by Lindsay Tearman
My church is a second home for me. It is a living, breathing second family that I have picked out for myself. When I made the choice to become a partner, to officially join the church, I was all in. That meant giving support physically, spiritually, and financially as well. And I give recurrent donations with love and hope to support this church. I want to assure that this place that I cherish never has to reduce its reach to our community or be unable to provide care for all who enter.
It can’t happen without me and hundreds of others. Without funding support, Foothills cannot continue to extend to our own community and beyond, to offer sanctuary to those in crisis, to offer a safe place to those in turmoil, to provide assurance of justice and comfort and love to all those that walk in the door every single Sunday. It doesn’t happen without me.
I love that my donation each month goes to partner with a multitude of non-profits all over Northern Colorado. It goes towards making our whole community a better place, a more giving place. I feel like I am personally impacting so many more lives through Foothills than I could ever hope to on my own. The model of generosity shown by Foothills is truly outstanding. We share the plate with a non-profit each month, we host a mobile food bank, we work with Faith Family Hospitality, and so much more. And I am a part of that.
I had never given regularly to a church in my life, until I became a member at Foothills, and I have not looked back since. The more I examined my own habits with money, and looked deeply at my relationship with spending, the freer I felt in giving to something that truly mattered to me.
Here is what I know: I have bought and returned many clothing or household items in my life after having a change of heart about an impulse buy near the register. After pledging for two years with Foothills, I have NEVER once wanted a refund. I have never thought that money could have been better spent. I have never had “buyer’s remorse.” And it is because this is my home and my family that I am taking care of. That feels really good, every single time.
Foothills is growing — we cannot keep up with the needs of the community without having more people join as partners with us. Being a part of this has changed my life and is changing the lives of so many others right here within our walls.
You can’t truly quantify a donation. Its power is limitless, and you may never know the impact that it has. You may not have anything to physically hold in your hands when all is said in done. But know that you’ve helped others who could not always help themselves.
What a beautiful thing.
Katie believes the best things in life are the result of collaboration and diverse perspectives coming together to produce something greater than any individual could. She is passionate about systems, efficiency and collaboration for better community outcomes. She loves dreaming up the big picture and drafting the roadmap to make it happen. She has a background in operations, fundraising, communications and program development, as well as over a decade of nonprofit management experience in Northern Colorado.
Her greatest joy in life comes from her family. Her husband, Steven, a principal at Wellington Middle School, and daughters Emmaline and Esmae are the lights of her life. Together they love mountains, music and all kinds of food. She is passionate about women supporting other women in all stages of life and especially through the critical moments that make or break us. She believes that one of the most important things in life is to be kind.
Being outdoors makes her soul come alive. It always roots her in gratitude and is one of the reasons she loves living in Fort Collins.
