Mission
Grace & Kindness is a Fund that was set up in 2016 shortly after Grace Holt lost her life to sucide through depression at the age of fifteen. Susan Holt, the mother of Grace wasn't sure what it would look like at the time, only that something good had to come out of this tragedy. Grace & Kindness is funded by our Run With Grace 5K event that is held annually as well as donations that are made throughout the year. It is a registered 501c organization.
Grace & Kindness’ mission is to address and bring awareness to our community regarding teenage depression and suicide. We strive to give youth opportunities through Connections Clubs in local schools, scholarships to enrichment programs, as well as a four year college scholarship. We believe when youth have a sense of belonging, purpose and are able to pursue their passion, their mental health can improve.
Connection Clubs meet at local Middle Schools where we attempt to prevent suicide by increasing healthy behaviors and connections between peers, the community, and caring adults. The Grace & Kindness scholarships are given to local youth for camps, enrichment programs or lessons, as well as camps. It is for kids K-12 and they must pose a financial need and be a kind person. We have given hundreds to local youth for everything from art lessons, to sports camps, music lessons, writing camps and much more. Starting in 2024 we are implementing a four year college scholarship that is given to a local runner called the "Kindness Matters Grace Holt Memorial Scholarship". This award is given to a senior who is a cross country and/or track athlete in the Rogue Valley who plans to attend college. The award is based on the following criteria: positive attitude, hard working, good teammate and kind to everyone.
We are passionate about bringing awareness, educating and helping the youth in our community to deal with depression that can lead to suicide. You can find applications to these scholarships on our scholarship tab.
Kindness Really Does Matter!
Susan Holt
Susan is the mother and survivor of Grace Holt and founder of Grace & Kindness Foundation. After
losing Grace, Susan wanted a way to honor the life of her beautiful daughter and also leave a legacy of
something positive. Susan has also found herself in the role of helping other parents who have lost a child. As she says, “There could be no worse pain and it feels un-survivable.” She desperately needed to find other parents who lost their child and were able to find a way to live with meaning. Susan is the proud mother of Jill Rosie Holt. Jill Rosie is attending the Honors College at Oregon State University and majoring in psychology. Susan says her passion is working with kids - she has been teaching health and physical education at Hedrick Middle School for more than 28 years. She also coaches track and cross country.
Susan was awarded the national Natural High teacher of the year award in 2018. She runs Connections Clubs at her school and finds purpose helping kids. Susan has always been an avid
runner, loves the outdoors, whether working in her yard or hiking in the mountains, and homes as many
pets as she can find space. She is happiest in nature and any time she is with Jill Rosie. Susan sincerely appreciates your participation and support of the Grace & Kindness Foundation and Run
With Grace. She knows, together, we are impacting the lives of youth.
Board President
Melissa Gurr
Melissa is the treasurer of the Grace & Kindness Foundation. She teaches seventh grade math at Hanby
Middle School for Central Point School District and loves her job. Melissa also helps in facilitating 6th, 7th and 8th grade Connections Groups at Hanby. Connections is funded through Grace & Kindness and this group works wonders in helping struggling kids find their sense of belonging. In her free time, Melissa loves to hike, run and spend time outdoors. She has two daughters, Lindsey and Ashley, and her family has been friends with the Holt family for over 25 years. Melissa is so proud of her friend Susan, who has turned a tragic loss into an incredible fundraiser that supports underprivileged youth. She is extremely proud to be a part of this board.
Teasurer
Lisa Hutchins
Lisa is one of the original founders of Run With Grace. After watching her own daughter’s teacher lose her daughter to suicide, she felt the need to help. With a background in nonprofits event fundraising, Lisa offered her skills that eventually turned into the first annual Run With Grace 5K. Lisa has a Master’s in Education and has taught and coached at the high school level. Lisa’s passion is helping youth in the community. Lisa is also on the Board of Directors at Kids Unlimited Academy charter school and has also held a variety of positions for Kids Unlimited, which primarily serves low-income youth in the community through education based after-school programs, as well as the Kids Unlimited Academy charter school. Most recently, Lisa owns a business, Rogue Events, that helps local nonprofits raise money though a variety of events. Her knowledge of nonprofits, the ability to raise money and experience with directing events is critical to our board. Lisa is married to Rick, and they have three kids. She enjoys visiting her daughters, Talia, who attends Cal Lutheran University, and Carmen, who attends Belmont University in Nashville. She identifies as a “Wrestling Mom” and spends a lot of time in the stands watching her son, Joey, who wrestles at Crater High school. You will often find her with friends and family at their cabin at Lake Of The Woods. Ironically, Lisa is not a runner.
Event Director
Misty Potochnick
Misty is an Utah native that moved to Medford 20 years ago. Misty has been teaching for 24 years
and currently works at Hanby Middle School. She has also spent many years coaching multiple sports at the high school and middle school level. Misty loves working with kids and pushing them to reach their
fullest potential. She feels very fortunate to be a member of the Grace and Kindness board, honoring
Grace Holt and her legacy of kindness and compassion for all. Misty is dedicated to helping raise
awareness of the importance of mental health and suicide prevention. She knows intimately what losing a loved one feels like having lost her father who also died as a result of suicide. Misty is a facilitator for the Connections programs and so grateful to be a part of a program that has been so impactful for kids. Misty is happily married and has three wonderful boys. She loves spending time with her family, friends and being outdoors.
Secretary
Cathy Winans
Cathy is a native Oregonian, born and raised in Ashland. Upon graduating college with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems and marrying her high school sweetheart Charlie, they moved to the Portland area to start their careers and their family. After living up North for 14 years they had the opportunity to move back to Southern Oregon. Cathy has three children, Mark, Will and Whitney who are her pride and joy. Cathy is passionate for any opportunity to support kids. She worked at Wilson Elementary School for 14 years with a focus on behavior and helping students in crisis. She loves to meet children where they are with love, respect and sincerity to instill confidence and self-worth to a path towards success. Cathy volunteers with the Connections Group at Hedrick and is honored to have recently joined the Grace and Kindness Board because she has personally seen the positive impact this organization has in kid’s lives here in Southern Oregon.
Registration Director
Lindsey George
Lindsey George has been family friends with the Holt’s her whole life. Her sister, Ashley, and her were best friends with Grace and Jill Rose. They went on vacations together, spent summers at Lake of the Woods and spent countless hours at the Holt’s house with every farm creature that they happened to adopt. Her favorite childhood memories are with the Holt’s. She grew up in the Rogue Valley and her husband and her love to spend time with family and friends. She is a nurse. In her free time, she loves to be outdoors running or hiking. RWG holds a very special place in her heart and she is honored to be a part of this organization.
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