Pink Spotlight: Q&A with For 3 Sisters, Inc.

Pink Spotlight:

If you haven’t heard, For 3 Sisters, Inc., is the official charity partner with The Pink Event 2015 (learn more about that here). We reached out to Shannon and Marshall Moneymaker, who created and run this amazing breast cancer charity that helps connect breast cancer patients with the resources, support, and even hugs that they need to persevere.

Question: I understand For 3 Sisters just got its official nonprofit status from the IRS. Was that a big deal?

Answer: (Shannon) Yes, it’s a huge deal. It opens a lot of doors for us, not just because people are now able to deduct donations to us, but for a lot of other opportunities. Having our IRS exempt status as a nonprofit is another step toward legitimizing our organization in the nonprofit community.

Question: How did For 3 Sisters come about?

Answer: (Marshall) After taking care of my sister Penny and having her and my other two sisters pass away from breast cancer, I didn’t realize as a brother and care provider (to Penny) that I was having trouble dealing with everything. I went out to the parking lot of my firehouse one morning and a breast cancer walk was setting up a pit stop. That started my journey in being involved.

I found being involved in something helped me to start healing. And then after hearing story after story from breast cancer survivors, I sat down with Shannon and said, “let’s do something with this.”

Question: Has the organization evolved?

Answer: (Marshall) It has blossomed and reinvented itself every year. Shannon quit her job last August to run For 3 Sisters full time. I have since retired for the fire department and devote my full efforts to For 3 Sisters too.

(Shannon) We are building our volunteer program to help us staff events and run our growing programs. Our board has grown to nine members and they serve both our organization and the community.

Our mission to raise awareness about breast cancer continues, but our efforts to offer unique programs—like our Road to Resources Program and our Men’s Caregiver Support Group—that offer support and quality of life benefits to breast cancer fighters, survivors, and their families have grown! 

Question: Why did you get involved with The Pink Event and what kept you coming back?

Answer: (Shannon) I reached out about available vendor spaces and that’s hot it started. It’s been a great opportunity to meet other women. It’s not only fun to be outside the normal exhibitor but it’s effective! We blend in at health fairs. We enjoy going to events where people don’t expect to hear about breast cancer.

Tamika has been wonderful to us and we almost forget that we haven’t been participating with The Pink Event its full five years of existence. Seeing the ladies at The Pink Event smile and out enjoying the day is awesome.

Question: Will we see the Pink Fireman suit at The Pink Event 2015?

Answer: (Marshall) Absolutely! We have another surprise as well that’s going to knock attendees’ socks off! It’s pretty bold.