Check Out Stacie Winslow’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacie Winslow.

Hi Stacie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started a philanthropic journey when my children were in elementary school and families were looking to upgrade math textbooks and playground equipment. Those items weren’t in the budget so a group of moms said, “We can do it.” And that started a journey that really changed my approach to problems and how I can have an impact in my community. It led to some actual paid jobs but most importantly it made me an activist who tries to segue my community into ways to be philanthropists. The greatest gift we have to give, in my opinion, are our time and talents and there are always people who can use our help. I moved on to advocacy and fundraising for ALS charities and pediatric cancer research after my mom was diagnosed with ALS in 2016 and after I met an 8 year old with an aggressive form of sarcoma cancer in 2015. Both of those deeply emotional experiences changed me forever.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road has not been smooth, but I’m not sure that’s the point. The point is to learn and grow from our struggles and to find a way to come out the other side, stronger and more compassionate. The greatest struggle is just protecting your heart from grief and loss and pain when outcomes aren’t what you desperately wish they would be. The key is to pick yourself up, find the good in every moment and be grateful you have the opportunity to help.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I guess I am known for helping other people mobilize to help other people! It feels weird to say that, but I believe people are innately good and want to help others, but don’t always know how. When we are dealing with difficult issues like loss or illness or pain or food or income insufficiency, many people tend to look away. And that’s completely natural; it’s self preservation. But a compassionate community opens their eyes and hearts to the problem and looks for ways to fix it. I believe that humanity demands that we have uncomfortable conversations sometimes. Those conversations can be uncomfortable because we are asking people to make sacrifices themselves, sometimes for people they don’t know. Those conversations can be uncomfortable because they force us to deal with a heartache or pain we pray we never have to experience ourselves. Whatever the reason, I believe we’re challenged, maybe even expected, to do hard things. I think the thing I am most proud of from a community standpoint is hopefully inspiring philanthropy in the younger generation by sharing the story of Marlee, a pediatric cancer patient who died at age 12 and asked me to be part of her legacy of giving and change. From a personal standpoint, it was running the New York City marathon in 2023 at the age of 50 as a fundraiser for ALS. Both experiences were very cathartic for me and forced me to prove to myself that I can (still!) do hard things. I don’t expect more of others than I ask of myself.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
The best advice I can give is “It’s never a mistake to love.“ In the example of my own children, they became close to Marlee this pediatric cancer patient whom we knew might not survive. And her devastating death at the young age of 12 left an indelible mark on our family. But our lives were made infinitely better by knowing her… So despite the grief and pain of losing her I don’t wish for one moment that she hadn’t come into our lives. She gives us a purpose that has now spread throughout the south Denver metro area. just in sharing her story. I certainly wish the outcome of every ALS diagnosis could be different, but I would not give up knowing the people I met in being thrust into that community.
So my advice is to give of yourself deeply. Share your passions and gifts with others less fortunate. Expose your children to people and communities and problems outside their comfort zone. It’s only in bridging what differs among us that we become united.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://marleessmile.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/staciewins/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Staciewins