We recently connected with Jurgita Fumo and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jurgita thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

The idea for Celebrating One wasn’t born from a business plan or a carefully researched strategy. It came from years of interacting with people and realizing that what they often needed most wasn’t a product or a service—it was someone willing to truly listen.

Before founding the nonprofit, I owned a business in the service industry. Every day, people came to me for different reasons, but I noticed something that stayed with me: many of them simply wanted to be heard. They wanted someone to acknowledge their struggles, celebrate their victories, and remind them that they mattered. I saw people carrying burdens that were invisible to everyone else, and I began to understand how powerful it can be when someone feels seen.

That realization inspired me to start a small charitable initiative in May of 2016. A few months later, in October 2016, I officially registered the nonprofit, originally called Celebrating One Person At A Time. The name reflected exactly what I believed then and what I still believe today—that every person matters, and every milestone deserves to be celebrated, no matter how big or small.

I have always believed in quality over quantity. Time is the most precious gift someone can give, and meaningful relationships have the power to change lives. While many organizations focus on a one-time act of kindness or a short-term solution, I wanted to create something different. I believed that helping someone isn’t just about providing the item they need at that moment. It’s about getting to know them, understanding their goals, staying connected, and walking beside them as they move forward.

That philosophy became the foundation of Celebrating One. We don’t just provide financial or material assistance—we provide encouragement, emotional support, guidance, and a genuine relationship. We strive to stay connected with the people we serve for at least a year because lasting impact takes time. We want every person to know that they are not forgotten after the initial help is given.

Looking back, I laugh a little at how naïve I was when I started. I knew absolutely nothing about the nonprofit world. I assumed everyone would want to help others, and I thought nonprofits could be run entirely by volunteers with no staff. I quickly learned that the sector comes with regulations, paperwork, and plenty of challenges. But I also discovered that sometimes fresh eyes are an advantage.

I saw organizations weighed down by layers of red tape, long wait times, and complicated processes. I wanted Celebrating One to be different—to respond quickly, to remain flexible, and to spend more time helping people and less time creating barriers. I wanted compassion to come first.

Honestly, I never imagined where this journey would lead. I didn’t know if the organization would last one year or ten. I just knew that if I could help one person feel valued, supported, and celebrated, it would be worth it.

Today, nearly a decade later, that belief remains at the heart of everything we do. Every student we help graduate, every family we encourage, and every milestone we celebrate is a reminder that sometimes the most extraordinary thing you can do for someone is to let them know they matter.

Jurgita, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was born and raised in Lithuania, and my life has been shaped by courage, resilience, and a willingness to start over.

In 2002, I immigrated to Canada as a single mother with my young son, Raimondas. Leaving behind everything familiar was both exciting and terrifying. I was building a new life from scratch in a new country, learning a new culture, and figuring out how to provide stability and opportunities for my child. Those years taught me a lot about perseverance, humility, and the importance of community. They also taught me what it feels like to need help and to wonder if anyone sees the struggles you’re carrying.

In 2008, another big chapter began when I moved to the United States with my husband, Paul, and my son Raimondas. Then in 2010, we welcomed our youngest son, Eduardo, to our family. My family has always been my greatest blessing and my greatest source of strength. They have supported me, encouraged me, and sacrificed alongside me throughout this journey. Without them, none of what I’ve accomplished would have been possible.

Professionally, I spent many years in the service industry and as a small business owner. While I enjoyed entrepreneurship, what impacted me most were the conversations I had with people. Day after day, I met individuals who weren’t necessarily looking for a service—they were looking for someone to listen. They needed encouragement. They wanted to feel acknowledged. They wanted someone to care.

That realization changed the direction of my life.

In May 2016, I started a small charitable initiative with one simple idea: every person deserves to be celebrated, and every milestone matters. In October of that same year, I officially founded Celebrating One, originally named Celebrating One Person At A Time.

The organization was built on a philosophy that still guides me today: people don’t just need material assistance—they need connection. They need to know they are seen and heard. I believe kindness is not measured by how many people you help at once, but by how deeply you care for each person you serve.

I often say that time is the most valuable gift someone can give another person. That’s why our approach is different. Instead of focusing solely on one-time assistance, we focus on building relationships and providing long-term support. We take the time to understand a person’s goals, their challenges, and their dreams. We offer emotional support, encouragement, resources, and financial assistance while staying connected as they work toward a brighter future. This philosophy of human connection and celebration is at the heart of everything we do.

Today, Celebrating One is a volunteer-driven nonprofit whose mission is to uplift families and individuals facing hardship by offering guidance, aid, and tools to help them thrive. Our vision is simple but powerful: thriving families, proud graduates, and stronger communities.

Over the years, we have developed programs that address both practical and emotional needs. Our Send a Card program delivers handwritten encouragement to people experiencing illness, grief, loneliness, or difficult life circumstances because sometimes a simple message can remind someone they are not alone. Our Keep Moving Forward initiative provides motivation, resources, and support to help individuals continue pursuing their goals despite setbacks.

However, the program closest to my heart is No Grad Left Behind.

As a mother and immigrant, I know firsthand how difficult it can be to provide for your children. There are moments when you want to give them everything, especially the opportunity to celebrate important milestones, but finances make that difficult. Graduation is one of those milestones that should never be overshadowed by worry or embarrassment.

