Doubling Down on Change: Hope Williams

Tuesday, April 29

7:00 am

Deshay Williams

Spark Thomasville Executive Director

As a Senior Learning Manager at Microsoft, Hope Williams’ monthly contributions to Spark Thomasville create twice the impact through her employer’s 100% matching program, generating multiplied opportunities for underestimated entrepreneurs.

Hope Williams, Senior Learning Manager at Microsoft, doubles her impact through monthly giving to support underestimated entrepreneurs at Spark Thomasville.

Thanks to Hope...We’re celebrating two historic firsts at Spark Thomasville:

• Our very First Monthly Recurring Donor Subscription! Hope Williams, Senior Learning Manager at Microsoft, has become Spark’s inaugural monthly supporter.

• Our very First Employer‑Matched Monthly Recurring Gift! And through Microsoft’s 100% matching program, her pledge is the first to be doubled by an employer.

Finding Perfect Alignment

“Spark Thomasville’s mission—providing education, training, and support—is exactly what I do at Microsoft for my stakeholders. So Spark and I have that kind of alignment,” Hope explains.

Growing up in an entrepreneurial family, she knows firsthand how “boots on the ground” resources can transform ideas into thriving businesses. 

Three Pillars of Support

Through her monthly subscription, Hope fuels:

• Education: Hands‑on resources that turn business ideas into sustainable enterprises

• Coaching: Insight and guidance from trusted Thomasville business leaders

• Funding: Affordable capital through our Community Development Loan Fund

Thank you, Hope, for powering these three pillars every month!

Stories That Spark Action

Her decision to give was inspired by Spark's entrepreneurial impact stories.

“Reading about local entrepreneurs’ resilience and innovation moved me. Their success in creating jobs, building generational wealth, and keeping money circulating in Thomasville inspired me to act."

Through Microsoft's matching program, Hope Williams transforms her monthly contribution into twice the impact, providing trusted coaching, affordable capital, and educational resources for entrepreneurs striving for economic stability in Thomasville.

Doubling Her Impact

“My employer matches what I give 100%. Doubling my gift through them is an added motivation."

This powerful partnership shows how individual generosity plus corporate matching—exemplified by Hope and Microsoft—can break down barriers for underestimated entrepreneurs. 

Spreading the Word

Hope isn’t stopping at her own gift—she’s rallying her Microsoft colleagues, too. “I’m sharing Spark Thomasville’s mission with other Microsoft employees."

Through her monthly giving, she helps ensure that underestimated entrepreneurs receive the opportunities they deserve: to build businesses that create jobs, generate tax revenue, and keep money circulating within Thomasville.

Thank you, Hope, for being such a passionate ambassador  for entrepreneurs and multiplying their reach! 

"What they do at Spark Thomasville aligns perfectly with my work at Microsoft,” says Hope Williams, whose employer-matched monthly donations help strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems through shared prosperity engineering.

Join the Movement—Just Like Hope Williams!

You too can make a lasting difference by setting up your own monthly gift to Spark Thomasville. Visit our donation page: sparkthomasville.org/give

• Select “Monthly Gift” and choose your amount

• Watch your impact grow—especially when your employer matches!

Are you a business leader? Consider implementing a matching gift program at your company. By matching your employees' donations to Spark Thomasville, you demonstrate your commitment to our community while creating twice the impact for entrepreneurs striving for economic stability.

When generous employers and individuals collaborate, we build a stronger Thomasville—a place worth investing in, worth serving, worth loving. Together, we focus on what's strong in our community, not what's wrong.

PS: Hope Williams is my bonus daughter, and I couldn’t be prouder of the legacy she’s helping to build at Spark Thomasville. Thank you, Hope, for your vision, your heart, and your unwavering support!