HOW IT ALL BEGAN WITH MARK CARROLL IN 2003
A social entrepreneur and humanitarian, Mark Carroll followed his belief that one person could make a difference in his community. With the goal of impacting the lives of thousands of children in need, Mark tirelessly worked to gain the support of his friends and local community members to found Mark Carroll and Friends Charity.
During an intimate dinner party in 2003, where Mark requested each guest bring a toy to donate to a local toy drive, the inspiration for Mark Carroll and Friends Charity was planted. Each year the dinner party invitation list got larger and the toy donations multiplied. Quickly, Mark realized the generosity of his community needed to be met with a trusted source for distributing their kindness, hence, the Mark Carroll and Friends Charity was realized and established as a 501(c3) in 2012. Over 17 years now, additional annual events – including a black-tie event to raise monies for after school programs, funding for teachers to apply towards fine arts programs, school supplies, as well as educational scholarships – have been established to expand the charity’s reach within the Atlanta community.
While the charity began with Mark’s vision, the success depends on the support of the community.