A good friend of Ginny Herrmann’s – Kim Tucci – would often say to her that things don’t matter, people do. Following the principles of her Jesuit education, Herrmann has kept social justice, which she defines as an awareness and accountability for the wellbeing of all, a focal point of her life. In Little Bit, she says she’s found an organization not only lifting up the marginalized, but “catapulting them to the top.”

“Little Bit is providing for what students in impoverished communities need to be successful in the classroom – and in life – and doing so with love, compassion and human touch. They are wonderful mentors for children,” says Herrmann. Herrmann has supported Little Bit since first learning about its mission around 2015 – in the past year, honoring the passing of her friend Kim Tucci with a generous gift to the organization.

“My former neighbor, Rose Hanley, and I would sit on her porch on the weekends to chat, and one Saturday she told me the story of how Little Bit began with a little boy who needed a coat. Thinking of others being cold always bothered me more than anything,” she says. Herrmann had an image in her head she couldn’t shake and after buying a new down coat, found herself questioning her purchase. “I looked in my closet and wondered why on earth I thought I needed another coat. So, I asked Rose to give it to one of her students. It was a small thing, but Rose sent me a photo of the student that received the coat and her big smile, and it really touched me.”

Since then, Herrmann says she’s watched how the scope of Little Bit’s mission has greatly expanded and seen “the incredible impact” of outside the box thinking. “They’re approaching the problem from many different angles, such as the high school piece – which I think is a game changer – and doing so with careful deliberation. That’s really important to me as a donor.”

Another appeal, she says, is Little Bit’s efforts to ensure each student retains their individuality – something Dr. Hermann has strived for in her 40-plus years as a surgical oncologist and breast cancer specialist. “For me, it’s a privilege to be there for someone during what may be the worst time in their life. You could be the difference in how they face the fight.”