Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sharee Allen. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sharee, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

Mint to Be of the Carolinas was truly a vision from God. In the Fall of 2016, I was residing in Okinawa, Japan. At the time, I was a mother of one child and surrounded by many mothers who felt unsupported, they were not motivated, and truly didn’t think they were meant to be. That is when the vision was given to me. I wanted to launch a non-profit organization that supported single and married mothers. But I wanted to launch, in a location where I knew I wouldn’t leave the women. Fast forward to 2018, I moved back to United States and still trying to figure out who I was, motherhood, and all the above. Spring of 2019, I found out I was expecting my second child. I was devasted, in denial, but I knew I needed to shift in a lot of areas in my life. As the final weeks drew close to my delivery date, I developed pre-eclampsia which caused me to deliver my daughter at 36 weeks.

I felt helpless, blamed myself, and I felt unsupported. I will never forget laying my hospital bed, telling God that I am surrendering and that as soon as I was well mentally, that I was going to launch Mint to Be of the Carolinas. In that moment, I never wanted any mother to ever experience what I had to endure or at least offer support to them. January 2020, we launched Mint to Be, not knowing that the pandemic was brewing. But what better time than to do it. We hit the ground running and we have been going ever since. We have supported 720 mothers since launching and we are so excited about the impact we are making in our community.

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

Mint to Be of the Carolinas mission is to significantly improve the support to single and married mothers in need of our community through support, counseling, education and advocacy. We will continue to be a safe place for mothers regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, or economic status. The women can turn to Mint to Be for support when facing life challenges and transitions or seeking personal development.

One of the things I am most proud of is the support from our corporate, community, and other non-profit partners in the community. To have others believe in the mission and vision of your organization means the world to me. From the beginning we have had local businesses, open their doors for us to use their facility, churches have offered to assist, and corporations have understood the significance of the care of the mother and the next generation.

I am always proud to see the progress of each mother and to see them break cycles, physically and mentally better, and most of all have a sense of being financially free. The two services we provide are postpartum counseling, financial literacy, and we host (2) community baby showers per year.

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

In this current chapter of my life as being a single mother and operating a non-profit organization for mothers in need has definitely made me become more resilient in many areas of my life. I am a mother of two children 3 and 9 years old. Maintaining being Sharee, a mother, sister, friend, and advocate for mothers is not always easy. So many times, I had no energy, felt alone, and didn’t know if I was going to go left or right. But I understand that even when everything seems to be going wrong, God is working behind the scenes on my behalf + he is working everything out for my good. I stand on his Word and his has never failed me. My faith in him has kept me and it motivates me to help others, no matter where they are in life.

We’d love to hear about you met your business partner.

I met our Co-Founder while living in Okinawa, Japan. We both worked for the United States Marine Corps as volunteer coordinators assisting military families with volunteer opportunities on the island. Lindsey Bloom and I gained a true friendship that has carried us no matter the distance or location.

From planning military family events, providing resources, and being advocates for military spouses it has always kept us connected. When it was time to form our board, I knew that Lindsey would be the perfect fit for the role. She is a mother of 3, passionate about volunteering, and an advocate for mothers. When we serve, we bring value and meaning to other’s problems with a selfless motive. It is doing things for the greater good and not just yourself.

Contact Info:

• Website: minttobecarolinas.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mint_to_be2020/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Mint-to-Be-of-the-Carolinas/100069232094868/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mint-to-be-of-the-carolinas/

Image Credits
Denise Benson Photography Downing Photography