Today we’d like to introduce you to Macey Price.
Hi Macey, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Ten years ago, I started working as a Therapy Facilitator with a precious angel, Kendall Kernion. Kendall is severely disabled, but her disabilities have never stopped her from bringing an abundance of joy into the life of everyone she meets. After working with Kendall for two years, I moved to Australia for 15 months to work with children who have disabilities in various of different avenues.
While in Australia, I started my first job in the tech industry at an Educational Software company. When I returned to the states, I initially began working with Kendall again before starting my career as a Healthcare IT consultant. Over the years, even throughout my tech career, I’ve provided training to new therapists for Kendall and stayed very closely in touch. The Kernion family has been both mentors and a second family to me.
Fast forward eight years to when Kendall’s older sister, Bree Kernion Lanham, asked me to help her build a nonprofit organization that would benefit families like hers. We only knew each other through her parents, but she knew my love for serving the special needs community and my entrepreneurial spirit. In January 2020, we joined forces in order to develop this incredible organization that has enabled us to benefit other families who have children with disabilities. Our mission was to create a space where these families felt heard, seen, and valued. Despite implementing a nonprofit on the eve of a pandemic, SGF not only survived but thrived. We were able to serve 16 families in our first year alone due to the prodigious support of our community and shared admiration for our mission.
Accomplishing this level of success was not easy. Innovation was one of many guides throughout this journey. A week before our first fundraiser, we went into lockdown due to COVID. In-person fundraisers were not a feasible option. However, I leveraged my background to capitalize on the powerful tools of social media and other digital marketing tactics. With these, we were able to spread the mission of Specially Gifted Foundation in ways we never thought possible. This enabled us to raise awareness and funds, which in turn led us to serve families who had children with disabilities.
In under three years, we have gifted 30 families in Georgia. We have also created a community and a place of resources for families who have children with disabilities. Professionally, I now have a marketing agency (AnnDavis Media) and am currently the Head of Marketing at XSITE Capital Investment. However, Specially Gifted Foundation is still my greatest accomplishment and I truly believe we are only just beginning.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At Specially Gifted Foundation, we believe that children with disabilities deserve to be loved and valued as equals in our society. We respect the unique journey that each of their families faces and are dedicated to enriching their lives by providing them with a special gift or opportunity, beneficial resources, and a sense of community.
Specially Gifted Foundation is set apart by three main factors. There is no financial requirement for families, we serve a wide range of medically diagnosed disabilities, and we serve the family as a whole. Meaning when we gift families, not only do we take into account the needs of the child(ren) with disabilities, but also realize the parents and/or siblings might be in need of support.
Brand wise, I am most proud of the loyal community we have built in such a short time. In our founding year, a global pandemic hit us, but that didn’t stop us from having a six-figure year and serving 16 families. We were able to acquire a 50K donation from Instagram storytelling messaging in our first 3 months and reached Garth Brooks via a Facebook viral video to make a little boy’s dream come true in our first year. Since then, we have hosted many fundraisers, created a festival that has an entire kid’s booth for typical children and those with disabilities to play together, sent a family to Disney, and been able to cover many therapy services that are denied by insurance yet very much needed.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
The Kernion family has been a constant in my life for the past ten years. From the initial trust in me to work with and love their daughter, Kendall, to offering encouragement, mentorship, and support — Jill and Chris Kernion are truly special people who have made a huge impact on my life. Since the beginning of starting Specially Gifted Foundation with their eldest daughter Bree, they have been our top donors and supporters.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://speciallygifted.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speciallygifted.foundation/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/speciallygiftedfoundation/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSU3xYbedPmsJGJBT_9tIdg
Image Credits
Bryce Singleton Photography, Madison Hernandez Photography and Hanna Dodds Photography.
