In 1993, as her spirit began to pass, a grandmother gave her granddaughter, Emily Douglas, an invaluable last bequeathal–––the gift of giving. Emily's grandmother, Norma Ackison, was raised as the last of twelve children in Depression-era Appalachia. Although very poor, the family was united by love. As an adult, Norma taught Emily in words and actions that one must give back to the community, especially on behalf of those who find themselves in less fortunate situations. Following her grandmother's death, eleven-year-old Emily founded Grandma's Gifts, in honor of her grandmother’s wisdom and generous spirit.
What began as the simple efforts of a small child buying Christmas gifts for a few needy Appalachian children has expanded beyond Emily’s dreams. Grandma’s Gifts has grown large enough to have donated in excess of two million dollars in goods and services to children living in Appalachian Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. In 2000, Grandma’s Gifts took two semitrailers of clothes, warm coats, bicycles, games, books, and toys to disadvantaged children throughout this same region. The Spring Clean Book Drive has become a signature initiative of the program, overseeing the collection and redistribution of 650,000 books to help establish libraries in shelters for battered families, hospital pediatric wards, homes, community centers, and schools in disadvantaged areas. Additionally, Grandma’s Gifts organizes Thanksgiving food drives, provides scholarships to summer camps for gifted children, and sponsors a science-by-mail program. This initiative pairs schools in remote areas of Appalachia with a working scientist, providing students a role model and mentor for a career in the sciences.
School, scouting, community, and faith-based groups across the country have pitched in to help Emily’s project. Schools, institutions, and individuals in all fifty states, as well as Canada, Israel, the Netherlands, Germany, the Philippines, and Spain have joined the effort. Emily has attained the financial and logistic support of over twenty corporations as well. One hundred percent of all donations made to Grandma's Gifts go directly to the cause, and matching agreements and donations of services cover all administrative and operating costs. The Grandma’s Gifts portfolio contains ten projects: The Christmas Angel Program, Spring Clean Book Drive, Academy of Excellence Scholarships, Valentines for Veterans, Thanksgiving Turkey Sculpture, Science-by-Mail, Grandma’s Gifts Goodies, Free Vision Screening and Eyeglasses, Special Trips (such as Cosi on Wheels and Columbus Zoo Day), and the Rainbow Project. Currently, Emily has begun working to establish a new scholarship fund in memory of her four Appalachian grandparents. Its criteria focus on how the candidates have worked to change themselves, their community, and their country for the better.
Through her tireless commitment to make this world a better place, especially for those less fortunate, Emily has kept alive the spirit and goodness of her beloved grandmother. Always striving, sharing successes, and overcoming adversities and setbacks, Emily Douglas lives her life keeping her grandmother’s lessons close to heart and passing her loving spirit to those less fortunate and in need of care.
To learn more about Emily and her cause, and how you can make a difference, please visit:
www.Grandmasgifts.org .
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