About Us
Vision
All students receive an education that will lift them from poverty
Mission
To eradicate poverty for underprivileged students in Malawi through sustainable education initiatives in partnership with U.S. schools.
Values
Compassion
Integrity
Sustainability
Vision
All students receive an education that will lift them from poverty
Mission
To eradicate poverty for underprivileged students in Malawi through sustainable education initiatives in partnership with U.S. schools.
Values
Compassion
Integrity
Sustainability
Our Story
The inspiration that became “Lessons with Love” first grew from a chance meeting at an online teachers’ group. Members of the community from around the world, including our founder, came to know a gifted and ambitious young teacher from Malawi Africa who was reaching out in an effort to improve the education and lives of her students.
Knowing Malawi was the 6th poorest nation in the world and upon hearing that the teacher led a class of 264 students, our Co-founder, Nancy Donahue, engaged in the conversation by asking how she could help – the response was “pens”.
This began a journey of a friendship and continuing effort to help the young teacher, Temwani at her primary school in Malawi meet the needs of her students. For the next year, our founder joined efforts with friends and neighbors and made presentations to interested groups. This resulted in providing school supplies, assistance for housing orphans, and food and clothing to help these children living in extreme poverty who lacked government support to stay in school in the hopes of enabling brighter futures.
Two other teachers, Theresa Reando in Missouri and Carly Schwartz in North Carolina, had also met Temwani online. When our founder discovered that Carly had obtained an educational grant to bring Temwani to the USA, she reached out to Carly and Theresa to extend Temwani’s trip. Stephanie Jones from Indiana and Joanne Westbrook from Missouri also joined in funding and hosting to lengthen Temwani’s USA visit.
During her trip, Temwani learned that man had been on the moon, saw a space shuttle up close, put her feet in both the ocean and a swimming pool for the first time, and was able to see and experience schools in the United States. Temwani was introduced to many people to share her story and provide insight into the many obstacles confronting children and families working to improve their futures and find a path to sustainable lives through education.
On one of Temwani’s final nights at our founder’s home, Nancy asked why she always said she wasn’t hungry before meals. Temwani’s response, “Hungry is when you haven’t had food in two days.” That statement stayed with Nancy long after Temwani’s departure. Each sponsor of the trip was indelibly changed by what they learned from Temwani and knew they had made a lifelong friend. The trip also resulted in all of them bonding not only with Temwani but with each other. They began to pool resources and work together with Temwani to identify priority needs.
This experience and everything Temwani had taught the sponsors, inspired Nancy to found Lessons with Love for the express purpose of ensuring children have the opportunity for education and assisting teachers like Temwani all over the globe in gaining the necessary resources to keep these seemingly forgotten children in school. Lessons with Love’s goal of giving students the support they need to become educated, and turn that education into self-sustained lives for themselves and their communities is central to Lessons with Love’s mission.
The Lessons with Love Co-founders (Derek Donahue, Nancy Donahue, and Barb Garofalo) and initial caring volunteers developed the concept of “partner schools”. The concept centered on those in need of adequate education working side by side with Lessons with Love volunteers to provide safe, accessible environments for classes, and the tools and supplies needed to provide education. All facilities, food, and educational supplies are provided at no profit.
The only cost to teachers and the communities is the volunteer labor required to make it all possible. The community’s “sweat equity” is freely donated toward the brighter future and in support of the students. The “sweat equity” ensures community investment and often provides the opportunity for students to learn skills from local craftsmen and artisans as a vital part of a meaningful education toward sustainable careers within their region.
Temwani, her colleagues and their students, as the first Lessons with Love Partnering School, have continued to grow and learn through access to dormitories for orphan housing, school meals, classroom supplies and access to several Little Free Libraries ™ locally. The mission continues to grow and flourish, and has begun the journey to expansion with outreach in other impoverished countries such as Indonesia and India underway.
As times and needs change for each community, the very real change that Temwani, Nancy, Theresa, Carly, Stephanie and Joanne undertook to eradicate poverty through education will continue to grow and change to meet the needs of this vital mission.
Thanks in no small part to all of our volunteers and the awareness they continue to raise, and the generosity and hearts of donors, Lessons with Love looks forward to helping poverty-stricken students worldwide achieve stability and independence through safe and sustainable education initiatives.
