DOUGLASVILLE, GA. — In a time when the word “community” is often reduced to a hashtag, Jeannette Poinsette is giving it back its roots, its breath, and its purpose. The founder of Up Giving Village is not building programs. She’s building a movement — a deeply spiritual, profoundly human sanctuary where caregivers, veterans, youth, and elders aren’t just served, they’re seen.
“I created Up Giving Village out of necessity,” Poinsette said on The Last Page, a weekly conversation exploring purpose-driven leadership. “It was born from the sleepless nights and quiet cries, from caring for my father through multiple surgeries while advocating for my son who was diagnosed with autism at three. It was heavy. It was lonely. But it was also the beginning of something sacred.”
That something sacred has since taken form in Up Giving Village, a nonprofit and wellness-centered initiative that functions as equal parts safe haven, spiritual compass, and social support net. And for Poinsette, whose dual background in healthcare and theology forms the core of her mission, the goal is to serve not just with strategy, but with soul.
“Healthcare taught me how to treat the body,” she said. “Theology taught me how to touch the soul. When I serve, I don’t see someone’s need, I see their potential.”
From Wounds to Windows
The name Up Giving itself, she shared, was inspired by The Giving Tree, a book that marked her childhood and would later define her ethos. “The tree gave everything,” she said, “until all that was left was a stump. But even that stump still had a purpose.” In a society quick to discard the elderly, the disabled, and the overburdened, Upgiving flips the narrative: reverse giving up.
Through innovative programs like Parents’ Night Out and Resilience in Motion, the organization ensures families don’t just survive, they reconnect, recalibrate, and renew. Parents of children with special needs are offered time to simply be. Youth build friendships rooted in compassion, not exclusion. Veterans and caregivers are invited to rest, without apology.
And it’s not abstract. It’s five hours of respite. It’s dinner and a movie. It’s a conversation with another parent who understands the exact weight you’re carrying. It’s, as Poinsette put it, “a village, a real one, not just a metaphor.”
Reimagining the Sacred
In an era where spirituality is either politicized or pushed to the fringe, Poinsette believes it’s essential, especially for the youth. “Faith gives identity,” she said. “While the world tries to tell young people who they should be, faith reminds them of who they already are.”
That grounding carries over into Up Giving’s financial philosophy as well. Poinsette, who is currently studying accounting, doesn’t treat fundraising as an afterthought. “Sustainability matters. Transparency matters. Integrity matters,” she told me. “Every dollar we receive goes back into the village. This is legacy work.”
And the legacy is already catching notice. The organization has received local governmental recognition for its efforts in youth mental health, but Poinsette is more interested in partnership than praise. “We need to bring policymakers into the community,” she said. “Let them see the work with their own eyes, not just read about it in reports.”
Where Healing Lives
The next opportunity to do just that will be on Saturday, June 7, 2025 when Up Giving Village co-hosts Empowering the Minds, a mental health and wellness event with Douglas County Commissioner Henry Mitchell III. Held at the Woody Fite Senior Center from 10 a.m. to noon, the session is open to the public.
“Community healing takes motion,” Poinsette said. “Not just talk.”
And if you’re wondering how to support that motion, $150, she reminded us, covers an entire transformative support experience for a family. Volunteers are always welcome. Donations can be made via CashApp ($UpGivinVillage) or Zelle. And even a simple social media share helps grow the village.
But the most powerful investment you can make? “Show up,” she said. “Whether you’re a parent, a neighbor, or someone who just remembers what it’s like to feel unseen — show up.”
A Last Page Worth Reading
Before we closed our conversation, I asked Poinsette the same question I ask every guest: If today was the last page of your book, what would you want it to say?
Her answer? “She chose purpose over pain. She turned wounds into windows, and her love into legacy.”
It’s not just poetic. It’s prophetic. Because Up Giving Village is not just a nonprofit. It is a living testimony to the idea that even when you feel like a stump, worn down, worn out, you still have purpose. And in this village, that purpose is not just honored. It’s celebrated.
For more information on Up Giving Village or to donate, visit their social platforms at @UpgivingVillage or contact them directly.
D. Moss is the host of The Last Page and publisher of The Metro Record and West Georgia Pulse. To suggest a guest or topic, contact: thelastpage@westgeorgiapulse.com.
