Donor Spotlight: Cindy Dawson
”There are too many needs to sit on the sidelines…”
Cindy Dawson was one of Sambhali U.S.’s earliest supporters. Today she supports the organization with a recurring monthly donation and has included it as a beneficiary in her will. “I grew up hearing about women’s liberation [and] took it seriously,” she explains. Plus, “I think those of us who have been fortunate to achieve some level of comfort should share some of our time, effort, and funds with others who are not so fortunate. There are too many needs to sit on the sidelines and just hope for the best.”
Cindy’s monthly donation to Sambhali U.S. is a vital resource to the organization. “Recurring donors are the lifeblood of a non-profit organization, especially a small one like ours,” states Shereen Arent, Sambhali U.S. president. “They allow us to plan ahead knowing the funds will be there to continue to support the women and girls of Sambhali as they build their futures.”
Cindy, who lives in Little Rock, AR, with her husband and three dogs, serves as president of a large college-prep, tuition-free district of charter schools. She learned about Sambhali U.S. from, Shereen, a long-time friend who, along with Cindy, was involved in another nonprofit organization for women, Together Women Rise. “I researched [Sambhali U.S.] and decided it was a worthy organization that accomplished so much good with limited resources. Sambhali Trust has remained intact despite the pandemic and its beneficial programs continue to thrive, so it has staying power.”
Supporting important causes is something Cindy takes very seriously. “I wanted to broaden my giving to include outside-the-country causes. Poverty is on a whole different level in some other countries which has become even clearer to me since my involvement with Together Women Rise. I am happy to have found a couple of excellent, trustworthy charities to support that are teaching and helping people, especially women and girls, outside the U.S.”
Shereen reflects on her years of friendship with Cindy, “Hard to imagine, but I’ve known Cindy for almost 40 years, and for all of them she has been a role model on how to treat people with dignity and respect. Another constant is how, despite her busy life as a lawyer, she always found time to devote to volunteering and building community. We’re so fortunate Cindy’s heart reaches across the miles to the women and girls of Sambhali.”
Please consider joining Cindy as a recurring donor or making a planned gift to Sambhali U.S. You can set up a recurring donation here. Questions? Please reach out to us at info@sambhalius.org. We are happy to help.