About us

Built by neighbors, for neighbors

Community of Caring Hearts Charity started with one family, one shortfall, and a foursome that decided to do something about it. Eighteen tournaments later the model has not changed much.

Our story

It began with a foursome and an overdue notice

In 2008 a school counselor mentioned to her Saturday golf group that one of her students was about to lose her housing over a shortfall of a few hundred dollars. The four of them covered it that week, then decided the next year they would just hold a scramble and cover a lot more of them.

The first Caring Hearts Classic had 11 teams and raised $9,400. It has sold out eleven times since. Within two years the informal collection had become a board, a bank account, and a 501(c)(3) determination letter.

We took on the education fund when we saw how often a small tuition gap ended a promising run. We added partner grants when we realized other groups in town were better at some of this than we were, and deserved the help. What has never changed is the referral model: someone who already knows the family vouches for the need. That single design choice is why our approvals are quick and our fraud rate is close to zero.

Community of Caring Hearts Charity logo

Mission and values

What we hold ourselves to

💭

Dignity first

Nobody should have to perform their hardship to qualify for help. We ask for what we need and nothing more.

Speed matters

A shutoff notice does not wait for a quarterly grant cycle. We review weekly and pay within five business days.

🔍

Open books

Our annual report, Form 990, and program spending breakdown are published every year without being asked for.

📍

Stay local

Money raised on that course is spent within twenty miles of it. Players can see the campus, the shelter, or the block their entry fee reached.

👥

Partner, do not duplicate

If a local group already does it better, we fund them instead of building a competing program.

One event, done well

We run one tournament a year instead of six mediocre fundraisers. It respects everyone's calendar and it raises more.

How a request moves

From referral to relief

This really is a sequence, and here it is start to finish.

A referral comes in

A teacher, counselor, case worker, clergy member, or partner agency submits the family and the specific need.

We verify the need

Staff confirm the amount with the landlord, utility, or school. We fund verified balances, not estimates.

Committee reviews weekly

Requests under two thousand dollars are approved by staff. Anything larger goes to the volunteer review committee.

Payment goes to the provider

Funds are sent directly to the vendor within five business days. The family receives confirmation, not a check to chase.

We check back

At thirty and ninety days we follow up. If the situation is still fragile, we connect the family to a partner charity for longer term support.

Our people

Board and staff

Replace these names, roles, and bios with your own team. Swap the initials block for a photo when you have one.

AM

Angela Marsh

Executive Director

Former school counselor. The one who mentioned the student to her golf group in 2008.

DR

Darren Reeves

Board Chair

Small business owner. Runs sponsorship sales and chairs the tournament committee.

LT

Lena Torres

Program Director

Runs intake, verification, and the thirty and ninety day follow ups.

MC

Marcus Cole

Treasurer

CPA. Owns the annual audit, the Form 990, and the published spending breakdown.

Accountability

Where the money goes

92%
Programs and direct aid
5%
Administration
3%
Fundraising
100%
Audited annually
Note for your team. Replace these figures with your audited numbers, and link your current Form 990 and annual report here. Donors look for this before they give.

Help us help others

Play, sponsor, or give. All three end up in the same place.

Every entry fee, every hole sign, and every donation goes into the same pot: scholarships for local students and emergency help for families down the street.