A Community with Purpose:
Charlie's Perspective
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It is college application season and I have received an unexpected gift: hearing from Goldfinch Ambassadors who have chosen to write about this community in their essays. This month, High School Ambassador and Co-President Charlie Willers shares his perspective and gratitude.
Reflect on your membership in a community to which you feel connected. Why is this community meaningful to you? You may define community however you like. (400 words)
Hours after my brother’s death my whole school community immediately surrounded me. Whether it be through a meal train, thoughtful texts, or simply helping keep me busy. While the support of my entire school community made me feel loved, the more valuable community that formed was the Goldfinch Foundation.
After my mom finished her presentation to a group of 100 high school students; introducing the Goldfinch Foundation and telling my brother’s story, I expected applause, but what I did not expect was a line of 15 guys, waiting to talk to her and share their wishes to become involved in whatever she planned on creating.
When my family started the foundation, I expected all of my closest friends to immediately become involved to support me. Instead, the community that formed extended beyond my existing friendships, bringing together people who were invested in our mission in their own right. This unexpected collection of boys and girls from surrounding schools was the strongest community I was a part of in high school. Everyone who regularly showed up did so because they believed in the importance of young people’s mental health. This community was similar, but not the same as a typical friend group, commonly formed to hang out on weekends and enjoy the good times, not as much as support through the bad. In addition to the genuine investment in the message of mental health, my community in the GFF included both like-minded individuals and those with whom I did not share as many similarities. As community is commonly defined as a group with similar interests, this lack of uniformity at the GFF was what made this group so special to me.
The GFF community did more than give me a group of people to spend time with in high school; it changed my understanding of belonging. I learned that community does not necessarily begin with friendship or even with much in common. Sometimes, it begins when people choose to show up for the same purpose. At GFF, our commitment to improving young people's mental health gave us a reason to come together, and the relationships we built along the way made that commitment even more meaningful.
-Charlie Willers |
Our newest fundraiser is here! For $100, you can flock a friend, neighbor, teacher, coach or colleague. Our volunteers and Teen Ambassadors will fill their yard with pinwheels, goldfinch birds, and an “I’ve Been Flocked!” sign, a cheerful reminder that someone is thinking of them. Every flock supports The Goldfinch Foundation’s programs for young people, and each recipient is invited to pass it on and flock someone new. The number spots and zipcodes for November are quite limited this first month, so sign up now!
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Grab your partner and your paddle! Our Pickleball Tournament is coming up on Saturday, November 21, and we want YOU on the court. This is a day all about fun, friendly competition, and community, because connection is at the heart of everything we do at Goldfinch. Every registration supports our mission to help young people build resilience through movement, connection, and honest conversation. |
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Goldfinch Wellness Summit 2027
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Save the date: the Goldfinch Wellness Summit is Saturday, January 23, 2027, from 9AM to 3:00PM at the Vanderbilt Student Life Center. Our community event is built for everyone. Every session ties back to Fill Up the TANK: Technology, Activity, Nature and Kinship. Planned panel topics include sleep and energy, performing without burning out, and staying safe around medications and substances. We’ll release the final agenda later this month. |
Need a hotel room during Wellness Summit weekend? Book your room at the West End Tower at Vanderbilt University or at or at the Marriott Vanderbilt. |
Partner With Us at the Goldfinch Wellness Summit
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We’re looking for corporate partners who want to align with Goldfinch’s mission and help us create an unforgettable experience that encourages young people to move, create, connect and thrive. Interested in becoming a corporate sponsor or know someone that could help? We’d love to start the conversation with you! Contact hello@thegff.org
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Upcoming GFF Speaking Events
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This month, GFF is sharing our mission with new audiences around Nashville and beyond:
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- November 12, 2026 at 7:00 - 8:00 PM
UNC Chapel Hill Chapman Hall, room 211 sponsored by Tri Delta and Kappa Delta sororities
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- November 19, 2026
MBA Mothers Club luncheon
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November 30, 2026 at 3:30 - 4:30 PM
Belmont University undergraduates
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- Illumination
March 7, 2027
Clementine Hall
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Into the Light 5K
September 19, 2027
Percy Warner Park
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Inspiring Resilience with Jordan Thomas |
On October 24, 37 Teen Ambassadors and guests gathered at St. George’s Episcopal Church to hear from Jordan Thomas, the No. 1 world-ranked double-amputee golfer and founder of the Jordan Thomas Foundation, which has provided prosthetic care to more than 180 children across 28 states. Jordan shared his story of setbacks and recovery, and students broke into small groups to talk about resilience, asking for help, and showing up for one another.
One Ambassador’s biggest takeaway: “I learned about how it is ok to ask for help and that you do not need to be perfect.” |
On October 29, we welcomed community members who want to get involved with GFF. We’d still love your help. |
A big thank-you to Edley’s Bar-B-Que for donating lunch for 50 high school students at our October 24 High School meeting. |
St. George's Episcopal Church |
Thank you to St. George’s Episcopal Church for opening Johnson Hall to our High School students this year, including our October meeting with Jordan Thomas. Having a welcoming home base makes these monthly gatherings possible. |
Thank you to everyone who came to our volunteer info meeting and raised a hand to help. GFF events run on people like you, and we can’t wait to work alongside you this year. |
Help Us Make GFF Even Better:
Take the Harvard Flourishing Index Survey!
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Are you a teen involved in GFF, or the parent of one? Please take a few minutes to complete our Flourishing Index survey!
The Flourishing Index was developed by Harvard’s Human Flourishing Program to measure overall wellbeing, including life satisfaction, health, sense of meaning and purpose, character, and relationships. It is not a mental health test. Your answers help us see what’s working, provide the best possible programming for you, and keep improving the club. This is the most direct way for us to hear from you.
If you are under 18, please complete the first part (the consent form) with a parent or guardian. |
Calling all high school Goldfinch Ambassadors interested in science and research! Interested in joining a small team that will help with the study? You’ll learn about the scientific method, get hands-on research experience, and have something great to add to your Common App and resume. This is an incredible opportunity! To get involved, email malak@thegff.org.
The Flourishing Index was developed by Harvard’s Human Flourishing Program to measure overall wellbeing, including life satisfaction, health, sense of meaning and purpose, character, and relationships. It is not a mental health test. Your answers help us see what’s working, provide the best possible programming for you, and keep improving the club. This is the most direct way for us to hear from you. |
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| We invite you to stay connected by visiting our website for upcoming events, subscribing to our monthly newsletter, and following us on Instagram @thegff24 for ongoing updates and inspiration.
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The Goldfinch Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 99-4493443).
Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
Officially recognized as tax-exempt by the IRS as of March 5, 2025, with a retroactive effective date of August 15, 2024. |
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PO Box 40039, Nashville, TN 37204, USA |
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