Stepping into Generosity Luncheon 2023

On a Tuesday in early March, well-over three-hundred women were captivated by the story of Ruth McKeaney, currently a “domestic engineer,” who began her career as an assistant district attorney before becoming the Assistant Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Her story is one of love and simplicity that focuses on intentionally creating a healthy family culture. At the heart of her story is the belief that “conversation, food, generosity, and presence are the soul of the home.”

In the grand yet welcoming ballroom of The Lookout Mountain Club, known for generations as The Fairyland Club, Ruth was joined by two of her colleagues from Women Doing Well, a national organization that exists to help women live integrated lives of wholehearted generosity. (The organization guides each participant to discover her own purpose, passion, and plan.) As the women in the room finished their lunch, the presentation touched the hearts of the audience as Ruth told of her initial resistance to write her book, Hungry for Home. Ultimately, she followed the continual prompting of the Holy Spirit, resulting in a warm, wonderful tome on the sacred art of hospitality.

Sharing many of her family’s traditions in her majestic, more-than-a coffee table book, Ruth writes about many treasured practices such as writing special letters for each child’s birthday and “wrapping” his or her bedroom door. On the eve of each birthday while the child is asleep, Ruth and her husband Bob fill their room whatever is the year’s favorite color or theme (from Cheetah print to the likes of purple polka dots.) The gesture ensures each of their five children feels surrounded in love and have no doubt that they have a valued, distinctive role in the McKeaney family.

Another highlight of the luncheon was the opportunity to honor the five ministries funded by the Stepping into Generosity giving circle in 2023. Each fall the members of the giving circle may nominate for consideration a local ministry serving women and children. Members serving on the giving circle’s research committee then visit each of the nominated organizations, ask them to apply, and submit a short video sharing their story. The applicants are narrowed down based on merit with several moving forward for the membership vote in February. The selected grantees are announced in March.

The 2023 grant recipients and their board members attended the luncheon and later that week each received a grant that doubled or nearly doubled their request. Thanks to matching gifts from Whitney and Robert Johnston, the Bishop Family, Steve and Lisa Frost Family, and Weldon F. Osborne Foundations, membership contributions were augmented, bringing the 2023 grant total to $100,000.

Members of the giving circle are encouraged to engage and volunteer with each of the 2023 highlighted ministries: Child Evangelism, Homes and Havens, Hope Unlimited, Restore 6:34, and Willowbend Farm.

We hope you will consider joining our giving circle. The team at The Generosity Trust is happy to answer any questions. Just give us a call at 423-266-5257.

Stepping Into Generosity 2023 Luncheon Photos

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