For Lisa Parker, generosity isn’t just something she does. It’s who she is.
“My mother’s love language was giving, and so is mine,” Lisa said, reflecting on her late mother, Bonnie, whose example continues to guide her life. “She was always a giving person, to everyone in her life, no matter who they were, and I always admired her for that. As I get older, I realize I am so much like her. She always gave to others, especially to missions that helped women and children. When I heard about the GivHer Circle, I could hear my mother speaking to me, telling me this is how I should give what she blessed me with.”
Lisa joined the GivHer Circle in honor of her mother’s legacy and continues to live that example through her own generosity and service. “There was a time in my life when I needed help,” she said. “I’m thankful there were organizations there for me when I needed them. Now, I get to give back.”
Lisa moved to the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2003. Together, she and her husband share a blended family of five children and ten grandchildren. After many years in human resources, staffing and most recently nonprofit work, she has taken some much-needed time to focus on her family, especially her role as a grandmother, or YaYa, as her grandchildren call her. “After losing my mother, I realized how important it was to slow down and be present,” she said.
Her passion for supporting education and teen-pregnancy prevention programs comes from a deeply personal experience. “I was a teen mom at 16,” Lisa shared. “I was raised in a wonderful Christian home, made great grades, was very involved in school and probably one of the least likely girls ever to get pregnant, but I did. I was very blessed that my parents supported me to continue my education. I never thought once about dropping out of high school or not going to college, but it wasn’t easy.”
She believes more programs focused on education and mentorship can make a real difference. “If there are more programs to educate teens, there will be fewer teen pregnancies,” she said. “Teens are more likely to listen to someone besides their parents, especially someone who has experienced it firsthand.”
For Lisa, giving through the GivHer Circle is both meaningful and empowering. “It feels incredibly rewarding to know my membership contributes to real change,” she said. “If you’re thinking about joining, come to one of our events. You won’t regret being part of something that makes such a difference.”