Businessmen and women donating $10,000 each every quarter to charities
By KEVIN CHIRI
Slidell news bureau
SLIDELL – Sometimes it is hard to appreciate the generosity seen in Slidell by so many individuals, particularly those in the business community, since many of those groups go about helping others with little attempt to get “credit.”
The all-women’s Steel Mimosa group is a relatively new organization that was only formed in 2019, but after their most recent quarterly meeting when they handed a $10,000 check to the Northshore High School Robotics team, the group has already given out over $100,000 to charity groups in the area.
The Steel Mimosas was formed with a similar approach to helping others as well as the all-men’s Slidell group known as Men of Steel. Both groups followed a national trend that began somewhere far away and eventually made it to St. Tammany Parish.
Both groups do as others before them did. Both organizations allow in 100 members from the Slidell area, then meets quarterly when every member agrees to put up $100 for a charity that is chosen that night. Three charity groups make a pitch every quarter to club members, then the group votes for the winner. Every quarter a different charity group in the area walks away with a rather nice check of $10,000 to support the work they are doing—coming every three months from the men’s and women’s groups.
Steel Mimosas Club President Carrie Calvin said they have maintained 100 members in the club and have a waiting list of others who want to join. But she said the feedback on the effect they are having goes far beyond a generous check.
“We’ve heard stories from some of the groups that the $10,000 has gone much further than we expected because it was enough to be seed money for bigger projects within the charity groups,” she said. “When the Purple Heart organization received the money, it enabled them to hold a big event that reached many more veterans than they normally would.
“I was told by one of their leaders that we had no idea how far that money went to reach veterans and help them,” she added. “The woman said she had tears in her eyes just talking about it and it showed us how we are planting seeds that are building and growing to do a lot of good.”
Calvin said the organization also helps members make business connections and friends in Steel Mimosas that otherwise might never have happened.
“When we started, we wanted to give an opportunity to some businesswomen who didn’t really have a voice in bigger things for Slidell. Not everyone is one of the movers and shakers in Slidell who are involved in lots of things, but being in this group connects you to them and opens a lot of doors,” she explained.
“This is not just about giving the money away. It also helps many of us learn about services in the area we didn’t really know about. When the three groups come to pitch what they do, it’s like extending the arms and feet of Jesus to reach more people,” she added.
Calvin said she has also seen some younger, newer businesswomen find great assistance and help from more experienced women.
“There is a great mentorship opportunity here for younger businesswomen,” she said. “It has allowed anyone in the group to improve personally and professionally.”