Today we’d like to introduce you to Weston Cox.
Hi Weston, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I worked in the wholesale insurance industry for 10 years after college. It was a great job that was tough to leave, and I loved the people I worked with. But it became clear to me that I wasn’t going to do it forever. For the last 5 of those years, I was praying for my next career. It took a long time to start getting direction.
I’ve always loved celebrations: the planning, the details, the food, the playlist, the excitement when people arrive, the conversations, and, absolutely, the memories that follow. I’d say my love for celebrating is more the feeling and emotions that are created, rather than the party or event itself. I’ve always been intentional about celebrating others in my life and felt the significance of celebration for as long as I can remember… I just didn’t know what to do with that gift.
Once the bread crumbs started to build, ideas started flowing for how I could turn my passion into purpose. Unfortunately, I spent too long dwelling in doubt and fear. Two conversations with two different girlfriends always stand out to me when I look back and think about what motivated me to start saying yes, though: one with Haley Dozier while walking around Chastain Park, and one with Shantel Kriss while eating at The General Muir. Those conversations were different than all the others I had when I spoke up about what I was thinking about doing. They had been in my shoes, they saw the value in the mission, and they were rooting for me. Mark Batterson says, “prayer without action is just self-talk”. It was time to get moving. As soon as I said yes, the first few weeks were full of affirmations and connections for TCS. I felt confident knowing that I was doing what I felt called to do in this season of my life.
Have you ever seen a child’s face light up when they see balloons or a cake and realize it’s for them? Or a mom’s tears after reading a thoughtful, appreciative note written to her? That’s my why. I am deeply passionate about making others feel seen and worthy of celebration.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I knew nothing about starting a nonprofit, so that was something I had to get over very quickly. I’m a planner and want all of my ducks in a row before I jump into something. This was probably one of the first times in my life where I jumped first and figured it out later. I knew I had to because otherwise I was going to waste a lot of time— or talk myself out of it. Personally, I am constantly fighting my inner critic and inner counsel with self-confidence (any Enneagram 6’s out there?!).
In the hustle of Atlanta, generosity isn’t always easy to come by. Starting out, it can be tough to find people who understand the value in our mission—and volunteers who have the capacity to help make these moments happen. But when we do find our people, it fuels everything.
Partnering with other nonprofits has been the easier part. Both sides are winning!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
The Celebratory Story is a local nonprofit that celebrates marginalized or overlooked kids and adults by creating memorable moments and events that make them feel seen and worthy of celebration. We mostly partner with other nonprofits to celebrate the communities they serve.
We throw birthday parties and Easter egg hunts for children experiencing homelessness, honor their parents during Mother’s Day/Father’s Day, celebrate families living with disabilities or chronic and terminal illnesses, deliver flowers to women coming out of domestic violence… Think “I see you” and “you matter” moments. The opportunities are endless!
I’m most proud of our partnerships with other Atlanta nonprofits. These are amazing organizations with significant impact in our community. Traditionally, nonprofits need to allocate their budgets to essentials and don’t tend to have margin for celebrations like this. Getting to make that happen for them—and witness the impact it has on someone’s self-worth—is incredibly rewarding. It makes you see the world through a new lens.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Many of my favorite childhood memories are centered around celebration. I was giddy coming home on Fridays, because we had a family T.G.I.F tradition. My mom would pull out “the sheet” from the closet to spread out on the living room floor, where we’d gather around to eat KFC buckets and watch Home Improvement, Family Matters, Full House—all the great ’90s sitcoms..
We had a set of vinyl “Happy Birthday” placements that came out every time we were celebrating a birthday. Walking into the kitchen, seeing those, brought me so much joy. Now, with a family of my own (and those vinyl placemats passed down), I aim to create moments that spark the same special memories I treasured growing up.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thecelebratorystory.org
- Instagram: @thecelebratorystory
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecelebratorystory
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/thecelebratorystory
