“I love serving. I love giving back.”

Stephanie Wynn has had the heart of a volunteer since she was young. From attending company picnics with her parents to following her barber as he fed the homeless, she was engrossed in the spirit of giving to those in need. Her first personal experience was with a homeless man named Joe. Thirty years ago, she saw Joe on the street and decided when she grew up, she would help him. Instead, her father showed her that, even at a young age, she could make a difference in Joe’s life. Every month, for the last 30 years, she feeds Joe food that he wants. Not only does she give him something he needs, she makes sure it’s something he wants, an option he may not often have.

This is a key point for Stephanie and her volunteer work; she makes a point to get to know the unhoused or vulnerable, because she wants them to feel like they matter. Just because life happened, they shouldn’t feel they are less than.

Now, as an adult, she volunteers with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in the Tampa Bay area in Florida, providing food and free haircuts to the homeless. She also started her own nonprofit, The Stephanie A. Wynn Foundation, which offers assistance to those suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), such as Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. This is a personal cause for her, as she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease six years ago. She found the process to be difficult to navigate and sought to make diagnoses and treatments for IBD more accessible. Whether it is helping the homeless or providing support in navigating a disease, Stephanie is certainly making a difference in others’ lives.

This blog is brought to you by Doing Good, a 501c3 nonprofit. Listen to Stephanie’s podcast episode here.