Passion For Food Leads To Mark In Philanthropy

CBS4 and the Denver Business Journal are teaming up to profile companies that are "Making Their Mark" in Colorado communities.

DENVER (CBS4) - Food is the basic way we offer comfort and connection to others, even strangers. It's a natural link for one woman who made the journey from the kitchen to fundraising.

"This was the perfect meld of both those worlds, I fell in love," is how Mindy Davidson describes her work at Project Angel Heart to CBS4's Gloria Neal.

It's an organization which provides free meals for people with life-threatening illnesses.

Working for a nonprofit is not where Davidson expected to find herself. She is a culinary school graduate who started her professional life in catering.

But Project Angel Heart gave her a chance to share her passion for food and her passion for people.

"I love talking to people and getting them passionate about something," Davidson said. "I mean food is a basic human need and knowing that someone with a life-threatening illness is getting a good meal, it's really a great thing for me."

As director of development for the nonprofit, Davidson learned firsthand just how much every one of those meals meant.

"We have a tremendous need in the community, now we have to raise more dollars to serve more people."

Davidson proved she knew a thing or two about fundraising as the director of development for Project Angel Heart. She headed a four-year campaign which raised $7 million to build a badly-needed new facility.

"People are aging and are being diagnosed with diseases faster," she said. "they don't have health care. It's also the food community and what's going on with food prices."

With facility complete, Davidson has left Project Angel Heart and is heading back to school for a degree in communications.

But she's already learned the power of communicating valuable lessons without a speaking a word.

"I am making my mark by providing a legacy for my nephew to see what it's like to be philanthropic. To show what people can do with just a little bit of effort. This is really hard work but little bits of effort make huge differences."

LINK: Project Angel Heart

Read more on the website of CBS4 partner the Denver Business Journal.