About Us
“I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community, and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live.”
George Benard Shaw
About Us
Community Heroes is a program of Dewlyn Nonprofit Services that helps charitable programs position their organizations for funding. Our chief aim is to increase social good by helping the people that help people in communities across North America.
Our members receive capacity building articles, funding alerts, access to training, and coaching. We also provide micro-funding to advance social good using our quarterly Heroes Award. These small awards of up to $1,000 make it possible for small charities, businesses, and social entrepreneurs to achieve their charitable goals in their communities.
Our Team
We provide support for over 3,000 U.S. nonprofits and social entrepreneurs every year!
CEO
Cheryl Smith
Cheryl brings with her extensive experience in nonprofit project development, management, data analysis, reporting, and grant-writing. She has a Masters in Public Administration, specializing in Nonprofit Administration. Cheryl is the only Nonprofit Trainer for SCORE North Metro Atlanta and engages in public speaking engagements supporting thousands of nonprofit founders every year.
CTO
Taylor Alexis
Taylor serves as the Chief Technology Officer for Dewlyn Nonprofit Services and the Community Heroes Program. Taylor holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, and in addition to supporting the technology infrastructure for our company, she is also a Business Intelligence Engineer for one of the largest companies in the world.
CFO
Michael Hearn
Michael serves as the Chief Financial Officer for Dewlyn Nonprofit Services and the Community Heroes Program, ensuring the the accuracy of our financial data each year. In addition, his company, Crater Point supports our members and guest with IRS 990N filing and Website Development.
Member Services Lead
Jenny Tan
Jenny supports Dewlyn Nonprofit Services and the Community Heroes Program with grant-research and by addressing member inquiries, questions and concerns in all areas including enrollment, benefit interpretation, and LIVE training.
Grant-Writer / Researcher
Rita Shoneye
Successful grant-writing begins with successful grant research! Rita is a grant-writer and researcher. She plays an instrumental role in ensuring that grant-proposals are developed with continuity and that funding strategies are well-matched with mission-aligned funders.
Our Advisors
Dr. Janna Slaughter, PhD
Washington D.C. Educator
Dr. Shirley Sims, PhD
iTrainNow, Inc.
Tina Greer, MPA
Greer Business Solutions, Inc.
Terry Hodges
Michigan Home-HealthCare Expert
Paultetta Raspberry
Raspberry & Associates, LLC
Sandra Vassell
US Veteran's Administration
Dr. Cindy Milligan, PhD
Milligan Vocal Arts Institute
Venessa D. Abrams
Self Discovery: Pain, Positioning & Purpose, Inc.
Sherry Davidson, MBA
Georgia Institute of Technology
Michael Smith
Vivial Media
Barbara E. Harvey
Parents, Teachers, and Advocates, Inc.
LaKiesha Tucker
L.Tucker Coaching and Consulting
Our CEO
Hello!
This message is from Cheryl Smith, CEO of Dewlyn Nonprofit Services and the Community Heroes Program. I would like to personally thank you for visiting our website. A little about me: I have an unstoppable desire to make a difference in the lives of others – particularly children and families. My journey began more than 30 years ago, sharing my life with my foster brothers and sisters and working in my mother’s family day care home in Michigan. There, I learned that everyone has value. I also learned to invest in children, creating learning opportunities to meet their endless potential. One of my first “big girl” jobs after college was working as a counselor in a homeless shelter for pregnant teens. There, I learned to invest in a two-generational approach to supporting families – reducing the obvious challenges associated with trying to impact the child – exclusive of their primary caregiver. These early experiences have led to a long rich career of service (and gratitude) – both in the profit and nonprofit industries. I’ve dedicated countless years of passion, ingenuity, and expertise in organizations that move disadvantage populations forward. I’ve served in entry level positions to Executive Director level positions, including CEO/Owner roles. My long-standing mission is to help people reach their highest and best potential. Learn more about me here, or on LinkedIn.
If you have questions about any information on this website, please feel free to reach out to me at csmith@dewlyn.com. I would love to hear from you!
Onward & Upward!
Cheryl Smith