On June 15, 2011, Dawn and Brett Funk hit rock bottom. In August 2017 they awarded $1,000 through their “Just Because Grant” program to help Loveland school teachers.
Loveland schools Interim Superintendent Amy Crouse was “nearly speechless” when first approached by the Loveland couple with their plan to set up $1,000 monthly grant awards. They wanted to help teachers do things they don’t have to do but want to do for their students.
“Just Because Grants is a reality because of a Loveland family that believes in making dreams come true for our teachers and ultimately for our students,” Crouse said.
How the grants help: Words on the wall inspire Loveland 5th-grade girls
Already $4,000 in grants have been awarded since August – $1,000 each month – selected from 25-30 grant applications from Loveland teachers each month.
“Now, I really can’t thank them enough,” Crouse said. “They want to support teachers to do caring, wonderful things for our students.”
Funding for the “Just Because Grants” comes directly out of the pockets of Dawn and Brett Funk. They have four children in Loveland schools, Mason, Alexi, Blake and Reese.
But there is more to the story of how and why the Funks set up a grant program for teachers in Loveland. Rewind to June 15, 2011, when they could not even buy a birthday dinner for Alexi.
“Behind our four walls we were drowning in debt,” Dawn Funk said.
They were living in a “nice house” in Dayton, Ohio. Brett was a district manager for Speedway and worked as a football coach. Dawn was teaching at Kettering public schools and as a graduate professor at the University of Dayton instructing teachers how to teach writing in the classroom. On the side, she also had a cookie business. It wasn’t enough.
“I had three jobs and we had four kids,” she said. “We lived in Dayton, but Brett actually worked in Cincinnati. This was our life, very overwhelmed, very overworked.”
Overwhelmed by debt, work, and caring for four children with her husband gone was like being a single mom for Funk. She was heartbroken by the inability to provide a birthday dinner for her oldest daughter. Desperation led her to look for answers.
“It’s the first time in my life I ever prayed,” Funk said. “I was really scared. I just remember thinking what do people do when they’re really desperate. They pray to this God guy. Literally, I put my hands together and prayed for the first time.”
Brett walked in. She was crying and, in that moment, Dawn Funk had an epiphany in which she spoke out loud to her husband.
“One day we’re going to have a lot of money and this God guy wants us to never forget where we came from and always be humble,” Funk recalled. “We were still broke. Nothing happened.”
Two weeks later they met a former classmate at a Fourth of July cookout they had “crashed.” He introduced them to a potentially lucrative direct sales business opportunity which made them skeptical at first. Geoff Hyman, trusted friend and successful Dayton area businessman, looked into it. Dawn said yes. Success followed and they paid off their debt.
Prayers answered?
“I believe because I prayed, my heart was changed,” Funk said. “Truly, ‘Just Because,’ this is all God working.”
The name “Just Because” was born when Hyman told her to focus on the new business so one day she could bake cookies – just because.
Seven years later they live in a new home in Loveland. All four kids are happy in Loveland schools. They’ve achieved two parts of a three-part plan for change: making cookies nonprofit, setting up teacher grants, and ultimately Funk wants to write her own story.
“I feel like God blessed us beyond our wildest dreams,” Funk said. “He knew we would do the right thing, pay it forward and bless others. I believe that.”
Funk feels connected to the hearts of teachers. She knows the great things they have in their hearts for the kids. The bigger vision for “Just Because” will reach beyond Loveland schools, but now their grants make a difference for Loveland teachers.
“I just really have this calling to give back to teachers,” said Funk. “I loved being a teacher. We love Loveland schools.”