There is a wisdom that undergirds the philanthropy of Stapp Interstate Toyota. Debbi Stapp helped me understand this as she spoke passionately about Stapp’s commitment to supporting a wide and varied number of nonprofits in the local community. “Everyone deserves to be supported. We strive to contribute towards a healthy, well-balanced community.”
How incredibly insightful. She herself points out that it could be easy to see that essential services deserve more support than what is defined as extra, or non-essential, services. But, ‘“everything touches everything,” Stapp states clearly and confidently. Children, art, education, homelessness, animals, environment and music are just a few examples of the diversified way Stapp Toyota approaches its contribution to the community.
And Stapp Toyota has been around long enough to understand its community. The dealership has been around for 47 years and the family has remained at the helm of its leadership. Receiving this kind of support from the community has not been lost on them, Stapp lobbied to keep its money in the community, which could easily have been absorbed in the larger corporate directions of Toyota as a company. It exemplifies the very well-rounded approach it hopes to support in every choice it makes to give back.
Debbi Stapp has been involved in the philanthropic program titled Stapp Inspires for six years now and she reveals what informs her and inspires her in this role. Growing up in Golden, an active Catholic and Girl Scout, she has always had a heart for founders passionate about organizations they started. “What lights them up?” she said. When she hears the stories, she naturally wants to support them. And this is with great respect for the individuality of each founder and each organization. The Longmont Chorale for example has been letting locals raise their voices since the 1930s and the singers drawn to join are given a chance to find their niche, she said. In fact, to Stapp, every person is called to find their niche, and creating a community where everyone is supported to discover their gifts is a healthy community.
Stapp Toyota is in the position to contribute this kind of support, and it acts on it by looking at a wide range of sponsorships.
But there is even more to this compelling philosophy. It looks to challenge itself and the community to think outside the box. It is Debbi Stapp who is the fired-up torch holder for this kind of growth.
“Growth and change happen when we break out of habits, routines, and perspectives that limit us. Happiness is not found or fostered by keeping things the same,” she said.
It seems that Stapp has found her niche and is in the position to be touched by the very service she offers in leading Stapp Inspires. It is one thing to provide financial support to nonprofits that make up our community, an invaluable contribution, and it takes it to the next level to strive to embody the philanthropic motives. What an inspiration Stapp gives to us. May we each rise into the call and the challenge to find our niche in the community and to give generously the very gifts we have been given.
