Mindy Honey has heard countless stories about local children in need that melted her heart —and broke it— all at once.
As she nears her first anniversary as Executive Director of the Silver Dollar City Foundation, Mindy’s mission to help families thrive is on the cusp of helping even more. Last month, the Foundation divided almost $155,000 in Care for Kids funds among 14 area school districts.
Mindy pauses as she ponders how those funds find their way to kids who desperately need hope and a dose of good cheer.
“I hear story after story about how Care For Kids is changing lives. Whether it’s helping a family after a house fire, buying a little girl a softball glove so she can play sports, or covering the cost of a much-needed home repair so a father can be reunited with his kids. Teachers have seen kids get off the bus without shoes or wearing their parents’ shoes and had children tell them they hate three-day weekends because there’s never food at home. This is heavy stuff, and it’s happening all around us.”
Mindy, who has two children of her own, gets emotional thinking about hardworking families that just can’t catch a break.
“These are moms and dads who are working really hard but are struggling to get by,” she says. “One extra bill can trip them up and force them to make hard choices like do I buy food or electricity? By partnering with the schools, we are able to help that family get back on its feet. We trust our schools to spend that money on needs they see and then tell us how they did it. It’s a beautiful collaboration.”
Mindy has always had a “helper’s heart.” Before her role with the Silver Dollar City Foundation, she spent eight years as the Skaggs Foundation's grant administrator. Her philanthropic spirit, though, can be traced back to when her adult son was just a little guy.
“His school was doing a fundraiser where kids could buy little trinkets with quarters,” she recalls. “We would send him with change to get stuff and didn’t think anything of it. Then, he came home one day and said he was sad. He noticed a classmate crying because she didn’t have any money to spend on trinkets. He gave her his stash of coins. Multiple times through the years, that little girl contacted me as she grew up to tell me how much it meant to her all that time ago when my son gave her that money. That impacted my heart in the most unbelievable way. It was only a few quarters, but it gave her a sense of belonging.”
Mindy says the Foundation has the same effect on lives on a much larger scale.
“So many families just feel hopeless. I hear from school leaders how Care For Kids helps students who once felt invisible feel valued and cared for, and how one single act of kindness can ignite a spark of hope in their lives and change their entire trajectory.”
Care For Kids has donated more than $2.3 million to area children since the program began in 2006. Each year, funds are divided among the school districts based on the number of students enrolled in the free or reduced lunch program.
Silver Dollar City Foundation will release another round of funds through the Hope Grant later this school year. The Hope Grant allows schools to apply for up to $15,000 to target a need. Several local districts use the money to focus on early childhood education and making preschool more affordable for families. For example, Kirbyville used its grant to offset the cost of preschool tuition, from $14 per day to only $5.
The Silver Dollar City Foundation is funded through generous contributions from Silver Dollar City, White Water, Showboat Branson Belle, Woodland Hills Family Church, private donors, and its annual Christmas Fundraiser. Silver Dollar City is hosting an exclusive, one-night-only preview of An Old Time Christmas starting at 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, with all proceeds going to the Silver Dollar City Foundation.
The 400 attendees will get a sneak peek of An Old Time Christmas, a festival recognized by USA TODAY Readers as the nation’s Best Theme Park Holiday Event. Guests will enjoy a delicious prime rib dinner, VIP ride on the new Fire in the Hole, the live production of A Dickens’ Christmas Carol, a walking tour of The City’s 6.5 million-plus lights and dessert on Town Square with Rudolph’s Holly Jolly™ Light Parade and special tree lighting. All guests will also enjoy premium parking that night.
Tickets to Silver Dollar City Foundation’s Christmas Fundraiser are $150 each and are available online for purchase now. Sponsorship packages are $1,500 each and include eight tickets and recognition at the event. To learn more or reserve your sponsorship, contact Mindy at mindy.honey@silverdollarcity.com or call 417-230-2761. Learn more about the Silver Dollar City Foundation at www.silverdollarcityfoundation.com.
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