You Matter Nashville

Art Helps Cancer with Anna and Elmer Hill

• Jason and Mindy Hoover • Episode 12

Share episode

Send us a text

We had the privilege of speaking with Anna and Elmer Hill, the husband-and-wife team behind the nonprofit Art Helps Cancer. During our conversation, they shared how their personal experiences with cancer motivated them to form this organization, which focuses on alleviating everyday burdens for families undergoing treatment.

We learned about their annual art auction, which brings together local artists, and how this event helps fund their thoughtful approach to support—like delivering care caddies, sending hand-written cards, and even arranging lawn care and house cleaning. Anna and Elmer also collaborate with other nonprofits in Middle Tennessee, further expanding the network of love and help for cancer patients and their families.

If you’re looking for inspiration, practical ways to support those battling cancer, or a story that highlights the kindness in our community, this episode is for you.

Takeaways

  • Art Helps Cancer was born from personal experiences with cancer.
  • Small gestures can have a big impact on those suffering.
  • Care caddies provide comfort and essentials to cancer patients.
  • Handwritten cards bring joy and connection to recipients.
  • The organization has grown significantly in just five years.
  • Partnerships with local businesses enhance their mission.
  • Creating a family-like support system is essential for healing.
  • We treat the whole family.


Art Helps Cancer
https://www.arthelpscancer.org/

You Matter Nashville YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@YouMatterNashville

The Hoover Team
https://www.thehooverteam.com/

Jason & Mindy Hoover (00:00.12)
Hey, Nashvilleians, welcome to the You Matter Nashville podcast, the place where every story we share is a celebration of you, the heartbeat of our community. I'm Jason Hoover, delighted to be one half of your hosting duo. And I'm Mindy Hoover, joining you alongside Jason to bring the stories of inspiring individuals and unsung heroes making a positive impact right here in our hometown. Every episode is about passions, dreams, and actions that stitch together the Middle Tennessee community. So if you're looking to get inspired by the good happening around us,

Or if you want to hear from the change makers who believe, just like us, that you matter, then hit that follow button on your favorite podcast platform. And if you are looking to make a move in the middle Tennessee area, and Dan and I are real estate professionals and would be honored to serve you with excellence. Now let's dive into another episode of You Matter Nashville.

Welcome back to another episode of You Matter Nashville. Today we are just incredibly blessed to have some two truly inspiring guests on our show, Anna and Elmer Hill. Now this is a husband and wife duo that is behind the Art Helps Cancer organization. Now these guys, they are the heart and soul of this nonprofit that's located in Nolensville, right here in the Middle Tennessee area. And it is dedicated to

helping the families relieve some of that burden that is brought on by cancer. And it really helps them allow those people to focus on what truly, truly matters during that time of battling with this disease. And that is to focus solely on fighting and healing. Anna and Elmer, welcome to you, Matter Nashville. We are so excited to learn more about your journey and your mission.

and just the beautiful impact you're making in the world. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you so much for having us. So when we talked before, you were sharing how you got started. And I thought that was just, I love hearing the stories of how these nonprofits get started because there's always a problem that you see. And you look around trying to see how you can help.

Jason & Mindy Hoover (02:19.328)
And there may not be one that helps in a certain way. And I love what your organization does. Y'all came in and kind of like, okay, this is a need. You're going to create something and it exploded. worked. It has. I think the old adage is sometimes better to be lucky than good. Works. I am afraid to say that myself, Anna and our daughter have

all experience cancer. So during the course of going through that, we were actually overwhelmed at the generosity and love that people gave us. Anything from meals to rides, just lawn mowing, anything, sometimes from complete strangers. As we were going through that,

It was just so much appreciated. After we got through that, we wanted to try to do something and maybe pay it forward. Us and our daughter really didn't need a lot of help, but it was appreciated. things make a big difference. Yeah. And we wanted to do something, I say a little bit more organic that wasn't...

what everybody else was doing. mean, there's bake sales, there's GoFundMe's, there are all kinds of things that you can do to try to raise money to do something. We were kind of looking for something a little different. One day I'm on our local Facebook page and one of Anna's cancer sisters had painted a picture of a Cardinal. Anna wouldn't let me wear it today, I normally wear a Cardinal baseball hat. I'm a Cardinal baseball fan. Hey, that's good.

She had painted it and I asked her name was Shay. I said, Shay, would you sell that? She said, yeah, I guess. I just do it for therapy because she was going through cancer and we lost Shay just about two years ago. So Anna is an accomplished artist. And I said, hey, honey, come here. Do you think you would donate a piece of art that we could have maybe a simple silent auction?

