Meredith sophomore Whitney McCullough has started a non-profit with her two sisters that serves people in and around the Raleigh area. Their nonprofit is called “That Sista Support,” named after the idea that this group of sisters is willing to support anyone in need. According to McCullough, the idea for their nonprofit came from driving around and seeing at least three different people on different corners, holding signs asking for help. After seeing this, the sisters agreed that now is a better time than ever to finally help. In November 2020, they set up a pop-up booth in Durham where they gave out meals, water, hand sanitizer and masks to those in need.
Recently, That Sista Support spent Valentine’s Day creating and dropping off love baskets. The love baskets consisted of masks, hot packs, candy and a bag of chips. The group intends to hold more events in the near future and they say they would love to see more people get involved in their cause.
McCullough says giving back to the community has been a part of her life since sixth grade, when she would volunteer in a special needs classroom, though she does not attribute starting the nonprofit to this experience. McCullough says her organizational skills, teamwork and positive attitude have helped her when starting her nonprofit and being involved in her community.
Currently, That Sista Support is being funded by donations from family and friends. Anyone who is interested in getting involved with That Sista Support can find out more information on the nonprofit’s Instagram page, @thatsistasupport, or their website.
As for getting involved in other ways, The Herald asked McCullough what advice she would give to Meredith students looking to make change in their community. McCullough says, “Not everyone can stop and build an organization or anything of the sort, but it takes just a second or two to give to someone on the streets.” She reminds people that giving back can be as easy as offering a water bottle or a bag of unopened chips — anything that you believe is rational and could be beneficial to helping those in need.
By Rachel Van Horne, News Editor