About Us

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Where Sparkle Started

Sparkle Foundation founder, Samantha Tradelius, never stopped thinking about the stories her grandmother and hero, GG, would tell her about raising three children as a single mom in the 1950s. Samantha always noticed that in all her stories, her grandmother never mentioned anyone helping her…or asking for help. She knew that her grandmother did everything she could to rub her nickels together to make that happen.

Sparkle Foundation’s Timeline

  • 2003

    Samantha decided that she wanted to make a difference for women just like her grandmother, and the children in their lives. She decided to find her own families in need to help over the holidays.

  • 2003-2015

    Helped families in LA/Bay Area - just as a collection of friends and with each year it grew. As of 2015 we did 17 families and raised 35k out of Samantha’s home. She knew it was time to take this to the next level.

  • 2016

    The Sparkle Foundation, Inc. was officially formed. A 501(c)(3), we are a 100% volunteer organization with a Board of seven very dedicated Directors and hundreds of incredible volunteers from all over the Bay Area.

  • 2023

    Sparkle isn’t just reaching families in the Bay Area. We are now also in Sacramento, and Los Angeles. Raising over $500k and serving 5,500 single mothers.

  • 2024

    Sparkle expands to Orange County and Phoenix Arizona bringing our efforts to 5 major geographic areas.

A note from the Founding director

"21 years ago I was 23 years old and wanted to make a difference. Disenchanted after having learned how many “charities” spend donated funds benefiting themselves and not the intended people, I decided to find my own families in need over the holidays.

I would go to the main post office in Los Angeles and sift through their “Dear Santa Letters.” Reading stories from children who would never see a Christmas filled with toys, new clothes and Christmas dinner, I knew this was my calling.  Gathering all the info I could, I would then create lists of what I needed and go out and spread the word.

Clients, friends, family and anyone with a pulse...I would ask them to help. Some would donate toys, some food, some clothes, and some cash. Using any of the funds I received, I would then go and pick up all the items I wasn’t able to obtain and complete my lists.

I assembled a team of family and friends to sort, wrap, and then physically hand over these goods to the people who needed them personally. From start to finish, this was 100% volunteer, and 100% of the funds/goods went where they were needed.

“Why don’t you start your own non-profit? We can do so much more.”

  This had become a question I was hearing more and more. Late 2015 I began the process, figuring out how to become a non-profit. Asked a lot of questions and filled out A LOT of forms 6 months later...501(C)(3) status granted. In January 2016 Sparkle was born.

To me, when you hand off a basket of food or diapers to a mother, a bag of presents to a child, there is this look in their eye… it is a SPARKLE and that is where our name comes from. Sparkle is a feeling that takes over you.

The people involved in our process, too, always stop me after we are all done and say what an impact this had on them personally, how good this made them feel… it makes you light up inside (Sparkle!) 

The Sparkle Foundation is a community of people who just want to help bring that feeling...that SPARKLE...back into the lives of people who may have lost it somewhere along the way.

One of the things that I am most proud of is our transparency. Sparkle is still 100% volunteer and 100% of every dollar donated goes to help a single mother and her children SPARKLE.

I invite you to join us in our mission. Become a Sparkler! Donate, volunteer, nominate. Sparkle!

Doing good just feels good.

— Samantha Tradelius, Founding Director, Sparkle Foundation, Inc. 

“My boys and I were so suprised at how many awesome gifts we received. It really did bring smiles to not just their faces, but also for me as well. Watching my sons open their gifts with so much excitement and gratitude made this years Christmas that much more special.”

— Mother J