HOW DOES ONE PERSON MAKE SUCH A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE THAT NEED IT THE MOST. MEET ROBERT SMITH AND YOU WILL UNDERSTAND

Hello, my name is Adrienne Bookhamer, and I am the Executive Director for the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund. I spoke with Robert Smith. Robert (Bob) Smith was the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund’s John A Clarke Humanitarian of the Year recipient and for a very good reason! Over the last 12 years, Bob Smith has been committed to raising money for Stillpoint Mission. When I went onto Stillpoint Mission’s website to read their mission, this is what I read: 

    “We reach out to the disadvantaged in our community to help them meet their basic daily needs including food, clothing, baby and adult diapers, hygiene items, children’s books and financial assistance. We serve all who come through our doors in need of the resources we can provide, and all our services are free. We are an independent, non-denominational, non-profit organization that is staffed by volunteers — we have no payroll expense; 100% of our donations go to support client needs. We are grateful and privileged to have such generous and faithful individual and local organizational support."

    This simple message is clear. Stillpoint Mission helps people with their basic needs, and they do it only as volunteers! When Bob began his fundraising efforts, the nonprofit was serving over 200 families with 2 to 3 canned food items a week. This began Bob’s journey and his passion with Stillpoint Mission.

    Bob’s first email sent out over 11 years ago, was an email to nine of his golf buddies asking for donations and he raised $1500. Over the next 11 years, Bob has succeeded in increasing those dollars to just over $235,000!  I am putting this out to our growing Lakewood Ranch community to further Bob’s mission and goals to help our fellow neighbors in need. 

The following is the message that Bob sent out this year to his contacts:

1^st year: 2012: $1,500

2^nd year: 2013: $5,825

3^rd year: 2014: $7,243

4^th year: 2015: $11,000

5^th year: 2016: $11,300

6^th year: 2017: $16,500

7^th year: 2018: $20,235

8^th year: 2019: $25,525

9^th year: 2020: $32,705

10^th year:2021: $40,950

11^th year:2022: $63,035

Total: $235,810

Many/most? of you regular donors will recognize the above numbers as the yearly totals since I first had the chutzpah to ask 9 of my golf buddies to help feed the ‘’poorest of the poor’’ in our community.

Last year’s total of $63,035 was truly remarkable!

It will be quite a challenge to exceed this year.

Yet we will need to.

As the indefatigable Gene Tischer, Stillpoint’s full-time volunteer President of many, many years—Yes, he’s old 😊—points out, inflation, an ever-increasing number of families and the hope we can permanently increase the amount of food from the ‘’historical 3 cans’’ to ‘’more’’, required a 2023 Budget of 57% more dollars ‼️

But let me tell you a story as how we might…

* See if you qualify to give your Required Minimum Distribution out of your IRA – to learn more call me at 262-510-4200 or better yet ask your tax advisor.

* Another great way to increase your dollars is to take advantage of the Flanzer Philanthropic Trust MATCHING your donation – effectively DOUBLING your gift! See below for more information.

* The foregoing notwithstanding, the truly best way to get Stillpoint’s clients 57% more is for you to forward this to your friends, neighbors, and golf partners. My email list could use some ‘’new blood.’’🙏

The Flanzer Matching Program provides the only year-round philanthropic matching program in our area of service. They match contributions as low as $5 to as much as $500 a month per donor/household to as many of their partners as you like. The maximum that the Flanzer Trust will match per donor to any single agency is $3,000 per year. Unlike other matching programs, the Flanzer Trust absorbs the full cost of the program. No handling surcharges will be deducted from your donation or the trust’s match donation. For example, for every $1 you donate, your selected charity gets $2 with a maximum match of $500 per month up to $3,000 per household, per charity, per year. Stillpoint Mission is one of the charities they partner with.

Whether you are part of Bob's campaign, or you are an individual wanting to make a donation to Stillpoint and take advantage of this match program, you can do so online by going to flanzertrust.org, click on Make a Donation, select Stillpoint Mission, and follow the prompts.

When you see the prompt: Donor Note to Nonprofit (special instructions or in honor/memory of) Please type: 12^th Annual Stillpoint Appeal. 

If you would rather send a check, please send to:

Flanzer Trust

1266 First Street

Sarasota Florida 34236

(Please add ‘’12th Annual Stillpoint Appeal’’ to memo line.)

Although this may be the end of Bob’s message he sends out to his contacts, he really wanted me to stress that your donation will go so much further by taking advantage of the Flanzer matching program and it makes a huge difference in your donation.  I will also end with just this last statement, if you are feeling moved to make a difference in your community and would like to donate to this worthy nonprofit, please take a moment to visit Stillpoint’s website at https://stillpointmission.org. And if you want to talk with Bob personally, you can email him at smithlaw78@gmail.com. He would love to be able to tell you some wonderful stories of hope for this wonderful organization.