Jason & Mindy Hoover (04:43.15)
and get some of your friends, fellow painters and photographers to do that. And we could raise lot of money. So there's a group of about six of us that met at a local bar, which is the best thought process, always comes first. All had gone through cancer, all had the same desire. So we sort of had a mantra after talking about what we didn't have a clue what we were going to do or how we're going to do it.

But after about three beers and a couple of wines, we decided, well, if we don't do it, who's going to do it? And if we don't do it now, when are we going to do it? So we thought we'd have it at local coffee shop, charge $10 to get in and raise maybe $3,000, $4,000. By the time we got through it the first year, we raised $15,000, had it at a local brewery. And just last year,

our fifth anniversary we raised sixty thousand dollars last year. my goodness. We've helped over six hundred people and it's a gamut of people through all kinds of cancer. The most difficult ones were and still are the children. We've lost some children to this thing and our desire when we go and help somebody is to let them know it's a family affair.

And cancer is a family affair. When Anna had her cancer, was not only me, it was our children, our grandchildren. Everybody was affected by it. So we wanted to get that across. I think we've done that, but we've just been overwhelmed with a number of people that help us, the volunteers. We've got a terrific board. Nothing like this gets done without a lot of help. Amen to that.

And know, humans are good. Yes. Humans are good. Amen. Amen. Absolutely. You win what sometimes we're watching the news. You watch TV in the news, you may have a different opinion, but man, you know, I think we're all born inherently good and we want to help. so, you know, that's one reason we started the podcast. just we love we love people like you guys that are making a

Jason & Mindy Hoover (07:09.038)
Big difference, those little things when people are dealing with cancer, that goes so far. Like you said, even just mowing the lawn, that's a big deal. I don't think anybody, there's not a single person that doesn't know somebody or was personally affected by cancer. That's exactly right. Absolutely. Every year at our event, Jason, I asked the question and there's four or 500 people there.

I said, would everybody in the room that has a close friend or relative has been affected by cancer? your hand. Everyone raises their hands. Even 12 year old kids raise their hands. And it's just, it's real. It's real. When you get cancer, three things go through your mind. know, number one, am I going to live? Number two, what's the treatment going to be?

And number three, what are those first two, what's that impact going to be on my family? And it's, it's, it's a process that everybody goes through and it's scary. It's very scary. You are shocked when you receive that diagnosis. It happens to everyone else, but not to you. Right. Right. And so it, is. So that's why we started this so we could help people.

when they're going through this to ease their family, their mind. So we always give a new recipient who the name is given to us either by a friend or a relative or a neighbor, and we give them a care caddy. And in the care caddy, we put blankets, socks, anything that they would use when they're going through their treatment at the hospital or at a clinic.

Lemon drops gives your mouth, you feel this metal taste in your mouth. So lemon drops, we give little word search books to give them something to do because you're sitting there for several hours while you're getting the treatment. And so anything we can give them that will help them ease their, you know, while they're going through the treatments.

Jason & Mindy Hoover (09:29.046)
And just doing those little things, you're saying, love you. Yes, that's exactly right. And we care. And then we also, have this where our volunteers come in. We send out probably 60, at least thinking of you cards every month. So we receive a recipient's name. We put them on our weekly list. So for a month, we send them four cards once a week.

And then we put them on our monthly list, which is about five months. And then we send them again. I received a lot of cards when I was going through my treatments and it just brightened up my day to know that somebody was thinking about me. You know, an interesting thing is, and we don't pay chemo bills and stuff like that, but we give people, you know, a hundred dollar quarter cards.

$100 Visa cards. do house cleaning. do how line mowing. We're doing one of our recipients yard work. We raking leaves this week. But you know what we get the most compliments on is those cards. Really? I got a call from someone out of state just a couple of weeks ago and I get them often. They get my phone number from the contact here that got us their name and we mailed it to them.

And she said, I'm going to have to wait a minute. I'm start to cry. And I said, and I'm thinking it's a bad day. I'm Mr. Analytical. So I'm thinking this or that. And she said, I just received another card from you. She said, I was having an absolute terrible day and this card was made looks like from a 10 or 12 year old. had nothing but scribbles on it, but it had down the bottom. love you. And she says, you'll never know.

how much that meant to me. said, God bless you. That's precious story. it's really. And we get a lot of them, but it's, it's amazing. And today I just read a book a while back, the ruthless elimination of hurry. And one of the things that's gone away in today's world. And I think today, I think today's world is good. Don't get me wrong here. I love today's. I don't take away my remote. Yeah. The microwave. Don't take away. But they people.

