100 Business Leaders donation benefits local nonprofit ministry

(ROCKWALL, TX – May 17, 2017) In their first ever meeting last week, a group of area business leaders and community members known as 100 Business Leaders of Rockwall County presented a donation check of $10,700 to a local nonprofit – The Poiema Foundation.

About five months ago, Brian Llewellyn, Lacy Deckard, Ellis Bentley, Angela Meinecke, and Crystal Widman formed the idea to create a group of area business leaders and community members to give back to local nonprofits. The group meets twice a year for one hour, where members have a chance to hear about three local charities and their specific and immediate needs, vote to select one charity, then each member (present and non-present) writes a $100 check to that selected charity.

“We wanted to create a group in the community that would be able to have a large impact with minimal effort,” Llewellyn said. “In less than one hour we were able to give over $10,000 to the Poiema Foundation. We are very excited for 100 Business Leaders to continue to grow so we can make an even larger impact in the community.”

With 107 members participating in last week’s giveaway held at Mellow Mushroom, Llewellyn said the group hopes to double in size for their next donation in October.

Rockwall-based ministry The Poiema Foundation works to prevent sexual abuse, sex trafficking and other methods of sexual exploitation by providing a haven and trauma-informed care for those who have been trafficked and are on their journey from victim to survivor.

100 Business Leaders group member Laura White said she wanted to nominate The Poiema Foundation for the donation after meeting the organization’s founder, Rebecca Jowers, through Lake Pointe Church early last spring and learning about the nonprofit’s vision.

“To have this come to fruition was a testament to the fact that God works in such great ways, and being able to be a small part of it is a blessing,” White said. “Knowing that it will be of use for the fantastic, hard work and dedication by Rebecca and her organization is just a testament of how God pulls people together by putting people in the right spot to be a blessing to others.”

By Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News. Photo by Richard Redig, Blue Ribbon News.

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