Our Story
The inspiration that became “Lessons with Love” first grew from a chance meeting at an online teachers’ group. Members of the community from around the world, including our founder, came to know a gifted and ambitious young teacher from Malawi Africa who was reaching out in an effort to improve the education and lives of her students.
Knowing Malawi was the 6th poorest nation in the world and upon hearing that the teacher led a class of 264 students, our Co-founder, Nancy Donahue, engaged in the conversation by asking how she could help – the response was “pens”.
This began a journey of a friendship and continuing effort to help the young teacher, Temwani at her primary school in Malawi meet the needs of her students. For the next year, our founder joined efforts with friends and neighbors and made presentations to interested groups. This resulted in providing school supplies, assistance for housing orphans, and food and clothing to help these children living in extreme poverty who lacked government support to stay in school in the hopes of enabling brighter futures.
Two other teachers, Theresa Reando in Missouri and Carly Schwartz in North Carolina, had also met Temwani online. When our founder discovered that Carly had obtained an educational grant to bring Temwani to the USA, she reached out to Carly and Theresa to extend Temwani’s trip. Stephanie Jones from Indiana and Joanne Westbrook from Missouri also joined in funding and hosting to lengthen Temwani’s USA visit.
During her trip, Temwani learned that man had been on the moon, saw a space shuttle up close, put her feet in both the ocean and a swimming pool for the first time, and was able to see and experience schools in the United States. Temwani was introduced to many people to share her story and provide insight into the many obstacles confronting children and families working to improve their futures and find a path to sustainable lives through education.
On one of Temwani’s final nights at our founder’s home, Nancy asked why she always said she wasn’t hungry before meals. Temwani’s response, “Hungry is when you haven’t had food in two days.” That statement stayed with Nancy long after Temwani’s departure. Each sponsor of the trip was indelibly changed by what they learned from Temwani and knew they had made a lifelong friend. The trip also resulted in all of them bonding not only with Temwani but with each other. They began to pool resources and work together with Temwani to identify priority needs.
This experience and everything Temwani had taught the sponsors, inspired Nancy to found Lessons with Love for the express purpose of ensuring children have the opportunity for education and assisting teachers like Temwani all over the globe in gaining the necessary resources to keep these seemingly forgotten children in school. Lessons with Love’s goal of giving students the support they need to become educated, and turn that education into self-sustained lives for themselves and their communities is central to Lessons with Love’s mission.
The Lessons with Love Co-founders (Derek Donahue, Nancy Donahue, and Barb Garofalo) and initial caring volunteers developed the concept of “partner schools”. The concept centered on those in need of adequate education working side by side with Lessons with Love volunteers to provide safe, accessible environments for classes, and the tools and supplies needed to provide education. All facilities, food, and educational supplies are provided at no profit.
The only cost to teachers and the communities is the volunteer labor required to make it all possible. The community’s “sweat equity” is freely donated toward the brighter future and in support of the students. The “sweat equity” ensures community investment and often provides the opportunity for students to learn skills from local craftsmen and artisans as a vital part of a meaningful education toward sustainable careers within their region.
Temwani, her colleagues and their students, as the first Lessons with Love Partnering School, have continued to grow and learn through access to dormitories for orphan housing, school meals, classroom supplies and access to several Little Free Libraries ™ locally. The mission continues to grow and flourish, and has begun the journey to expansion with outreach in other impoverished countries such as Indonesia and India underway.
As times and needs change for each community, the very real change that Temwani, Nancy, Theresa, Carly, Stephanie and Joanne undertook to eradicate poverty through education will continue to grow and change to meet the needs of this vital mission.
Thanks in no small part to all of our volunteers and the awareness they continue to raise, and the generosity and hearts of donors, Lessons with Love looks forward to helping poverty-stricken students worldwide achieve stability and independence through safe and sustainable education initiatives.
Meet the Board
Current Members
Nancy Donahue (Founding)
Nancy is a retired teacher with a passion for education as evidenced in her own studies, BS in Elementary Education, Masters in Curriculum & Instruction, and National Board Certification.
A life-long learner and a deeply caring individual, Nancy also collaborates online with other teachers which led to an encounter with a gifted young teacher from Malawi, Africa. The friendship, stories, and hopes of that community inspired Nancy to act on behalf of teachers and students in Malawi and other communities all over the globe in their mission to eradicate poverty through education.
Nancy’s inspiration fueled her into action as the founder of Lessons with Love, Inc.