Jason & Mindy Hoover (11:55.242)
appreciate. In fact, he says in his book, I just got a card the other day and I realized that somebody took the time to write the note.

go buy the card, write the note, put a stamp on it, take it to the mailbox and mail it to me. They felt I was worth that time. And that made me feel good. And outside of Christmas, how often do you get cards? You rarely even get them for birthdays anymore. It's just a lost art. Mindy, that's exactly right. And that's what this lady said. My friends and relatives

They're all texting me or emailing me. And she said, the fact that somebody took the time to do this, she said, I'm going to tell my relatives, they should buy me a car. you know, it's like you're saying, you know, we all get in this hurry and we forget we're in such a digital age that a handwritten or like, you know, a kid drawing on a card piece of paper that that is, you know,

20 times better than just sending an email or a text message. mean, those are great. Don't get me wrong. Yes, exactly. But that personal touch. I sent a package yesterday to a dear friend of mine going through a little hard time and I actually got a hand cramp writing this letter. I'm like, that is sad. That is how far removed I am from actually handwriting that I was starting to get a hand cramp. But I type everything.

I love that. These are the kind of cards we sent out. I love it. That's wonderful. By the way, Mindy, we sent a care caddy to Christina. Perfect. I she should get it. She may already have it, but she should get it this week. And then she will, as Anna said, she will also be on her card list. That's amazing. Thank you guys so much. Yeah. I have a dear friend that I grew up with, kind of a multi-generational.

Jason & Mindy Hoover (14:04.034)
family friend and it's been kind of heartbreaking for me, you know, to have somebody your age that's going through that, you know, when you have older family members, but when it starts to be peer, it kind of kicks you a little bit harder. I don't know why, but I guess it becomes more real that like you were saying, it can't happen to me. And then you go, it could. That was really close, you know,

Well, what's no saving your neighbor gets laid off. It's a recession. And when you get laid off, it's a depression. That's that's kind of the way cancer is. And it's absolutely right. We always thought that way. I we were in our 60s when we got cancer and we thought we'd die to bullet and we're on our way to whatever. And all of a sudden it hit. then it's Anna finished her cancer.

In September of 13 and January 14, we had a call from her daughter. had cancer. So, at that time it like, really? Why? Why more? Yeah. And she had a, at the time, a C. Landon would have been about seven, six months old, a baby. And so, yeah, it was, yeah, it's hard to understand how that happens. It's tough to process.

Yeah. But she's doing great. I, you know, now that it's been more than 10 years, I, my doctor's released me and, and Elmer's doing great with his. So, yeah, we're very blessed. Now you guys do a lot of mailing and you do some like tangible things like go and help people at their homes. the people who are hospitalized, are you able to,

like do touches there like at Vanderbilt or at any of the hospitals in Nashville? really can't, you COVID did a lot of, so basically the care caddy that they can take that with them, you know, we also have a group of ladies from the Nolensville Methodist Church. They knit prayer shawls for us. nice. And then we have a lady also in the group that she,

Jason & Mindy Hoover (16:27.33)
buys his cutest little bears and then she makes a little lap blanket that goes with the bears and she does a little crochet around the outside. In the beginning we would only give them to children and then we started giving them to adults as well and then they take them with them to their treatments and maybe just keep it in the bag but it's something there that's comforting.

Then we have another group of ladies that make pillowcases for the different seasons. So they just finished doing Halloween pillowcases and then now they've just given us some for Christmas. And then we give those to recipients. And then we have another group, the Catholic Church in Brentwood, they knit hats for us.

They have a group of ladies that beautiful. So for children as well as adults and then they're not just playing knitted hats. mean, they're all have some kind of a little decorative, you know, with them. so we have a great support group that volunteers and help us. And I love that everything that you mentioned is handmade. Yes. And that is just precious because again, like the note writing, that's something that is just

That's time, it's commitment. And you had mentioned the pillowcases. my little story on that is that our daughter, she has a malignant tumor disorder. And when she was in Vanderbilt, they brought in all these pillowcases that women have made and they had part of their little arsenal there at Vanderbilt. And they let her choose and she chose a Mickey Mouse.

themed with, it was hilarious with flames on the outside of it. was like Mickey mouse flame on the outside. And that is the one that she chose. She was probably 11. She is now 21 and still uses that pillowcase. Yes. Because it just meant so much to her. she just loved it. Exactly. That's In fact, one of the ladies, there's two ladies that do the pillowcases for us. She first started making them for Vanderbilt and then she heard about us.

