We've all heard the song “The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades,” and it certainly rings true in relation to Stephanie Carter’s bright success, leveraging hats for shade in the strong Boulder sun. Stephanie is recognized around the world for her contributions to the global community and her strong leadership, including founding Wallaroo Hat Company in 1999, a women owned business based in Boulder, Colorado. We are so grateful to call Stephanie a community partner, and we hope you enjoy learning Stephanie’s story of how she got involved with the Community Foundation and what excites her!
Tell us about your history in Boulder County.
My parents moved to Boulder in 1958 and raised me and my four brothers here. Boulder was a wonderful place to grow up and has been my home for over 55 years. I have three children that I also raised in this amazing community. I have been an active member of the community and have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I even started a newspaper home delivery route at the age of 10. My undergraduate education was at NYU, and I attended law school at the University of Denver.
When and why did you first get involved with the Community Foundation?
I first learned about the Community Foundation through my parents, Christopher and Margot Brauchli, who have been actively involved in the Boulder Arts community for over 50 years. They established a Donor-Advised Fund with the Foundation, to create a consistent way to donate to organizations they were passionate about. I was intrigued, so I met with the Foundation and learned about the tax-deductible mechanism for making charitable donations to organizations that I am also passionate about.
What inspired you to start a Donor-Advised Fund at the Community Foundation?
I wanted to create a fund that would allow me to make a tax-deductible donation to the Community Foundation, where they would manage the funds for me and handle the subsequent donations I chose to make. The Community Foundation makes it easy by managing the funds and the donations on your fund’s behalf.
What got you interested in philanthropy in the first place?
I believe that the world benefits when we help people less fortunate than ourselves. There are many amazing organizations in the world doing important work and I am always impressed by the creativity and motivation of those individuals and their causes. I learned a long time ago that no matter how small the donation is, it does make a difference. In 2019 I co-founded PridePads Africa, an NGO based in Cameroon, Africa, that produces biodegradable sanitary pads to help keep girls in school so they can complete their educations. Without the support of our donors, PridePads Africa (www.pridepads.org) would never have successfully launched. Our Board and the Committee members work tirelessly to ensure we have the outreach needed to continue receiving financial support. Philanthropy is a big part of this mission.
What do you tell your peers in the community about partnering with the Community Foundation?
I always encourage my friends and acquaintances to consider partnering with the Community Foundation for the simplicity of donating to charitable causes. Having an organization behind the donations and the management of the money takes a lot of the guess work out of the process. It simplifies it in a way that makes it accessible to anyone. I love the ease of the fund and also having the support and recommendations of the staff to help guide me when I might be curious about other organizations that I could donate to.
What do you hope to achieve with the Donor-Advised Fund?
My goal in having a Donor-Advised Fund is twofold. I want to leave a legacy in this community, by donating to causes that my family and I are passionate about. It is also important to have my children feel empowered to do the same. Having a Donor-Advised Fund will require them to do their research, learn and use their compassion, empathy, and social justice skills to the best of their abilities.
What gives you the most hope for the future of Boulder County?
Boulder is full of passionate and open-minded people who care deeply about the environment, politics, education, health care, and so much more. I’ve seen profound changes to this community over the years and I think it is rare to find a place where people are as engaged and heart centered as they are in Boulder. I’m proud to be from Boulder and to be part of an organization that supports our community in so many ways.