I never wanted a student to miss out on their graduation experience because they couldn’t afford a cap and gown or because their family was struggling financially.

That’s why No Grad Left Behind exists.

The program provides assistance to economically disadvantaged high school seniors so they can celebrate graduation with dignity and pride. But we don’t stop there. We provide encouragement, mentorship, scholarships when possible, and celebration because graduating isn’t just about receiving a diploma. It’s about recognizing years of hard work, perseverance, and overcoming obstacles. Every student deserves to walk across that stage knowing their community is cheering them on.

When I see our graduates put on their cap and gown, pose for photos, celebrate with their families, and dream about their futures, I often think back to my own journey. I know what it’s like to start over. I know what it’s like to worry about your children and wonder how you’ll make things work. That’s why this work is so personal to me.

People often ask what sets Celebrating One apart.

I think it’s our willingness to slow down and truly care.

When I started this organization, I knew absolutely nothing about the nonprofit world. I thought everyone would want to help others. I believed nonprofits could run entirely on volunteers. I had no idea how many regulations, challenges, and obstacles existed. But sometimes not knowing the “right” way to do things allows you to create something different.

I wanted to build an organization with fewer barriers and more compassion. Less red tape and more action. Faster response times and deeper relationships. I wanted people to feel like they mattered—not as a case number or a statistic, but as a human being.

Nearly ten years later, I am still learning every day, but one thing has never changed: my belief that celebrating people changes lives.

What I am most proud of is not an award or a title. I am most proud of my family, who have supported me through every challenge, and the countless individuals, volunteers, donors, and students who have become part of the Celebrating One family.

I want people to know that our organization isn’t just about helping people through difficult moments. It’s about reminding them of their worth. It’s about giving hope. It’s about celebrating progress, no matter how small.

Because sometimes all it takes is one person believing in you to change the course of your life—and I want Celebrating One to be that one for as many people as possible.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

Our first fundraiser was a simple GoFundMe campaign. We didn’t have a marketing team, a fundraising consultant, or a big advertising budget. In fact, our marketing budget for the year was only about $50.

We relied on social media, free community groups, word of mouth, and the kindness of friends and family who believed in our mission and helped spread the word. Every donation mattered, whether it was $5 or $500. Every share, every volunteer, and every encouraging message helped us continue.

What I’m most proud of is that we didn’t wait until we had perfect conditions to start making a difference. We started small and helped people immediately.

Over the years, even with annual revenue under $50,000, Celebrating One has been able to make a meaningful impact. We have supported 461 families, helped 88 celebrate graduation through our No Grad Left Behind program, sent hundreds of handmade encouragement cards through Send a Card, and provided ongoing support to people facing difficult circumstances.

Every year has presented new challenges, and funding is often the hardest part of running a small nonprofit. But every year we find a way to continue because our community believes in what we do.

After nearly ten years of perseverance, we recently received our first grant—a milestone that feels especially meaningful because it validates years of hard work and faith. At the same time, we are exploring sustainable income-generating opportunities so we can support our programs without relying solely on donations and grants.

My goal has never been to build the biggest nonprofit. My goal is to build a sustainable organization that continues to change lives for decades to come.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I think my entire life has been a story of resilience.

I immigrated from Lithuania to Canada in 2002 as a single mother with my son, Raimondas. I left behind my home, my family, my language, and everything familiar because I believed my son deserved greater opportunities. Starting over in a new country is both exciting and terrifying. There were many moments when I doubted myself, worried about the future, or wondered if I was strong enough.

Then in 2008, I started over again when I moved to the United States with my husband, Paul, and my son. In 2010, we welcomed our youngest son, Eduardo, and together we built our family and our life.

When I founded Celebrating One in 2016, I once again found myself stepping into the unknown.

I knew absolutely nothing about running a nonprofit. I had no grant-writing experience, no fundraising background, and no roadmap. I simply had a mission and a willingness to learn.

There were times when I questioned whether I could keep going. There were years when donations were scarce. There were moments when I was overwhelmed by regulations, paperwork, and the reality that passion alone doesn’t pay the bills.

But every time I considered giving up, I would think about the people we serve.

I would think about a student who thought they wouldn’t be able to graduate because they couldn’t afford a cap and gown.

I would think about a parent struggling to make ends meet who just needed someone to believe in them.

I would think about a handwritten card arriving in someone’s mailbox at exactly the moment they needed encouragement.

Those moments remind me why resilience matters.

Resilience isn’t about never struggling. It’s about continuing even when things are uncertain.

For nearly ten years, Celebrating One has remained a small organization with a big heart. We haven’t had enormous budgets or a large staff. What we have had is determination, volunteers who care deeply, a supportive family, and a community that believes in celebrating people through both their hardships and their successes.

Recently receiving our first grant felt like a victory—not because of the amount of money, but because it represented almost a decade of showing up consistently, believing in the mission, and refusing to quit.

If my journey has taught me anything, it’s this: you don’t need to have all the answers before you begin. Sometimes you just need the courage to take the first step and the resilience to keep moving forward.

That’s how I built my life. That’s how I built Celebrating One. And that’s the message I hope others take away from my story.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.celebratingone.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celebratingone/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/celebratingone/
• Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/company/celebrating-one