Renita Marshall has a huge heart. Those that know her well would agree but it goes so much deeper than that. Renita has a mission. Let’s let her tell you about it.
In 2009, this all started because I saw a neighbor post on social media that she wasn’t going to have Christmas for her four daughters (no tree, no gifts, no Christmas meal). I rallied some friends, and we provided basics: a few small presents for each girl, a couple for mom, a Christmas tree, and a gift card to purchase a Christmas meal. They indicated it was the best Christmas they’ve had because it reminded them there are Christmas miracles. Each year thereafter, another situation presented itself where I would rally friends to help a family in need. In 2020, after losing one of my best friends at the age of forty-seven, I realized I needed to stop being afraid to take risks because I could miss my opportunity. I incorporated the Renita Marshall Helping Hands Foundation in November 2020. Since that time, we have averaged $22,000 in donations. In fact, during this past Share the Good campaign, seven National Life employees donated to the organization totaling almost $6,000 dollars with the match.
Having programs such as Share the Good have allowed us to expand our services to:
- Numerous families receiving assistance at Christmas.
- Numerous families receiving assistance purchasing school supplies and clothing.
- Creation of the Aiden James Shannon scholarship for a teen to attend Silver Towers Camp
- Creation of the Lisa P. Donahue award at the Central Vermont Career Center for female students who exhibit leadership skills in non-traditional programs.
- Becasue of my relationship with National Life (Scott Rogers specifically), National Life hired two students from CVCC to be summer interns last year.
- Numerous families receiving seasonal passes to the Barre City municipal pool.
- Numerous children attending swim lessons at no cost to the families.
- Aiding after home fires, for children’s birthdays, and an end-of-life trip for an ill husband and his family
I have received the following notes from various families. We keep all recipients’ names confidential and therefore, nobody knows who they are donating to, and the recipient does not know who donated.
- “You are the true meaning of kindness, Renita.”
- “I just want to thank each one of you all for helping my daughter. While she is struggling with cancer, she had the most amazing Christmas ever! She was beyond happy with every single gift. You made lots of her dreams come true!!!! It was also a very hard up-and-down day with her being sick, but she was able to eat two plates of Christmas dinner because she had not eaten in 5 days. You are all blessings from above. Again, THANK YOU SO MUCH!”
- “Thank you so much for not only making sure my children are going to have an amazing holiday but remembering every detail including gift tags. When you are struggling with a crisis in your family, you forget about those basic items until it’s Christmas Eve and everything is closed. On top of everything else you’re managing, you break down. Because of you, I did not break down”
- “I am so in awe of what your foundation did this year for my kids and myself. You have given me hope that this was just a bump in the road and sometimes magical things happen. Thank you for putting smiles on my children’s faces.”
Thank you, Renita, for truly leading with compassion, empathy, and that huge heart!