Today, we’d like to introduce you to Dayna Krystal. Dayna was introduced to us by the brilliant and talented Tonia Griffin.
Hi Dayna, we’re so thrilled to have you sharing your story with us today. Maybe we can kick things off by having you introduce yourself to our readers? We’d love to have you go into your story and how you got to where you are today.
I wanted people to know how much my mom had done for the community. I truly don’t believe the community knew just how much Carolyn (my mom) had done for others that had gone unnoticed. However, I didn’t want her legacy to die, so I took lemons and made it into lemonade basically. Our first meeting was in my truck with my 2 sisters of an idea to Recognize people in the community who were making huge impacts that had gone unnoticed. Just like my mom did for her community, so the hometown hero gala was created. The money that was raised from the gala, we used to bless families who had been impacted by COVID. The gala was supposed to be a one time event, however, God showed us that it was bigger than just this one time event. After we recognize people in the community, we slowly became an Organization that would continue to impact the community as well.
At first time blessing a family was a family that had lost their home during Covid, we realize that there were more families who needed us. We wanted to be a hometown hero, by focusing on families to help make them stronger. If the family connection is strong, children perform better at school, and parents are able to work effectively; which, creates a stronger community. We begin creating events; such as: clothing drives, toy drives, food drives, partnering with other organizations who are also doing great things in the community, and several other things to give back to families who were in need. We also wanted families to connect by doing something exciting like a home scavenger hunts, giveaways for dinner at home with your families during Covid, or Family fun day in the park and dancing brunch with your families just the name a few. Families have been always so important to our mom so we wanted to continue that legacy. We have set out to do one event to recognize others, but in return it grew into a foundation, The Carolyn Taylor Lee Foundation that will forever help impact families while making family connections.
We’ve heard great things about your organization. For our readers who might not be as familiar, can you please tell them about the organization?
What do we do? We are Organization that focuses on helping families to make a family connection. What sets us apart? We are different because we strive not only to help families who may have challenging situations, we also strive to make family connections. For example during Covid we were able to host a virtual scavenger hunt but it had to be done as a family to win the prize. Several families gather items around their home and quickly post them on social media with a family member in the picture. In return they would win a prize this is a way to get the family together and do something fun. We believe because we’re also helping the families make connections that we are building stronger communities. What are you most proud of as a brand? Wow what a great question, I think that the most exciting thing is that we’re continuing to uphold our deceased mothers legacy. My mom was really big are ensuring the families stayed connected. Weather it is us as a family having a game night on a Friday or fostering a whole family of four or more children so they all stay together. She wanted family stay connected and I think that is what makes us most proud that we continue to put on events that brings families together even for a moment to enjoy each other company. And that we continue to be a self fund an organization I have found ways to help the community, small businesses and families. One of our most proud events was dancing Queen. Because it helped a small dance company and a small business in the community, while connecting families together. We were able to connect all the points that are most important to us. Dancing queens was a Brunch that features a local dance company and aloud families eat together.
Tonia Griffin and Khambrel Foundation have been great to us and I know you’ve got a great relationship with them as well. Maybe you can tell our audience a bit about Tonia Griffin and Khambrel Foundation and your experience with them.
Miss Tonia organization is so amazing it caters to all of the elderly as well as teaching kindness to the young and just all. We work with her so many times let me think back to the first time we ever work with her because she has always been so supportive. I believe the first time, we discover the awesome organization was when she was collecting gift cards for senior citizens for Christmas and from their our relationship grew. We love and admire her because she is intentional with the senior citizens. They are very excited to see her at each event that we see her put on. She knows each of them by name so that Shows us that she’s spending time with them. She goes the extra miles, She always has a phone list, or email tree that she can let all the seniors know about the next event. I love how she involves other organizations to also be a part of the impact with the seniors which is always an amazing experience. For example we partner with her for Thanksgiving to help cook Thanksgiving for senior citizens. Caring For seniors warmed our hearts because they came from not only received the plate of food, but also a care package to take home. That’s one of those situations where her given was intentional to not not just something to do. The seniors were excited to see her, to see us they have loving conversations and we’re excited for the next event.
Facebook: The Carolyn Taylor Lee Foundation