Nancy passionately believes in the potential of every child to succeed if given the necessary resources. She is overjoyed at the opportunity to help seemingly forgotten children who still strive and hold hope for a better future.
When Nancy is not immersed in the Lessons with Love mission, she’s enjoying her home in Satellite Beach Florida, pursuing new learning experiences, reading, crafting, and spending time with her family and friends. Nancy’s love of education and children is also evident from her past multitude of community roles: city board, cub scout and brownie leader, school volunteer, Odyssey of the Mind coach, mentor and private tutor, and Sunday School teacher.
Nancy Donahue (Founding)
Nancy is a retired teacher with a passion for education as evidenced in her own studies, BS in Elementary Education, Masters in Curriculum & Instruction, and National Board Certification.
A life-long learner and a deeply caring individual, Nancy also collaborates online with other teachers which led to an encounter with a gifted young teacher from Malawi, Africa. The friendship, stories, and hopes of that community inspired Nancy to act on behalf of teachers and students in Malawi and other communities all over the globe in their mission to eradicate poverty through education.
Nancy’s inspiration fueled her into action as the founder of Lessons with Love, Inc.
Nancy passionately believes in the potential of every child to succeed if given the necessary resources. She is overjoyed at the opportunity to help seemingly forgotten children who still strive and hold hope for a better future.
When Nancy is not immersed in the Lessons with Love mission, she’s enjoying her home in Satellite Beach Florida, pursuing new learning experiences, reading, crafting, and spending time with her family and friends. Nancy’s love of education and children is also evident from her past multitude of community roles: city board, cub scout and brownie leader, school volunteer, Odyssey of the Mind coach, mentor and private tutor, and Sunday School teacher.
Barb Garofalo (Founding)
Barbara brings her commitment to service and fundraising expertise to her mission to uplift Lessons With Love clients. Providing her expertise to the Development team, she is dedicated to the unique goals and needs of each partner community.
Barbara fell in love with non-profits early, inspired by the commitment and compassion of those that gave her a hand up. Those experiences left her with a passion for service – giving others the choices and resources enabling them to be difference-makers in the world.
When she is not at Lessons With Love, you’ll find Barbara in Melbourne, Florida where she lives and works; devoting her energy to family, friends and continuing to support other nonprofits in her community.
Barb Garofalo (Founding)
Barbara brings her commitment to service and fundraising expertise to her mission to uplift Lessons With Love clients. Providing her expertise to the Development team, she is dedicated to the unique goals and needs of each partner community.
Barbara fell in love with non-profits early, inspired by the commitment and compassion of those that gave her a hand up. Those experiences left her with a passion for service – giving others the choices and resources enabling them to be difference-makers in the world.
When she is not at Lessons With Love, you’ll find Barbara in Melbourne, Florida where she lives and works; devoting her energy to family, friends and continuing to support other nonprofits in her community.
Stephanie L. Jones
Stephanie gave a gift every day for 522 days and that journey changed her life. Now she is on a mission to inspire others to give and practice gratitude daily.
She hosts an inspiring podcast, Giving Your Best Life. As a TEDx speaker, she loves sharing her message from the stage in schools, colleges, churches, and businesses.
Stephanie is a best-selling and award-winning author of the Giving Gal, The Giving Challenge, The Gratitude Challenge, and Thank-You Notes to God.
She lives out her dreams with her husband, Mike in Indiana.
Stephanie L. Jones
Stephanie gave a gift every day for 522 days and that journey changed her life. Now she is on a mission to inspire others to give and practice gratitude daily.
She hosts an inspiring podcast, Giving Your Best Life. As a TEDx speaker, she loves sharing her message from the stage in schools, colleges, churches, and businesses.
Stephanie is a best-selling and award-winning author of the Giving Gal, The Giving Challenge, The Gratitude Challenge, and Thank-You Notes to God.
She lives out her dreams with her husband, Mike in Indiana.
JoAnne Westbrook
JoAnne has been in public education as a teacher, elementary principal, federal programs director, and superintendent for 27 years. She witnesses the daily challenges and joys that being an educator can bring.
Her current mission is to encourage and challenge teachers to live their BEST lives inside and outside of the classroom.
Through her educational endeavors, she has connected with the Lessons with Love organization and taken her passion for education to the international community.