Jason & Mindy Hoover (18:52.512)
And then her daughter-in-law was just diagnosed about a year ago with breast cancer. And so, and we helped the daughter-in-law. So she is more now wants to help us. Well, love that. And Bev, the other lady, her granddaughter was diagnosed when the little girl was, baby was three months old with leukemia. And then she passed away. She was about

14 months old and we help the family in that too. she makes not only makes pillowcase her and her husband give monthly donations in her honor cancer in her honor. Yeah. Now is that monetary or is it she gives monitor or create? They just send us a monthly stipend. Okay. And speaking of like

Who do you, who donates crafts? I know, you you take in different things and you auction it off. You have a, annual event every year, right? So do you constantly are taking in things that people create to, to auction off? We usually don't start that until after Thanksgiving. Okay. And really get more serious on the 1st of January.

So my artist friends, have last year, I think we had 97 artists that donated paintings, photographers. We have a gentleman that hand makes wooden music boxes in the shape of heart. I mean, it is beautiful. And he layers the wood. He uses different colors, you know, of wood. I mean, there it's just beautiful. We've had quilts.

donated. That is some time. Yeah, that's right there. Yes. And we've had pottery. So, I mean, very generous. And now we're starting to get people now, when is your event? You know, so it's, it's made the calendar, I think now with the community, they're looking forward to it. So we'll be sending out information about that now in the next week. Great.

Jason & Mindy Hoover (21:16.662)
And then our local First Citizens National Bank, they're our business and event sponsor. So artists then will take their paintings, our pottery or their items to them. And then we have a committee that we photograph all of the items because it's now online auction that we have.

Do you guys have partnerships also, like business partnerships, people that work with you guys throughout the year or for that event specifically? Both. We have sponsors of anything like this. Your sponsors are one of the major sources of revenue. have had, this is our sixth year and we have almost 100 %

repeat of sponsors. That's That's amazing. We've already started, I haven't sent out, well, I say I, she hasn't sent out the sponsor. That was a big slip, I apologize. But we'll be sending them out, but we already have about seven sponsors already that have contacted us. We do a young ours, we want to involve the youth in what we do.

So we have a young artist thing where a local artist, Amy Patrick, has an art studio, Doodles of Fun, and her students, nine of them do paintings, and a local business sponsors them, and then they get the painting that night of the event, which is, mention February 22nd? That was my next question. 2025 at Mill Creek Brewery.

She incorporates somewhere, you have to hunt for them sometimes, a heart though, in each painting. So he explains to them what they're painting, why they're doing it, where the money goes, and she's like an extra board member. She's been phenomenal. That's amazing. And then we have businesses that donate gift cards. We have local Ace Hardware has donated.

Jason & Mindy Hoover (23:35.658)
If somebody needs something, they'll go in to pay for it and they'll just donate it. We have local contractors. have a mid-ten. I'm giving commercials here, but there's a local business, mid-ten plumbing. He's just wonderful. He's done everything from donating some significant pieces of like water heaters and stuff like that. wow. And free labor.

of two recipients that are having a problem and he'll put them right at the top of the list and he's a busy guy as most contractors are these yeah yeah but we have and people donate tickets to predators games to Titans games we have there's a about 10 people that do Facebook birthdays and in honor of or whatever you would say of art helps cancer we get a significant amount of money through that

all through the year. We have an ongoing support system now. That's amazing. And that just comes with time and commitment and people going, know, it's five years, they keep going. It's six years, they keep going. know, they're like, I guess I'll help them. We also have Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts. You know, they do our cards for us. Youth groups will help us with that.

And then this year, one of my art friends is an art teacher in Murfreesboro and she had her honors, honor society group donate items that we could put in children's care caddies, like games and maybe like matchbox cars, know, things like that, that a child and I mean, they did an awesome job.

And we just received that. So we'll be putting those in our kids care caddies that we give out. That's so sweet. So we do have a great, wonderful support system. really sounds like it. really does. all of this has happened within five years. Did you, you know, did you envision that it would be, you would be at this point? No, not really. No. Like I said, we were hoping to raise maybe four or $5,000 and help 10 people.

