Lillie Sanders (center), with Dan Moore and Arlene Ugbaja of NCGives
A lot has been in the news lately about the Giving Pledge of billionaires. Equally as important is the news of everyday givers who amplify giving in their small communities, do it masterfully, and have been doing it for years. My work in philanthropy is a reminder that the largest number of contributions come from individuals, and they are more likely to be average citizens than billionaires.
I recently attended a fundraising celebration for one everyday giver who is transforming her community (and being transformed by the philanthropic process herself), Mrs. Lillie Sanders of Magnolia, North Carolina.
I think Mrs. Lillie (who founded Duplin County’s Sanders Service Center) is one of the best philanthropists in NC because she is able to “do much with little.” She has shared that she and her husband have never made over $25,000 together in one year, but she has been able to secure and give away over half a million dollars.
The saying in the Magnolia vicinity is, “If you need something, go see Mrs. Lillie.”
Giving Leads to More Generosity
I’ve been amazed at how Mrs. Lillie has been able to attract as well as multiply giving. Here’s an illustration of how she has evolved as a community philanthropist:
- 2006: I first met Mrs. Lillie at NCGives’ "Celebrating Cultures of Giving” conference, where she tells the powerful story about her grandma making her wear a housecoat as a coat and being ridiculed by children on the way to school. Part of her life’s work is now to make sure that people have decent clothes to wear.
- 2007: Mrs. Lillie receives a scholarship from NCGives to attend the Women’s Funding Network in Seattle, where women from across the world came together to address women’s funding issues. At this gathering, she regifts money that had been given to her to other women in need.
- Later that year, Mrs. Lillie is awarded the Nancy Susan Reynolds Award from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation and receives $25,000 to further her life’s mission.
- When Mrs. Lillie attends a session on women’s giving, NC Connected, Inc. offers to build her a website at no cost.
- Mrs. Lillie makes plans to build temporary housing for burned out families because she remembers first hand what it was like. Friends connect her to NC State University’s School of Design, whose students develop the architectural plans for the building.
- 2010: Mrs. Lillie receives $25,000 from the A. J. Fletcher in Raleigh to continue her work.
- During the summer, students volunteer to build her a storage facility for the Rose Hill house.
- July 2010: Mrs. Lillie gets to tell her giving story across the state when she is interviewed by Dr. Bill Friday for UNC-TV’s “North Carolina People” program.
- A partnership with Cornerstone CDC is established to take over the building of the temporary housing.
- At her recent celebration, Mrs. Lillie gives school supplies to a guest from Ghana, West Africa. Her story will travel to Africa through the oral tradition, and she will touch their lives as well.
Mrs. Lillie is a true philanthropist because it comes from her heart, and I will continue to share her story…for it is the everyday givers who show the most promise in transforming their communities, one community philanthropist at a time.
I couldn’t help but challenge myself to “do much with little.” I challenge you to follow Mrs. Lillie’s lead by doing the same with your time, talent and treasure, and watch the impact in your community!
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