Serving the community is a responsibility Gulfport resident Courtney Anderson doesn’t take lightly.
     It’s why her new position as development director of the Bacot McCarty Foundation is a position she believes was matched only by divine intervention.
     “I truly feel this opportunity was intricately planned by God.
     “I am certain with Bacot McCarty I have found my calling…I have had a servant’s heart from a very young age, and I feel that through this new opportunity, God has blessed me and fulfilled this passion and desire of helping others from all walks of life. The Bacot McCarty Foundation has those same goals and that same servant mindset.”
     Todd Trenchard, the foundation’s executive director, echoed Anderson’s sentiments, saying she’s an excellent fit for the job. 
     “Courtney has the perfect resume for the position,” said Trenchard. “She has a passion for helping others, a Godly spirit, as well as an infectious personality that people are drawn to.
     “She is highly intelligent, wants to make a lasting difference on the Gulf Coast, and has already shown she can bring people together while raising funds and awareness for causes.”
     Trenchard and the Bacot McCarty Foundation created Anderson’s position shortly after working with her on a partnership they were developing as part of her work with the American Cancer Society, where she was most recently employed as the Community Development Manager for the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
     According to Trenchard, Anderson’s unique talents were realized while the duo were discussing collaborative efforts on how their organizations could work together in her mission to help cancer victims.

“We weren’t specifically looking for anyone. And it wasn’t until later that it became apparent that she had the perfect skillset to help both the Foundation and the Mississippi Gulf Coast in a much broader and effective way.” 

Todd Trenchard, Executive Director, Bacot McCarty Foundation

        Anderson had been working with prominent leaders across the Gulf Coast, exposing and engaging them as new donors, towards the Society’s ultimate goal to find a cure for the deadly disease. Among those leaders was Trenchard, whom Anderson touts has brought in more money to organizations like the American Cancer Society than anyone else through his devotion to the Foundation.
     Trenchard is the only executive director the Foundation has ever had as he helped form the nonprofit organization that, he says, “looks for needs in a community and then finds ways to meet those needs. This can be through more funding but can also be by connecting the dots and partnering individuals and companies with local causes.”
     The Foundation has been carrying out this mission for nearly 20 years following its official Charter in 1978 with the McCarty name added in 2003.
     In October 2020, the Foundation partnered with Chevron to provide the Mississippi Aquarium a transit van for its education outreach team. The new program, called Aquarium in Motion, is designed as a way to bring the Aquarium and all of its wonder to students in schools along Coastal Mississippi and throughout the state.
     The Foundation is widely known for helping bring 2^nd Chance Mississippi, a nonprofit organization raising funds and awareness for Mississippi’s adult education programs, to the Gulf Coast region. To date, through this program, “Explosion of Excellence,” and local Rotary Clubs, the Foundation has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships to deserving students, according to Trenchard.
     “We have helped smaller causes or ideas get grounded and going,” Trenchard said. “Some of these causes are now well-known nonprofits serving our area. We are champions for those with special needs, and of course my position has allowed me to talk about recovery, and places that offer help, as I got sober over 23 years ago at the Home of Grace.
     “We have accomplished a lot with nonprofits, but also have helped bring our communities much closer together. We have by far the most effective and accomplished board of directors on the Gulf Coast, and few organizations have accomplished as much over such a long period of time.”

     Anderson was hired by the Foundation almost exactly one year ago. Her primary focus she said will be implementing new ideas and strategies that can build on the Foundation’s already successful operation.
     Having been raised in Gulfport, the city she still calls home today, Anderson is also eager to play an instrumental role in helping expand the reach and effectiveness of the Foundation into Harrison County.
     “Throughout my life, I have volunteered and had personal and professional experiences with many of the nonprofits and causes that we will be addressing, said Anderson, “and now I’ll be helping lead efforts to finding ways to meet their needs. It’s such an honor and privilege to be tasked with serving your own community, and I don’t take this calling lightly.
     “There is much to do, but I’m confident we have the volunteers, board and staff that can effectively meet this challenge. We are very excited because our community is going to be so much stronger as we build lasting partnerships between causes and those businesses and individuals that will be helping them.”
     Anderson recently helped the Foundation kick off this year’s Jolly McCarty Memorial and golfing extravaganza, a.k.a, “The Jolly,” with a complimentary outdoor Cajun mixer on March 26 at Lynn Meadows Discovery Center. The event, now in its 18^th year, has raised millions upon millions of dollars for local causes. It is scheduled for May 15 at the Shell Landing Golf Course in Gautier, with a gala reception preceding on May 14. It is the Foundation’s largest fundraiser and each year is followed by Renaissance the Runway, a super fashion show event featuring local well-known leaders wearing clothing from local shops and boutiques. Both events are presented by Biloxi’s IP Casino, which has donated well over 3 million dollars to the foundation over the past 12 years.

     Trenchard said he believes the future of the Foundation “looks very promising.” “We will adapt this year to external factors and be looking for opportunities to serve. We will not sit back and react, but rather be proactive and innovative in our decisions…while putting safety and responsibility at the forefront.
     “…Everyone’s goal should be to leave a positive lasting legacy; to leave an organization better off when they step aside than it was when they arrived.
“We took an idea many years ago and our efforts have been blessed. Today, we are not only a better organization, but by adding amazing and passionate people like Courtney Anderson to our family, the future possibilities are truly unlimited. And that’s what life is all about!” 
     In her new role with the Foundation, Anderson will be working with volunteers and nonprofit leaders to connect the coastal region, unveiling new initiatives and projects in service to the community along the way. Leading these efforts will be longtime friend and mentor, Butch Oustalet.
     “We can’t wait as we know the best days lie ahead,” Anderson said.
     Anderson also helps Trenchard co-host its weekly TV show, Spotlight Gulf Coast, highlighting coastal events and platforms as well as providing updates on the Foundation and its work in the community.
     “Courtney’s performance has frankly been quite amazing and outstanding,” Trenchard said. “I don’t know many people who could step into a new position, be asked to do so much and then effectively wear so many different hats. We could not have asked for a better development director and couldn’t have looked for a better human being.”

Amanda Compton-Ortiz

Amanda Compton-Ortiz holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism from the University of Mississippi. She relocated from North Mississippi to Long Beach in October 2016. Amanda has worked for more than 20 years in journalism, leading and reporting for various community news publications throughout the state. She has received numerous awards for her editorial contributions from the Mississippi Press Association and placed among 224 universities competing across the United States and Canada for Reach, a personally created magazine for women.