Jason & Mindy Hoover (25:58.636)
Yeah. And it, but getting back, I think what Mindy had said earlier, what we underestimated was how what we were doing would touch people. And I mean, don't get me wrong, we celebrate every remission and we do become family. We grieve. We've been to too many funerals, but people see that and they realize that we're not doing it for.

publicity, I mean we don't make a big deal about it. Nobody knows we're helping anybody unless they tell someone. We don't divulge any names. We don't divulge any information about anybody we're helping. If anyone knows we're helping anybody, it's because that recipient or their friends or their contact have told them. That's not why, and I think that gets a lot of positive vibes.

because people can see you're sincere and what you're, and it's not only us. There's, we have 15 board members and every one of them are as dedicated as we are in helping and going to deliver stuff and getting to know the family. Again, going to funerals, it's just delivering gift cards. It's, it's, it's, it is a family affair. I was about to say it's creating a family. We call it Framley with all of our friends.

And you kind of remember that. Yeah. Creating family. So needed. live in a transplant city, you know, here in middle Tennessee, you know, when you're helping people local. So there are a ton of people without their intermediate and extended families here. So I know that any kind of human touch is, you know, seen. is seen. So, you know, 25 is coming up.

and you have the event coming. Do you all have any ideas or thoughts on what you're going to do? Are you just going to do, you're going to keep ball rolling as it is, or you've got any other ideas to expand? I think we're basically continuing what we're doing. It's working. We keep getting more people attending every year. that we are getting more.

Jason & Mindy Hoover (28:20.687)
entertainment for the evening. So last year, a recipient, we helped his wife. And I mean, he is an accomplished jazz saxophone player, and he just happened not to be traveling during that time. So he came. So we set a high bar. And he said that if he's in town, that he would come again.

this next year. Dominic is a business manager for Sister Sledge. You all may be too young to know Sister Sledge when they were big, but he does recordings. He does his own music. is a producer for other groups as well. He's also a professor at Lipscomb. Yeah, he's a professor of music. Music in Lipscomb. You were in a band, weren't you? I was in a jazz group. Yeah, I was a music

music and theater major. And so yeah, I did jazz and opera. This is kind of on the opposite ends, but yeah, you and I, I'm the analytical one, so you don't want to hear me sing. Me neither. You don't want to me for sure. But the other thing that in terms answer your question, Jason, I think we've toyed around with having, you know, dinners, farm to table dinners, other stuff. But

This event is just takes so much effort and we would rather, think instead we've never been concerned about being bigger. We just each year worry about being better. I like and and and what we've done and Anna can talk about a couple, but we really partner well with.

three or four other 501C3s that are kind of in the same genre that we are. One is Angel Heart Farm, which is down in College Grove. And Tracy Kajawa runs an equine assisted therapy for children going through life-threatening diseases. Every one of our recipients that go down there, we sponsor them. We give her money.

Jason & Mindy Hoover (30:46.03)
to pay for their boots. She gives them boots and cowboy clothes or cowboy girl clothes. But there's a lot of cost with running a stable. she has ponies. the children just, there's something about that. They're having the time of their life. When they go down there, we've had many, many parents that will tell them about it. No, we don't know how to ride horses.

Some don't want to be around animals, but we'll say, we'll just go down there and meet Tracy and just, and they're hooked. And, she makes them clean the stall. She makes them groom the horse before she, pony, before she puts them away. She treats them just like they're normal and they're normal, but in fact, they're not ill. I said that wrong, but she, they can't wait. They can't wait to get down there to see their Felix or any of the, any of the ponies.

Yeah. And so we help her a lot. Tracy also had cancer. Yeah, she had cancer, which started it. Yes. And then you tell about Heimerdinger. And then I don't know, everybody remembers, um, hi, Heimann, um, Mike Heimerdinger. He was an assistant coach for the Titans. Offensive coordinator. Um, kind of in the early 2000s. Anyway, he passed away of stomach cancer and his wife.

started a nonprofit called Heimerdinger Foundation and did a lot of research on food. And so they prepare meals and then deliver those to anyone that is going through cancer, kind of in the middle, mostly Davison and Williamson County. And so we, you know, help with any of our recipients that want to participate in that, then we pay for that.

program for them. Wow. That's great. And so yes, the partnership that just kind of crosses over with one another, you guys are able to facilitate that. That's amazing. And you can do more with not spending, not having as much money, but just collaboration. And the local food pantry, when there's some people are just so financially strapped that we can't, groceries are expensive.