JoAnne Westbrook
JoAnne has been in public education as a teacher, elementary principal, federal programs director, and superintendent for 27 years. She witnesses the daily challenges and joys that being an educator can bring.
Her current mission is to encourage and challenge teachers to live their BEST lives inside and outside of the classroom.
Through her educational endeavors, she has connected with the Lessons with Love organization and taken her passion for education to the international community.
Monica Chertok
Monica’s love for helping children in need and her dedication to humanitarian work are driven by a deep sense of compassion and a desire to make a positive impact in the world.
Through her humanitarian work in Central America, she had the opportunity to speak to over 10,000 students about the dangers of bullying and drug use, using her platform to educate and empower young people.
Monica recognizes that her ability to help others is a privilege and an opportunity to give back. Her passion for serving others is evident through her involvement with Lessons With Love, an organization that seeks to improve the lives of children facing significant challenges.
Her 25 years of service as a police officer in Canada only serve to strengthen her resolve to make a positive impact in the lives of those around her.
When she is not actively engaged in her mission to help others, Monica finds joy in planning and embarking on new travel adventures, recognizing that the world is full of opportunities to learn, grow, and make a difference.
Monica Chertok
Monica’s love for helping children in need and her dedication to humanitarian work are driven by a deep sense of compassion and a desire to make a positive impact in the world.
Through her humanitarian work in Central America, she had the opportunity to speak to over 10,000 students about the dangers of bullying and drug use, using her platform to educate and empower young people.
Monica recognizes that her ability to help others is a privilege and an opportunity to give back. Her passion for serving others is evident through her involvement with Lessons With Love, an organization that seeks to improve the lives of children facing significant challenges.
Her 25 years of service as a police officer in Canada only serve to strengthen her resolve to make a positive impact in the lives of those around her.
When she is not actively engaged in her mission to help others, Monica finds joy in planning and embarking on new travel adventures, recognizing that the world is full of opportunities to learn, grow, and make a difference.
Tristin Stothers
Tristin Stothers brings a diverse skill-set to the Lessons with Love Board, holding a Bachelor of Business Administration and with experience in accounting, finance, and residential construction.
Beyond the boardroom, Tristin embraces adventure, having taken up sailing in 2023 and looking forward to exploring motorcycle riding and plane piloting in 2024. Tristin also finds solace in faith and community involvement through church activities.
With a deep appreciation for diverse cultures cultivated through his travels, Tristin is committed to Lessons with Love’s mission in Malawi, aiming to uplift children and families from poverty through sustainable initiatives.
Tristin Stothers
Tristin Stothers brings a diverse skill-set to the Lessons with Love Board, holding a Bachelor of Business Administration and with experience in accounting, finance, and residential construction.
Beyond the boardroom, Tristin embraces adventure, having taken up sailing in 2023 and looking forward to exploring motorcycle riding and plane piloting in 2024. Tristin also finds solace in faith and community involvement through church activities.
With a deep appreciation for diverse cultures cultivated through his travels, Tristin is committed to Lessons with Love’s mission in Malawi, aiming to uplift children and families from poverty through sustainable initiatives.
Past Members
Derek Donahue (Founding)
Derek Donahue brings over 14 years of experience in global business, having managed multiple, cross-functional teams while living abroad in London and Dubai before returning home to Florida in 2017.
Derek left this corporate role in 2018, founding a consultation business for the private aviation industry while simultaneously earning a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management with a minor in banking and finance.
During his travels, Derek visited several third-world countries and was constantly astounded and heartbroken at the sheer magnitude of poverty-stricken children. Often, these children would be in close proximity to, or in some cases even working for, extremely wealthy and well-educated individuals. It was clear to Derek, many of these children had never been provided an opportunity to escape the poverty they had known since birth.
Derek Donahue (Founding)
Derek Donahue brings over 14 years of experience in global business, having managed multiple, cross-functional teams while living abroad in London and Dubai before returning home to Florida in 2017.
Derek left this corporate role in 2018, founding a consultation business for the private aviation industry while simultaneously earning a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management with a minor in banking and finance.
During his travels, Derek visited several third-world countries and was constantly astounded and heartbroken at the sheer magnitude of poverty-stricken children. Often, these children would be in close proximity to, or in some cases even working for, extremely wealthy and well-educated individuals. It was clear to Derek, many of these children had never been provided an opportunity to escape the poverty they had known since birth.