Charlottesville mom using social media following to help give back to community

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Lindsey Tessada is using hotmomsofcville on Instagram to hold monthly fundraising event in the Charlottesville community.

For December, she and her followers are supporting City of Promise.

“This is I feel like the heart of exactly the kind of work I want to be doing in the community,” Tessada said.

Tessada says she has so far received more than $1,500 in donations. Charlottesville’s Firefly restaurant is also getting involved by donating a portion of sales on Tuesday, Dec. 7, and Wednesday, Dec. 8, to City of Promise.

City of Promise plans to use the donations to buy items for its Christmas shop to help kids in its footprint get gifts for their loved ones.

“We get donations from the community and we go out and buy things like body wash, jewelry, hats, and gloves,” City of Promise Executive Director Mary Coleman said. “Kids get to come by on December 11 and pick out something for their mom and dad.”

Tessada’s other initiatives include supporting the Kindness Café and through a partnership with Alakazam, the International Recuse Committee, among many others.

“It’s my privilege to be in a position where I don’t need my basic needs met every single day, and it’s just my privilege to be able to help people through really hard times,” Tessada said.

Tessada says she is inspired by her late father, who spent his life helping others, at home and abroad.

“My dad he died two years ago and he was an amazing philanthropist,” Tessada said. “He was a very giving, loving man and when he died I was giving his eulogy, and I remember promising him I would live a life that honored his legacy.”

Now she leads others in giving back to the community.

“It’s just so amazing to see strangers on the internet, who I’ve never met, show up and volunteer and send me money for these organizations,” Tessada said.

If you are interested in donating to the City of Promise initiative or any others you can Venmo her @lindseytessada.

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