Daily Inspiration: Meet Jennifer Hamilton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Hamilton.

Hi Jennifer, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Jimmy Carroll was a local pastor who put his faith into action by caring for the most vulnerable in our community.

His widow and son, Beverly & Austin Carroll, formed the foundation to carry on his legacy of assisting struggling people in our community. We do this by partnering with local nonprofits that are meeting the needs of the unhoused. We envision a community where unhoused people experience the fullness of God’s love. In the name of Jimmy Carroll’s legacy, the Jimmy Carroll Foundation has the honor of partnering with compassionate nonprofit organizations that not only see the needs of the unhoused, but are doing something about it.

At the Jimmy Carroll Foundation our values guide our partnerships, and through this lens we have the opportunity to go ALL IN with nonprofits that are meeting the complex needs of the unhoused hands-on. The Jimmy Carroll Foundation values deep, relational partnerships and through Funding, Engaging, and Encouraging nonprofits we are ALL IN with them. We do this in order for them to meet the needs of the unhoused and to come alongside them to make that work easier and increase their organizational capacity.

Through funding we provide grants to nonprofit partners, sponsor their fundraising efforts, and offer them donations-in-kind. Last year’s JCF golf tournament raised over $25,000 to support A Place At The Table’s first ever pay-as-you-can food truck called “The Travelin’ Table.” Recently, we had the honor of upfitting our partner Ship Community Outreach’s Youth Room for their after-school Homework Club. Ship supplied a wishlist and, with the help of JCF champions, we shopped for each item and delivered it. These types of hands-on opportunities are the heart of the unique work of JCF!

Deep relationships require face time so we engage with nonprofits through mobilizing our JCF champions to volunteer with our partner nonprofits, developing intentional relationships with the nonprofit’s leadership, and leveraging our existing resources to increase the nonprofits impact. Our JCF champion Sonya Goddard now regularly cooks dinner for the students at the Ship Homework Club and our corporate champion, Mary Square, provides welcome bags full of pampering items to the women exiting homelessness that now reside at the Jimmy Carroll House.

We know the work of those on the front line of caring for our community is tiring and hard. We desire to encourage them in their labor by acknowledging the need, maintaining longevity in our relationship with them, creating exposure for their work, and championing their mission. We regularly visit our nonprofit partners, fill unique needs for them, and share their work and mission on our social media platforms, and among our circles of influence. We want to connect them with every opportunity possible!

We need JCF Champions to support these unique, in-depth partnerships! Your time, talent, and treasure is a gift to us. There are opportunities to volunteer for JCF fundraising events, such as our golf tournament, as well as opportunities to do tangible work with our nonprofit partners. Do you have a special skill or resource that can be shared? Sonya’s ability to cook good, filling meals has been an incredible resource for supporting Ship!

Through the incredible financial support of our donors we are equipped to live out these in-depth partnerships. This year JCF strategically provided $120,000 through grants, sponsorships, and donations-in-kind. Think about how much more we could provide if you were ALL IN with us!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One of our biggest challenges has been determining where to start! The need is so great and our community is blessed with incredible nonprofits that are doing vital work and meeting the needs of the most vulnerable. How do we choose who to partner with when we want to partner with them all?

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
We are most proud of our relational approach to philanthropy. We believe strongly in the power of relationship and intentionally build deep partnerships with our nonprofits. We want to show up for them just as they show up for the community.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thejimmycarrollfoundation.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejimmycf/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheJimmyCF
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-jimmy-carroll-foundation/?viewAsMember=true
• Twitter: @TheJimmyCF