Welcome to Dotty's Place

Hi, my name is Gina Hunter and I am the founder of Dotty's Place. As I sit here, writing our very first post, not only is my back aching, but so is my head. But at the same time, I'm on top of the world and bubbling over with joy. Why is that? Well, it's because starting this non-profit has been a dream of mine, for the past few months.

It all derived from the fact that my mother, Dotty Williams, came to live with me, during her final few years of life. Because she had dementia and would sometimes become confused, I would sometimes have to assure her that not only would I never sell her home, but that I would also be a good steward. So here I was, on one side looking at her tiny, little house and on the other side, seeing all of us 6 children. All the while, I'm wondering what I could possibly do to turn her home into something that benefitted us all. When she would get worried, I would assure her that I would take care of it and use it as a place, where any family member could go, whenever traveling through the area, attending school or even if they were just in a bind and needed a place to stay. With 5 brothers (...and their children...and their grand children... and so on), you can imagine that there would always be someone who needed a place to stay.

Well, this idea evolved into what we are now calling Dotty's Place. I decided that after years of supporting other non-profits and community programs, that it was time to create one that spoke to my passions. I considered how to help other families possibly not have to lose their loved ones, in this manner. I also took into consideration, the definition of a healthy lifestyle; especially in the context of reaching lessor served individuals, in often neglected communities. Even today, I'm still dreaming. I'm still asking myself, what kinds of programs can Dotty's Place offer that would impact our community the most.

From all my searching, and the many conversations I have had with my family, we have decided to launch the following programs:

1) An Educational Program designed to build positive, confident and purposeful children. We want our participants to have the hands-on experience of working as a team to determine how to improve their school or local area. We want them to see that everyone has the power to make the world a better place. We also want them to realize that they have the choice to change their futures for the good, by taking care of their bodies, souls and minds. My brother's and I grew up in Los Angeles. Our experiences have helped us to understand that hope is a wonderful thing, but it is not something that all people possess.

2) A Nutritional Program meant to assure that people realize the importance of the foods that they eat. We will provide cooking lessons, a place to shop for inexpensive items and an area where food trucks can properly and inexpensively prep the meals that they provide the community. In this way, we will ensure that small food truck owners have the ability to operate their businesses legally and in compliance with state and local statutes. As part of this facility, we will create a Community Garden, where people from the neighborhood can come to grow their own food, and volunteer. The garden will also serve as a source of fresh fruits and vegetables for our Food Commissary.

3)The final program, and the one about which I am the most excited, is our Passion Grant Program. Young children and lower income people can apply to receive assistance with embarking on a new hobby or delving deeper into a hobby they already love. This program will make it safe for both users and donors to get and receive help.

You can support Dotty's Place in several ways. First, we have a Donor's Page, where you can choose how you would like to help. The choices are: Sponsoring a Teacher, Sponsoring a Class, Sponsoring a Passion Grant and making a one time or monthly donation. Our website will also notify you of when we will have banquets or community events in your area. These events will be an excellent way to learn more about healthy lifestyles. They are also an exciting way for volunteers to help their community. (Right now, our focus will be the Tucson and Phoenix areas.) The other way you can help is by purchasing merchandise from our stores. The Dotty's Place Online Store, will offer items that promote our beliefs about the importance of a healthier lifestyle. So, though there will be shirts, hats and mugs, we will also sell items that promote physical fitness, healthy eating, gardening and the pursuit of passions, such as the Arts. You can purchase these items and rest in knowing that the proceeds will go towards making a real difference in the lives of others. We are licensed with both state and federal agencies and can provide receipts for tax purposes, upon request.

At Dotty's Place, we want all our donors to know we appreciate their support. Whether it be their purchase, their time or their donations. Their actions go hand in hand with our belief that people should be civically minded and find some way to improve the world this world we live in.

Well as you can see, Dotty's Place has grown beyond being "just" a small, guest house for family members. It's kind of taken on a life of it's own and is now becoming a legacy to represent the life of a person, who impacted her family so deeply. I don't doubt that my mother would be proud of this undertaking. I think she would thrill from seeing her children and grand children work together. (Wow, that last part made me tear up a little.)

In future blogs, I will try to cover a variety of topics. I will also invite other family members to share a little bit about their lives and interests. What you will find is that we are an eclectic group of people. Many of us are gifted, we work in a variety of professions, and we all love serving the community. We look forward to the meaning we will give to so many lives.

So with that said, "Welcome to Dotty's Place!"