Courtney Weatherby-Hunter (pictured above at left) is the philanthropy director for Children’s Home Society of Florida, an organization dedicated to transforming children’s lives through a variety of services and programs.
Philanthropy director is a fancy term for major gifts, and she could not imagine doing it anywhere else. CHS was founded on adoption, and today the organization empowers parents and their children to build upon their strengths and realize their incredible potential. “Having been adopted myself, CHS feels like home every day I go to work,” Courtney told us.
In addition to her day job, Courtney is the social chair for the Association of Fundraising Professionals, First Coast Chapter, and a fellow and member of the board of the Women’s Giving Alliance, a collective giving circle. Given all that, we wanted to know more about Courtney. So as part of our My Passion, My Purpose series, we asked her a few questions about who she is and why she gives.
Q: Who are you, in 3 words? Anything but boring.
Q: As a kid, you wanted to be: A vet. I wanted a house full of dogs. I still do.
Q: Your first 8 seconds of good: Does waving signs for political campaigns count? If so, that truly was my first experience in volunteering. Good news is, it’s stuck with me. If you want something to change, go out and be part of it.
Q: Your most recent 8 seconds of good: Walking into an acquaintance on our campus after months of not seeing him to find out he and his wife had a baby right after adopting a beautiful infant. This day, he was bringing in their foster baby for a visit. Our few minutes of conversation were so full of love, energy and compassion. He told me I had “a philanthropic heart,” which fueled my soul and work for days. You never know who you touch by what you say or do!
Q: What good will you do next? My next goodness is gratitude. In thanking our donors, I learn more about why they’re involved and how CHS has impacted their lives and our community through these 115 years. It’s a powerful reminder of the CHS mantra: We Do Good.
Q: Your passion: Relationships. I value my relationships fully so to be able to do it as a job energizes me daily.
Q: Your purpose: Enjoy life. You only get one. I truly believe in having fun, saying yes and empowering other women.
Q: Who do you challenge next? Karla Ebio, Regional Community Engagement Specialist, Florida Blue
Children's Home Society, Philanthropy, Major Gifts, Children's Services
Atom 