Jason & Mindy Hoover (33:08.686)
But the local food pantry, we have this year probably 15 families that have just been stretched to the limit financially. Well, the medical bills. And the food pantry, they can go over there every week and get a full cabinet of groceries. And we may give them a $100 grocery croter card, but what they're using that for is gas.

and over-the-counter medications and things that they need to get. So it's a good teaming arrangement to help people again. And then she refers us, if she has people that are going through cancer, which she does sometimes, Debbie Nolan will refer those people to us. We have found that just through talking to so many different nonprofits, how many of them do work in tandem with one another and refer

people to one another because like you were saying, it's, it's not just one thing. It's not just the medical bills. It is the groceries and trying to keep the kids fed while trying to worry about even being strong enough to cook dinner. You know, it's, it's a lot. Sometimes they lose their job or they, don't, they don't lose their job, but they don't get paid, which is the same as losing your job. That's right. And then it's the snowball effect. It's then you start stressing out.

about finances and then if you're stressed, you're not going to heal. So you've been doing this for five years now, over five years. And so I'm curious, has this affected your perception about the community and being involved and seeing everybody participate? Has it affected your outlook as far as community services? Nolensville is a very caring community.

And in the whole middle Tennessee area, shouldn't just include Nolensville, the whole, and you know, people will, again, example, Nolensville is growing. It's one of the fastest growing areas. And I know a lot of people are concerned, you know, what's going to happen to this community? it still, and I think that's why people are moving here because they see what a caring community it is. And those people are caring.

Jason & Mindy Hoover (35:29.894)
And we see that, you know, with we constantly are meeting new people and it is a very caring community. Yeah, I think it's. It's. It's just good for your heart. And getting back to what you said earlier, Jason, it it's hard some days to try to. Find the good.

in people's hearts. And you see so much stuff that you almost want to believe that there aren't any good hearts around. But then what we do, we're so blessed because we get to see it in two ways. I mean, we see the good side of it and being able to help people and more people wanting to help, to help have you help people.

And then you see what you think initially would be the downside of losing a loved one or something like that. But then you see that same good heart come forward and comfort those people and give them peace. One of the things that when you're going through cancer that really turns you off is they come up or you run into them and we have cancer.

gosh, I know what you're going through. And I finally got, you know what, have you had cancer? No. Then you don't have a clue what I'm going through. I don't want to be rude, but you don't have a clue. So we caution, well, most of our board members have been there, but we caution people to not go into that mindset. To go in simply, what can we do to help you? We're here. And then when you do hit the dark spot,

We just simply go and hold a hand, say some prayers, show up, get a meal. There's people in town and then you'll see other people here and other people will go help. And it just seems to be synergistic in what happens. And it also causes us to see that you're not the only one, you're not the only nonprofit doing anything because the other people, there's four five other nonprofits around this area.

Jason & Mindy Hoover (37:55.7)
and churches. You find out churches do so much. I mean, they just do so much. You can't, and again, you don't see it. They're not out publicizing it either. They're just doing it. I've often thought, this may be political, but it'd be so good if the government could just give like Middle Tennessee $2 million and see what they could do with it.

through 501C3s instead of government programs. I don't know how accurate it is, every government dollar is given out, only like 55 to 60 cents of it goes to where it's supposed to go. Whereas 501C3 dollars for every dollar that goes, even with expenses and stuff like that, excluding that, it gets

to be like a dollar and 10 because somebody will hear you've done this. Okay. Well, can I give it, can I match it? Can I do, and it's like, it multiplies. Yeah. And I love that. I've never heard that before. Yeah. But you know what? That is so true because, you know, with our daughter, like we'd get emails for like a JDRF and different things with, with the diabetes association, they've got, we have a big.

person who's matching the next two or three days and, you know, up to a million dollars. Well, that just encourages everyone to get up and donate a hundred dollars or $50 or whatever they can because they know it's going to be doubled. Yeah. So it's a nice little effect. Yes. So one question for you that I'm curious about what, uh, what would be some advice that you would give to somebody who's wanting to start a nonprofit?

There's a lot of legal, you know, hurdles, I guess you would say that you have to go through and make sure go to a government site that has the regulations and, you know, there, and make sure, you know, what all, qualifications you have to have have an attorney, to help you someone that is familiar.

Jason & Mindy Hoover (40:23.436)
with nonprofits. Yeah, I think to me, think looking back, I think we've seen some that have started and failed or started and not been maybe real successful. And I think one thing that we were meant, we had a couple of local people that mentored us in the start of what we were doing. And one

had a son that had a very serious heart condition and he's doing well, but, then we're a couple, Anna knew some people from her chamber days and did, had done different things, but we wanted to not worry about it being too big. We wanted to be able to sustain itself and we wanted it to be, something that people could really be helped by. And

I think some get on the thing, they've got a great idea or something they want to do, and they just maybe go too fast. We started out as part of another 501C3, round up for Nolensville here in Nolensville. And so we had that umbrella with us, and we had the protection of just that being there.

