There’s a new foundation in town, and it’s looking to make a difference with a community-focused approach.
Serious Air Foundation has already hit the ground running after announcing its first fund for the first responders in the community at the foundation’s launch event on Thursday, Dec. 6. The fund was created in honor of David Simmons, a Keller firefighter who was recently diagnosed with lymphatic leukemia.
“When something like this comes to our attention that absolutely aligns with our mission and purpose – like helping the civil servants who are a part of the fabric of our communities, I think that’s a completely natural fit for us,” said Jim Lonergan, president and executive director of Serious Air Foundation.
“Firefighters, police, emergency medical service – those folks work extremely hard for us on our behalf every single day. When they fall ill to something like leukemia, they’ll be focused on treatment, getting well for their families and being around for many years to come for their kids. That second job and the income that comes with it sometimes goes away. [The fund] will go to serve the needs of civil servants in similar situations.”
Interim Keller Fire Chief David Jones said the outpour of support for Simmons has been overwhelming.
“David Simmons is an integral part of the Keller Fire Department and City of Keller family,” said Jones. “He has been instrumental in the success of our Emergency Medical Services division as a field training paramedic and as a tactical paramedic with the regional SWAT team.”
The first $5,000 raised at the launch event were donated to the first responders fund, which will be available to Simmons and future civil servants in need of support.
Serious Air is a public charitable foundation that will impact Southlake, Colleyville, Grapevine, Keller, Roanoke, Trophy Club, Westlake, Flower Mound and Lewisville.
“This geographic area is where we work, where we live, where we play sports and where our kids go to school,” said Lonergan. “There’s no better time to take ownership of our own community and make it a better place here on forward.”
Lonergan said that members of the community see the same people at school events, ball fields, recitals and parks wherever they go, and those are the people who will be helped by the foundation.
“We’re all in this community together,” said Lonergan. “If we can impact just one child or family or neighborhood or community through the work of our foundation, we’ll be a community catalyst that helps us create our future now.”
In the spirit of its name, the Serious Air Foundation will aim to provide lift, breath and life to youth, families, neighborhoods and communities in need.
“The beauty of a community foundation is that our areas of giving are pretty vast and wide, depending on the needs of the community,” said Lonergan. “We very strongly believe that if we positively impact any one of those areas, it will help build the community better than anything else in the world.”
To learn more about Serious Air Foundation, click here.