Loni Easterwood, RealSource; Bill Conger, DeKalb West School
SMITHVILLE, TN (August 5, 2021) Nearly 300 children in need throughout Tennessee and Alabama have brand new backpacks filled with the supplies they need for a successful school year. RealSource Title Insurance & Real Estate Closings in Smithville partnered with its corporate office to collect school supplies and donations.
Doris Phillips, founder/president of RealSource, created The Circle of Love Foundation in 2004 to make sure children in need had the things they needed in time for the school year. “We are delighted to provide 72 backpacks filled with the school supplies to help these children find the path to success,” said Phillips. Smithville Elementary, Northside Elementary, and DeKalb West Elementary are each receiving 24 backpacks to share with children in need. “I would like to
thank Katie Harris, Loni Easterwood, and Kendra Arnold for leading our drive in Tennessee to help local children.” At the RealSource office in Smithville, Harris is the office manager, Easterwood is the closing specialist, and Arnold is the support specialist. RealSource is a title insurance and real estate closing company serving Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Michigan, and Tennessee. The Smithville RealSource office opened in October 2020 in the heart of downtown at 404 W. Public Square.
Finding Solutions, Creating Opportunities
Growing up in poverty in Alabama, Phillips she cut grass to help feed her siblings at age 9. As a single mom at 16, she worked multiple jobs to feed her child. Education was not an option. Fast- forward years later, Doris learned from the school of hard knocks and is a professional success in the real estate industry. She is committed to providing children in need with the basic school supplies to be successful. Doris knows the deep pain of being forgotten and is committed to
keeping it from happening to other children.
The Circle of Love Foundation has touched more than 7,000 children in five shelters in Alabama who would have otherwise gone without gifts on Christmas morning or the most basic school supplies like pencils and paper. The organization has raised more than $825,000 in gifts and supplies. “Last year we provided backpacks for 53 children in Alabama,” said Phillips. “This year, we
helped nearly 300 to children in Tennessee and Alabama. As our business grows in Tennessee, so does our philanthropy,” she said. “Being a good corporate citizen in Smithville is very important to us,” said Phillips. “Now that the back-to-school drive has been completed, we will start working on plans to provide Christmas magic for Smithville area children.”
For more information and donation options, visit www.thecircleoflove.org. All of the money collected is used to purchase items for children in need.
Picture 1 from l-r:
Loni Easterwood, RealSource Closing Specialist; Chelsie Bryant, Northside Elementary; Kendra Arnold, RealSource Support Specialist; Shawnie Davis, Smithville Elementary; Katie Harris, Office Manager (not pictured)