Launching The Giving Cypress Foundation 🌿

Summer Crider
5 days ago
3 min read

A Deaf- and Disabled-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit making healing in nature accessible for all.

For years, I've been dedicating a lot of my time doing fundraising, hosting outdoor gatherings, and opening space for people to heal in nature. And now, The Giving Cypress has grown into something bigger than me—a true community-rooted foundation.I even gave up the name itself, because I knew that alone, I could do so little…but together, we can do so much.

Today—on Giving Tuesday—we are excited to officially introduce The Giving Cypress Foundation (TGCF), a nature-rooted, community-centered nonprofit committed to breaking financial barriers so Deaf, Disabled, senior, and veteran communities can access transformative healing experiences.

TGCF provides scholarships, stipends, and mini-grants that help individuals and practitioners attend nature-based retreats, holistic trainings, and community-led wellness programs across the U.S.

🌱 Why We Exist

Because healing shouldn’t be a luxury. We envision a world where every person—regardless of ability, age, or background—can access spaces that reconnect body, mind, spirit, and community.

🌿 Our Governance: Leading in Circles

TGCF operates through collective leadership inspired by sociocracy and Indigenous circle practices. We honor equity, shared voice, and the wisdom of natural ecosystems.

In Spring 2025, we will open applications for individuals interested in joining our leadership circles.

💚 Giving Tuesday: Help Us Grow

Thanks to our partner GiveButter, every donation made today can be matched, doubling your impact and helping us begin our first year with strong roots.

Donate + learn more how you can support our mission: https://www.thegivingcypressfoundation.org

Together, we are Making Healing Accessible.

🌿 FULL VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

SHANA – Our Vision

We believe in a world where every person—regardless of ability, age, or background—can access transformative healing experiences in nature and thrive within an inclusive, interconnected community.

SUMMER – Our Mission

Our mission is simple: to open the gate to nature’s healing for everyone.We provide scholarships and mini-grants for Deaf, Disabled, senior citizens, veterans with hearing loss, and other equity-deserving individuals—so they can participate in programs that reconnect body, mind, and spirit.

MARIO – What We Fund

We fund scholarships and mini-grants that help people access nature-based retreats, holistic trainings, and community-led healing spaces.Because belonging shouldn’t be costly.And healing should never be out of reach.

We’re launching today, on Giving Tuesday, a day rooted in generosity.And thanks to our donor partner, GiveButter, every contribution can be matched—helping us start strong in our first year.

ALL – Our Core Values

Accessibility: “Access is not optional — it’s foundational.”Community: “We grow through each other.”Equity in Access: “We invest in those long left out.”Nature Connection: “Healing begins when we remember we belong to the earth.”Cultural Humility: “We listen. We learn. We honor every story.”Sustainability: “We care for the planet that cares for us.”

SUMMER – Why the Logo

In a forest, not every tree grows with equal access to light. Some branches struggle to reach what others easily receive.Our logo symbolizes our commitment to tending the whole ecosystem—so every person, like every tree, has the support they need to thrive.

SHANA – Who We Are

The “board” isn’t just the three of us.We’re simply the ones tending the first spark.This foundation belongs to everyone who believes in accessible, nature-rooted healing.

SUMMER – Our Collective Approach

At TGCF, we don’t follow a traditional hierarchy.Instead, we operate through collective leadership, inspired by sociocracy and Indigenous circle practices.Just like ecosystems, our work moves in circles—Core Circles, Meta Circles, Volunteer Circles, and Support Circles—where every voice matters, every role supports the whole, and decision-making is shared.

If this speaks to you…if you want to help shape a more accessible future…we invite you to apply to join one of our circles in the spring.

ALL – Our Commitment

Together, we are Making Healing Accessible.

🌱 ABOUT THE GIVING CYPRESS FOUNDATION

The Giving Cypress Foundation (TGCF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to nature-based wellness and holistic healing.We serve Deaf, Disabled, senior citizens, veterans with hearing loss, and other underserved individuals by providing scholarships, stipends, and mini-grants that allow them to participate in mission-aligned programs across the U.S.Learn more: https://www.thegivingcypressfoundation.org