We didn't have some of the initial expenses because Roundup, to honest, was carrying them. And so that helped. And then we got the other people and get strong board members that have some skin in the game. Our early people that we got were all either had cancer or affected by cancer or were just wanted to help people. And, you know,

If you get into this because you want to put it on your resume or whatever, people could start that out real quick. yes. yes. You know, we I think that to make it successful and who knows how long ours is going to last. We we hope it'll last well, well after we're gone. And but you've got to have.

Jason & Mindy Hoover (42:45.838)
You've to be focused on what you're doing, what your mission statement is. Ours is very simple. We're out to help alleviate the day-to-day concerns of families and its families going through cancer treatments. That's why when we get a mother or father or child that's going through cancer, we treat the whole family. If they have kids, we take the bare bodies and as they're taking the...

We take the pillowcases to siblings of the mother that's going through cancer. That's why we have house cleaning. I don't know about you, Jason, but I'm not very good at cleaning houses. So in the same way with lawn mowing, you know, we do those things and we don't do it forever, but we'll do it for three, four months. And so they can, it's such a heavy load. know, you,

You worry about what treatment you're going to get and then you get it and then you're sicker than heck. nobody can come in the house. The kids can't see their mother. I mean, it's just such a, it's such a hardship. that breaking? And I think you guys are doing an amazing job at serving your mission statement and, really putting the people who need it most at the forefront. I mean, it's you have back to what you were saying about

You know, you have to love what you're doing and why you're doing it. But you just have to have such a love for people and a love for the situation. And like you were saying, and being a part of that community from the get go, you know, you can see it through the fruits of y'all's labor, you know, that just how intentional you are and just loving people in the exact way they need to be loved. You know, be it tangible, be it cards for encouragement. I mean, the baskets, the blankets.

I mean, down to the detail of the lemon drops, because you know, you have a weird taste in your mouth when you're going through treatment. I mean, because you guys know, and I absolutely love what you guys are doing. think it's absolutely just precious and heartwarming and we need a lot more of it. And I know, you know, as a father, if I was in that position and, you're loving on my kids, that would mean more to me than, you know, you

Jason & Mindy Hoover (45:07.042)
what I get out of it. And so by you guys loving how you're saying you help the whole family, that, I mean, it gives me chills is that that's what you're doing. You're impacting that whole entire family. Yeah. And that's just amazing to me. Yeah. Well, again, it's because we went through it. Yeah. And you know, the other board members, it's not again, I keep saying, but you're talking to two people out of 15, then, you know, the spotlight's on us. But

It we ain't all of it by even a stretch of it because we couldn't do it without. I mean, it's we do 16 to 22 gift cards and and things every two weeks and we hand deliver them. You know, we don't we don't put them in the mail. We hand deliver them. And it takes a long time because sometimes, you know, and.

They answer the door, of course, and they're there and they're isolated. So guess what? You know, and you talk sometimes again, you pray. Sometimes you just simply listen. And that's probably the how's it going. And then you go from how's it going to maybe 20 minutes later and a few tears. It's going terrible. don't. One of the recipients currently is goes to our church and her husband's into music.

a group and he was about two Sundays ago. He's singing one of the songs and he just totally and his wife and I'm gonna start crying. His wife is on the streaming part and he knows that and it's a very it's one of her favorite I think him and he starts crying. Well, Anna and I and there's another couple of the board there. We were sitting there crying too but

It's the emotional part of it that is so hard. It's just so hard. Out of nowhere. Yeah, absolutely. Just for people listening, how would like if they know somebody like Mindy did and how would they get them connected with you guys? We have a website, Art Helps Cancer. We have a farm on the website that they can fill out.

Jason & Mindy Hoover (47:33.106)
you know, if they know of anyone that, is going through cancer that we could help. and then, information, our event is coming up again, February the 22nd at Mill Creek brewery. all that information, is, or will be soon on the website. so that's, I think the best way to contact us is through our website. Perfect. Yes. And that's art helps.

cancer.com. Yeah, helps cancer. And also, I've got your website up here. You do have a donate button as well. somebody wanted to just donate that way. Now, what about things for the auction? Because I know there's many of artists in this area, including my mom, she has shown interest. Yeah, my mom's a professional, retired professional artist and

So she has said that she's interested in maybe helping donate some things to you as well. So how would our listeners be able to donate? Again, on our website, there is an email address. that probably would be the best. We also are on Facebook and Instagram. And again, it's Art Helps Cancer. So I think that would be the best way that they could contact us.

