Photo by Marcus Castro of the Fayetteville Observer

"Cape Fear Profile: Alisa Debnam steps up to help others" (The Fayetteville Observer)

Alisa Debnam is a health professional, career woman and leader in charitable causes. But right now, she's wrist-deep in rice and gravy. In the kitchen of First Baptist Church on Moore Street, an apron-clad Debnam is dishing out lunch for a roomful of noisy children at a summer camp.

It's hard work, but Debnam won't complain. "I love to cook anyway," she said, "so this is right up my alley."

That attitude, say friends and family, is typical Alisa Debnam. From her work as supervisor for health education in Cumberland County schools to her role with the Women's Giving Circle charitable group, Debnam rarely shies away from a challenge - no matter whether that challenge is as big as a $50,000 grant or as small as a scoop of rice and gravy.

Debnam's philosophy of helping others extends beyond the workplace. In the early '90s, she joined the Junior League, eventually becoming president..."I probably owe more to the Junior League than any organization I've been affiliated with," Debnam said. "What most people don't know is it's a developmental organization. It's all about developing the potential of women."

Recently, Debnam's charitable efforts have taken a different turn. A couple of years ago, Mary Holmes, executive director of the Cumberland Community Foundation, approached Debnam about starting a Women's Giving Circle to generate money to benefit women and children. Debnam agreed.

Holmes said Debnam was a natural for the giving circle position. Leadership, she said, is part of Debnam's "hard wiring."

"There's a lot of people who have great ideas, but they don't show up when it's time to show up and roll up their sleeves," Holmes said. "Alisa has great ideas, and she shows up when it's time to get to work."

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