Today we’d like to introduce you to Tracey Rankin.
Hi Tracey, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started as a volunteer with Happy Wheels. When I entered the picture, there was one Happy Wheels program…in Charleston at MUSC Children’s Hospital. I started the program here in Columbia in 2009, on a volunteer basis. 4 years later, we acquired our own 501(c)(3) status and the third program was started in Greenville. Happy Wheels has grown exponentially in the 15 years that I have been a part of it. The program was originally started in 1999 by Larissa Allison.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Nonprofit work is not easy. It’s gratifying but not easy. Most nonprofits would probably agree that you have to do a lot with little resources. The funding rarely comes exactly when you need it. Growth comes first and the funds are raised out of necessity for the need. When I first started, I had zero nonprofit experience. The learning curve has been tremendous over my 15-year tenure. There have definitely been some bumps in the road but we have an amazing team and they have been there every step of the way!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am the Executive Director for Happy Wheels so I administrate the entire Happy Wheels team, statewide. Day-to-day, I handle social media/marketing, scheduling volunteers and events, fundraising, financial and software administration, donor management, cart loading and manage our toy/book stock. I’m proud that Happy Wheels has been going strong for 25 years, 15 years of which I have been witness to.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.happywheels.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happywheelsorg/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HappyWheelsOrg
- Twitter: https://x.com/HappyWheelsOrg