But our contact information is on our website. Excellent. And like deadlines when they need to get everything to you and things like that. Yes. Yes. Perfect. Yeah. All right. Actually, the deadline for the art will be the beginning on the middle of January because we need to take photos and all of that to, you know, on for our online auction and all that information will also be on our website. Perfect. Okay.

And if anybody's wanting to attend the event, is it a RSVP? How does that happen? There's not. They can just come. We don't charge. We've never charged to come to the event. We're hoping that they will bid for the art. So there's no charge to attend. Excellent. Perfect. Well, guys, this has been absolutely amazing.

Jason & Mindy Hoover (49:58.87)
learning more about what you do. And I just want to be sure that it did. Did we cover everything that you wanted to share? Yes, I think we have. One thing that kind of has come out of our Art Helps Cancer with all the artists that donate their pieces and that too, is we've also started an artist guild here in Nolensville.

really? Yes, so that was in 21. So a lot of the artists that help us with the Art House Cancer, now we have an artist guild. And the town of Nolensville just received a grant and we have artists that will be submitting pieces that we will then print on banners that will be hanging in next summer.

here in Nolensville along Nolensville Road. wow. Even more. It's neat when unexpected things come out of good things. Yes, that's exactly right. in our guild, have photographers, have artists, potters, we meet monthly. And for that, we also have a website. It's Artists Guild of Nolensville. OK.

No, but we really appreciate you all spending some time sharing some time with us because- thank you. We appreciate it. This has been fantastic. And I love what you got. I love your heart. I love that you do it simply because you love people. And I can tell that just by talking to you. You're not doing it for any accolades or anything else. It is something that is rooted in you. You've gone through it. You've had close ones and-

your family go through it. And we all have friends and some people that go through the cancer at some point in time. know Mindy's father had cancer. This year again. Again, but he had a, was he 30, 33, something like that when he first had? He was 29 the first time stage four colon erectile cancer. And this time it was kidney cancer that we had removed in July. Well, we've had one real quick thing we've had as part of the auction.

Jason & Mindy Hoover (52:22.124)
We have, we think, going to have a very special piece, but we've had a Dolly Parton autographed ukulele last year. We had a jelly roll piece and I can't say what it is, but I think we're getting this close to it now. It'll be a very unique piece. And it's going to be interesting to see if we get it. But we hope we do because it kind of makes it.

We don't we've people we have people that want to donate trips to Hawaii and stuff like this. we just art from the heart is where we started. And that's where we're going to stay. That's why we've looked at dinners and other things. But it just deviates too much from the original. Sure. Premise that we thought made most sense. And it's it's work. So if it ain't broke.

Don't fix it. So just to wrap up real quick. So y'all have one big main event. Is that the art from the heart? That's the main event that you have. But people can still donate throughout the year. And also volunteers, I'm sure you're, you welcome volunteers with open arms. Yeah. So there's stuff that's always constantly going on throughout the year. So

a lot that people can plug in and get involved with. So, well, Anna and Elmer, thank you so much for coming on today. I have enjoyed talking with you guys and just getting to know all the intricacies of your nonprofit and how you help the cancer community and just love on them, just loving on them and helping them and directing them to other nonprofits and

Just being that whole part, think it's just beautiful what you guys are doing. Thank you so much. We love our community. I can tell. Thank you for being you. Your heart is genuine and we're fortunate to even get to know you guys. we will meet and come to our event. We are absolutely planning on it. Okay. So yeah, so maybe we'll get to meet you there. That'd be great.

Jason & Mindy Hoover (54:44.588)
Yeah, be a good time. All right. Well, thank you for being on the show. Thank you, everybody, for listening in to this other podcast of You Matter Nashville. As always, we appreciate you tuning in and learning about these people that are making a major impact in our community. And we encourage you to get out there, get involved, find one that fits best for you.

There's a lot of love to go around. There's a lot of people out there that are in need of many different things. And we just encourage you to step up and maybe even step out of that comfort zone a little bit and get involved. So anyway, thank you for listening. Always remember that we love you and always remember that you matter. And that brings us to the end of another episode of You Matter Nashville. We hope today's show has left you feeling as uplifted and inspired as we are.

Remember, the spirit of Nashville lives in all of us and every small act of kindness echoes throughout the community. A huge thank you for listening and even being a part of our You Matter community. If you love this episode, please share with friends and leave us a five-star review. It helps us reach more listeners and spread the love. And if you know anyone that is looking to make a move to Middle Tennessee area, we are real estate professionals known as the Hoover Team, and we would be honored to serve them with excellence. Until next time, keep making a difference Nashville. You matter more than you know.