The Trials and Triumphs of Growing the Dear Casi Foundation

When people see the Dear Casi Foundation today—our mission, our events, our growing presence—they often don’t realize the work it took to get here. Building awareness for a new foundation isn’t as simple as creating a logo or launching a website. It’s a journey filled with late nights, endless learning curves, countless emails, and more than a few moments of wondering, Are we really going to make this happen?

Spoiler alert: we are making it happen bit by bit.

Finding Our Voice in a Crowded World

We are still trying to find our voice in a crowded world. With thousands of nonprofits, countless causes, and a constant stream of information competing for attention, standing out can feel like shouting into a storm—important, urgent, but easily lost in the noise.

We rely on persistence.
We lean on community.
We use every opportunity, big or small, to share our mission.

Whether it’s a social media post that reaches ten people or a community conversation that sparks new connections, every interaction matters. Every person we reach is a seed planted—another chance for awareness to grow.

The Grant Writing Learning Curve

If you’ve never written a grant before, imagine assembling a puzzle… but the pieces are scattered across different rooms, written in another language, and due yesterday.

Grant writing is its own art form—detailed, strategic, and incredibly time-consuming. Starting that process was intimidating, to say the least. We asked questions, we researched, we read guidelines until our eyes blurred. Some days it felt like we were climbing a mountain with no map.

But every proposal we complete, every new lead we uncover, and every “you’re eligible to apply” email reminds us why we’re doing this.

Grants aren’t just funding.

They’re opportunity—

opportunity to expand our services, reach more families, and strengthen the foundation’s future.

And little by little, step by step, we are learning, growing, and preparing ourselves for the support that will help us scale our mission.

Events That Turn Awareness Into Action

Events have become one of our most powerful tools—not only to raise awareness, but to unite people under a shared purpose.

From community gatherings to informational sessions, every event has a heartbeat. Each one introduces new faces to our mission, allows families to feel seen, and reminds us of the importance of being present, loud, and intentional.

We aren’t hosting massive galas or million-dollar fundraisers—yet.
But what we do have is passion, authenticity, and the courage to show up in ways that truly matter.

Our events have taught us that impact isn’t measured in size—it’s measured in connection.

Still Small, Forever Mighty