We recently connected with Victoria Marie Malone and have shared our conversation below.

Victoria Marie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

Speaking up for and advocating for those who struggle. Mental Well-being has been viewed in our society as a “disease”. We know that when there is an uneasiness in our system it rears itself physically, emotionally or mentally.

Growing up, living and raising my sons in a small town was wonderful, but also put many limits on how you share your truth. Many communities foster the sense of community participation and support, but with limits that it all looks and feels good and happy. It was not until Covid and the magnifying glass that was put upon the collective health and wellness of our society did the conversation become real.

Back track a decade or two. I was raising sons under a hard divorce and my sons spent a lot of their time on their own or with their father. My sons, like many children from divorce, had their own successes and their own struggles. My youngest son was struggling. We all knew he would have bouts in his struggles, but we did not see the intensity of his anxiety and depression which then lead to self-medicating. On 1.02.21, Chace Taylor Malone died of an accidental overdose from a pill tainted with fentanyl.

I/we all were devastated. How could this happen? Why didn’t we know more? Why couldn’t we help? At first I struggled, blaming myself and I became depressed. I had never been a “depressed person” although I had situations that depressed me here and there. I did not know what to do. I heard and felt so many opinions judging me, my son, my family. With the encouragement of my son’s friends, we decided to start a non-profit foundation to take action on this entire crisis and our situation. We wanted to take my son’s gift: Chace had the gift of being able to see the good in everyone — their most perfect self. He took pride in the people he knew; he collected love and light and left a treasure trove of gems that are now his Living Loving Legacy to myself, his family and the community he created.

I had never done something of this magnitude. On 6.4.2021, The Impact Foundation LA in Los Angeles, CA incorporated. The IRS granted us a 501c3 non-profit along with 1 509a2 public charity status. This RISK has become my life’s work and I do so every day knowing there is no certainty in funding, in making the impact, but I do so knowing if I don’t, who will. I take this Risk on behalf of the loving light of my son, Chace Taylor Malone.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

The Impact Foundation-LA has been created in Chace Taylor Malone’s name to honor the incredible person he was and the soul he shared. Collectively we are investing in awareness around the heartbreak for those who struggle. To help others who struggle with any issue of depression, anxiety, self-confidence and lack of coping skills which lead to a dependency on substances. We walk with our client on the road to wellness, recovery, and liberation to your most perfect self.

Our services connect those living with addiction or mental health issues to resources like: Rehabilitation, Sober Living, Therapy, Life Coaching, Follow-ups and Mentorship.

We connect with each client on an individual basis to assist in their personal success. A “Stewards” is assigned to the client to help guide them towards sustainable lifestyle choices. Instead of just calling one’s steward when a client needs support, the steward will be proactive about communicating and planning with each client and their family. The steward walks alongside the client connecting them to resources and professionals through their sobriety and wellness journey. Our goal is to form a continued care bond between our steward and clients. Weekly client reports are provided and reviewed with the Steward to ensure forward momentum. If the client is finding a specific resource is not working for them, together with the Professional Resource Partner, the Steward and the client an adjustment is made. We know there are many paths to a destination. The path must work for the client and we continually asses each client’s journey.
The Impact Foundation-LA has been organized to provide benevolent support services for those in need. We know one of the greatest challenges on the journey is the financial burden. By providing benevolent support services, IFLA will help to improve the chances for individuals’ success in life.

Our ultimate goal is to have the client thrive with positive, supportive and holistic life style choices.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Sincerity and integrity.

This field is deals with very personal matters. Matters of mental well-being, struggles such as anxiety, depression, isolation, lack of self worth, to name only a few. These are aspects of our human self that are deeply personal and sensitive. Knowing how to take in the proper information to execute a healthy and productive path for the client takes a commitment of Sincerity & it takes Integrity to always keep the best interest of the client in the forefront.

And personal experience. I do not come to any of this work as an authority. I come in as someone who has experienced witnessing someone I love beyond measure become exacerbated by these struggles. I would never wish to have this experience. But, I have it. And now I take this experience and I continue to speak with the experts, learn, take classes and continue to connect with those who are also doing this work in their way.

I am a mom, who wants to see the world be a safer place for our children. I have put myself in the mix to do something about it.
I have put myself in the mix to share my story, my son’s life and his struggles, to make an impact and necessary change in our society.

Can you open up about how you managed the initial funding?

Non-profit work is hard and it often starts with very little funding. We took a very small amount of money left over from the funeral Go Fund Me and put it to work with a formation company to set up our non-profit foundation. That money set up the foundation. And with the 5013 & 509a2 status we started to seeking donations. Each year, in the last 2 1/2 years, we host an annual golf tournament, we garner small donations from the community and we continue to apply for grants. Grants are difficult to apply for because they are so concise and need a professional who knows what and how to apply effectively.
Sometimes the fundraising feels more like begging than asking people to help make a difference to help others. It is continual work to stay afloat. And honestly, if there had not been a bit of money left over from the funeral Go Fund Me, this might not have been a thought. What do we want to do with the overage? We knew a scholarship would not meet the needs. That little bit of seed money created this wonderful, loving and compassionate support for those who struggle.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://theimpactfoundationla.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimpactfoundation_la/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheImpactFoundationLA
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-impact-foundation-la-701454270/

Image Credits
photos: Rachel Willis – https://www.instagram.com/image_ofthe_invisible/ Victoria Malone CV Weekly