SOS has closed our doors forever….
After much conversation with my family and friends, I asked the Board of Directors of SOS to ratify the approval of the permanent closing of Serving Other Souls, Inc. by the late fall of 2023. The Board of Directors tried to convince me to keep our doors open, but after I explained my points, they agreed to allow the permanent closing SOS, as soon as possible, but most likely by the fall of 2023.
My reasons for choosing to close the 501c3 that I started in 2011 are as follows:
* In my first marriage, I was too dedicated to SOS, and that time away from the family, although helping many, was one of the major reasons we grew part and ultimately divorced.
* I re-married in Oct of 22 to Jennifer Christine Cooley , and I do not want to repeat the same mistakes with an over-commitment to SOS. In my new marriage, Jenn has 9 and 12 yr old girls who deserve my time and love as their step-father… Although I was a devoted father to MJ (22) and Maria (20), they have told me that I was too tough on them by making them be active in most of our SOS events. They did not feel they had a choice. I am truly sorry for making them feel that way.
* My mom has been recently re-diagnosed with breast cancer, and she just had double Mastectomy surgery last week, and I want to be there for her as often as she needs.
* The suicide of my nephew, Mark, who was the heartbeat of the volunteering from my entire family towards SOS, took the drive and motivation away from my family, and the grief that my mom and sister, and family have endured without Mark, makes any commitment to others in need seem misplaced.
SOS trained over 1,000 students in servant-leadership; handed out over $700,000 in monies, food, clothing, and gift cards for the needy; gave hope to those in need who needed it; and tried to inspire anyone with a vision of how to make the world better to reach for your goals and try to attain your vision (within moderation of course..as I have learned).
Over the next several months, the financial and material resources of SOS will be given to non-profits that have aligned themselves with the vision of our SOS mission statement. SOS is donating our box truck and paying for a new wrap of the truck to Angels DaSkys , an amazing non-profit right in Plum; SOS will use our financial assets to pay to permanently close the organization and then donate the remaining assets to the organization that runs the Race for Grace, the Reflections of Grace Foundation that gives to the research of brain cancer.
It has been my honor and privilege to witness the stories of those we have served like Sunny Jennings Carney who fought with grace and dignity against her cancer, and those like Lorri Nixon, who still fights with that same dignity and grace to this very day. I love seeing so many of our SOS members have grown into amazing adults who make me smile daily with how they live their lives. I am forever better for the choice to start, implement, and now close SOS, and the friendships that I have made from SOS, I will cherish forever.
I want to publicly thank John Bonaroti, Tom Trimbur, Matthew A. Olszewski, and Larry Klinger for their dedication and service to SOS over the last 12 yrs as our amazing Board of Directors. I want to publicly thank my wife, Jennifer Cooley, my ex-wife, Alison Marney, my mother, Marilyn Cooley , my sister, Jennifer Martinez , my brother Craig M. Cooley , and my children Michael Cooley and Maria Cooley for their years of service, donations, and dedication to SOS and to me over the last 12 years.
I still plan to do charitable work when I personally feel the need to do so or the calling to do so but I will leave the big work of running 501c3 nonprofits to others like Angels In DaSkys.. peace and blessings my friends. 