods and services to children and their families.[1][2] The goods and services are distributed by named projects organized by Grandma's Gifts or are donated directly to other non-profit organizations.

Projects

Grandma's Gifts has many projects. The projects include:

  • Valentines for Veterans - A project where elementary, middle, and high school students create Valentine's Day cards for veterans. Grandma's Gifts distributes the cards to veterans in Chillicothe, Ohio and Huntington, West Virginia.[6]
  • Christmas Angel Program - Grandma's Gifts collects and distributes toys, books, and winter apparel to children and their families in their target region.[6][7][8][9][10][11]
  • Trick-or-Teeth - As Appalachia has the greatest oral health problems per capita in the US,[12] Grandma's Gifts works with middle school, high school, and college students to collect and distribute dental hygiene products and educational material to children and their families through county and city health departments in Appalachia.[13]
  • Thanksgiving Turkey Sculpture - Grandma's Gifts collects and distributes frozen turkeys and non-parishable foods to families in need on Thanksgiving. Emily started this project by making a large turkey sculpture out of canned food donated at her elementary school.[14]
  • Book Drive - Grandma's Gifts collects and distributes books to children through schools, hospitals, battered family shelters, welfare agencies, and libraries. Since its inception, Grandma's Gifts has donated over 650,000 books to children in Appalachia.[15][16][17][18][19][20]
  • Rainbow Project - Grandma's Gifts collects and distributes school supplies to schools and children in Appalachian areas devastates by storms.[21][22]

Monetary contributions

Using monetary donations, Grandma's Gifts supplies children with educational experiences and donates directly to other non-profit organizations. Examples include:

  • Academy of Excellence Scholarship - The Ohio University Southern Campus hosts a two-week-long educational summer camp for children. Grandma's Gifts grants scholarships to children whose family is unable to afford the camp.[6][23]
  • COSI & Columbus Zoo - The organization uses monetary donations to connect students with the Columbus Center of Science and Industry, a science museum, and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium by arranging field trips to Columbus, Ohio and on-site "COSI on Wheels" trips to Appalachian school districts.[24][25][26]

Public speaking

Grandma's Gifts encourages students to do service for children their own age through public speaking. Emily Douglas speaks to students about her experiences with giving. She encourages the students to start their own projects by showing them easy way to do so and that she was only nine years old when she started her own projects.[8][27][28] [29]

Awards and recognitions

Since its inception, several awards have been given to Grandma's Gifts and to Emily Douglas on behalf of Grandma's Gifts. Additionally, Grandma's Gifts has been recognized from its accomplishments by notable organizations. Some of the more notable awards and recognitions include:

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References
  1. Dennis, Alicia (2008-12-15). "Helping Kids in Appalachia". People Magazine. p. 126. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  2. "Our Founding". Grandma's Gifts Inc. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  3. "Employer Identification Number" (PDF). US Department of the Treasury. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  4. "IRS certified 501(c)(3) organizations". IRS.gov. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  5. "Grandma's Gifts GuideStar Profile". GuideStar. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  6. Wagner, Vivian (2003-06-07). "Honoring Grandma". Ellensburg Daily Record. p. 21. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  7. "Organization to give out free turkeys to needy". The Ironton Tribune. 2009-12-20. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  8. Kersey, Lori (2009-12-16). "Students collect food, presents for classmates". The Ironton Tribune. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
  9. Heath, Benita (2009-12-24). "Young Professionals raise $30,000 for holiday gifts". The Ironton Tribune. Retrieved 24 December 2009.
  10. Malloy, David E. (2009-12-24). "Program provides Christmas for more than 400 kids". Huntington, WV: The Herald Dispatch. Retrieved 24 December 2009.
  11. Daulong, Teresa. "Heroes: Emily Douglas". The Hero Construction Company. Retrieved 5 June 2010.
  12. MARTIN, C.A. "Orthodontic Treatment Needs in Appalachian Youth and their Parents". University of Pittsburgh. Archived from the original on 15 April 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  13. Rayworth, Melissa (2008-11-27). "How to help kids learn to give at the holidays". Lubbock Online. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  14. Moore, Teresa (2009-01-03). "Grandma's Gifts donates to First United Methodist". The Ironton Tribune. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  15. "Events honor youth". The Ironton Tribune. 2000-04-10. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
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  28. Yost, Denise (2010-07-02). "Woman Collects Supplies, Honors Grandmother For 17 Years". NBC 4. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
  29. Rayworth, Melissa (2008-11-27). "Help kids learn to give over holidays". The Youngstown Vindicator. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
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  32. "5/27/10: Forty Under 40 Awards Celebration". Business First. 2010-05-27. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
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