The Village Made Me: A Story of Faith, Growth, and Purpose

villagefamily
Nov 6, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Nov 9, 2025

When Value Isn’t Always Measured in Dollars

About a month ago, I had a conversation about the challenges grassroots nonprofits face, the gatekeeping, the ghosting, and the barriers that make it hard to access funding, especially with reimbursable grants. Someone suggested maybe I needed “new teams".

But the truth is, I already have a team.

My family. My church volunteers. The Crown Vixens. The Crown Vic Boys & Girls. The loyal community partners who have stood beside Village Family for over a decade.

Then came the question:

“But are they bringing you money?”

And I had to pause.

Since when did value only mean dollars? Time, effort, consistency, love, those are currencies too. Because when the funding runs short, these are the people who still show up. Hands-on. Heart-first.

Just recently, I was surrounded by those same incredible people as the Morring Community Foundation blessed Village Family with a $5,000 check to continue our mission. And having Mama Dean, 82 years young, standing there to celebrate, made it even more meaningful.

Moments like this remind me:

Money helps us grow, but people keep us going.

Lessons From the Early Days

Years ago, Food Lion was one of our first community partners. They stocked our pantry when no one else would. And they still support us today.

I remember applying five times to another grocery chain — Farm Fresh — because I admired

their food and believed we’d be a perfect match. After repeated denials, I finally learned they

only funded larger nonprofits, a detail never mentioned anywhere.

That experience taught me a hard truth:

Too often, access to opportunity isn’t about merit, it’s about who someone already knows.

And many grassroots leaders never get to see the full picture.

That’s why, even when doors close, I keep speaking up. Because advocacy doesn’t start with receiving a grant, It starts with telling the truth.

As long as I have breath, I’ll keep using my voice for those who serve from the heart, who give without applause, who show up for their neighbors even when no one is watching.

Being Human Doesn’t Mean Being Perfect

Making mistakes doesn’t make you unqualified. It doesn’t make you dishonest. It simply makes you human.

You can be transparent, well-intentioned, and still learning. You can be growing and leading

at the same time. But especially as a Black woman leading a grassroots nonprofit, the world can be quick to judge, slow to understand, and sometimes quicker to tell your story for you.

But here’s what I know:

Integrity isn’t proven by perfection, it’s proven by persistence.

The late nights. The quiet prayers. The tears no one sees. The meals packed when your body is tired but your calling is still speaking.

Those moments define character.

Grace & Growth

True leadership means:

Owning your mistakes.
Learning from them.
And still showing up with love.

Every challenge becomes part of a larger purpose. Every setback becomes a seed.

And every lesson becomes legacy.

Because when your mission is grounded in service, the goal isn’t to look good, it’s to do good.

A Word to Fellow Changemakers

If you are a community leader, parent, teacher, healer, organizer, or someone simply trying

to do good, hear this:

You are allowed to grow. You are allowed to learn. You are allowed to be human.

The important thing is to stay true, stay teachable, and protect your heart.

Your authenticity is your armor. Your transparency is your strength. Your love is your legacy.

So keep showing up, imperfect, resilient, powerful. Because the world doesn’t need a perfect leader.

It needs a real one.

And that’s who you are.

It still takes a Village. And the Village made me.

Stay Connected. Stay Rooted. Stay Inspired.

Village Family Quality Food Community Resource Center www.villagefamilyoutreach.net Volunteer: www.volunteerhr.org Text-to-Donate: VillageFamilyFeeds to 53-555