The Magical Philanthropist | Samantha Tradelius

Samantha Tradelius

Executive Director

Purpose is what drives Samantha Tradelius. The brilliant philanthropist, and entrepreneur, alongside being a gratified mother and wife, Samantha has made others proud of her too! How, you ask? She has been serving single mothers since 2003—as a young woman wanting to make a difference.

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

When Samantha turned 23, she knew she had a purpose in life, and it was to serve.

She tried associating with charities, but when the truth hit her that numerous of them spent the donated funds fueling their benefits, she decided to create her world.

In this world, she would find families in need over the holidays and send them gifts to give them a reason to smile. And with the same purpose, she is leading Sparkle Foundation. “The entire foundation is run by volunteers including myself, we all have day jobs and then we Sparkle,” says Samantha. “Aligning myself with women with the same focus we have been able to move mountains over the last 6 years. Surrounding myself with people that are smarter than me has always been my smartest move! When you take the best of a woman and combine it with other women the result is monumental.”

A True Leader

Samantha leads an all-female super type-A power group of women. “We all inspire each other daily. We all have different skill sets (by design) so when the forces come together MAGIC happens.” The same magic was what she experienced when she would go to the main post office in Los Angeles and sift through their “Dear Santa Letters.” She knew this was her calling by reading stories from children who would never see a Christmas filled with toys, new clothes, and Christmas dinner. “Gathering all the info I could, I would then create lists of what I needed and go out and spread the word.”

The pioneering leader would ask everyone from family to clients to 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.”

Sparkle Foundation, Inc.’s mission is to create a world where all women and children have a sparkle in their eyes. 100% of donations go directly to women and children, in whatever way best meets their specific needs, with dignity and purpose. Sparkle Foundation hosts various events and fundraisers throughout the year, including the Holiday Gift Drive, Back to School Backpack Drive, and the Night to Sparkle event. Sparkle Foundation was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Novato, CA, with locations in Los Angeles/Ventura County, Sacramento and inland empire.

A New Venture

She has been a support system to the female business owners who are out there trying hard to establish themselves. With SparkleBiz Loans, Samantha and her team have been able to mentor and guide their first recipient. Filling in the gaps where the recipient needed the most help has been the best thing to watch, and assisting other women in need is what makes it a great experience.

SparkleBiz, a new foundation, is dedicated to funding the dreams of women entrepreneurs by investing in single mothers who need short-term, interest-free loans. These microloans are provided to start their new businesses or expand their existing businesses and add additional value with access to a panel of industry experts for support, advice, and encouragement. SparkleBiz does not claim a stake in their business — the foundation offers an opportunity with no ownership strings attached.

SparkleBiz aims to fund three to five women-owned businesses in the coming year and asks for donations to help make that happen. Every dollar donated goes directly toward supporting a small business, generating funds for the local economy, and creating new jobs.

“I have been serving single mothers since 2003 – as a young woman wanting to make a difference. 6 years ago, I formed the 501c3 and things really took off. Success can be measured by so many different milestones. My mark is lives served, and in 2021 we served 5300!”

In addition to hand-picked presents, the moms receive baskets of food and toiletries. They can apply for enrichment scholarships for tutoring, sports, or art classes throughout the year, and a backpack giveaway helps launch each new school year. “In 6 years, we have raised $1,000,000 and give it all back out into the community. We are 100% in and 100% out – serving single mothers and their children,” elucidates Samantha. “We have expanded into 4 different major metro areas in CA, my goal is to have SPARKLE Chapters in each state!!!”