In Sweet Magnolias season 3, Dana Sue uses Miss Frances’ money to start the Magnolia Community Foundation with Maddie and Helen.
After Miss Frances’ death, Dana Sue finds out that Miss Frances left her a large sum of money. She puts aside some of it for Annie’s college and her vow renewal ceremony, but she does not know what to do with the rest of it until Miss Paula brings her Miss Frances’ journal.
Why did Miss Frances leave money to Dana Sue?
Miss Frances leaves memorabilia for a lot of people, including Miss Paula. Miss Frances wanted Miss Paula to read her journals and decide whether to share the contents with Dana Sue or not.
Miss Paula decides to show one of the journals to Dana Sue, which tells her why Miss Frances left her the money. Miss Frances was in love with Dana Sue’s father, who was in love with his wife.
Miss Frances regrets not being bold and confessing her love to him while she still had the chance. Dana Sue was not Miss Frances’ daughter, but Miss Frances believed that she could have been hers.
She thought of Dana Sue as her own daughter and her legacy, and that is why she left the money to her.
The birth of the Magnolia Community Foundation
Miss Paula also tells Dana Sue about Miss Frances’ vision for Serenity. Miss Frances believed in what the city could do for the people of the town and what the people could do for it. Miss Paula thinks that Dana Sue is the keeper of her vision.
Dana Sue then decides that she wants to use the money to honor Miss Frances and her vision. She wishes to do that by feeding the people of Serenity and offering help and support to those who need it, the way Miss Frances always did.
Helen suggests that Dana Sue should start a foundation, which requires providing high-impact funds for key causes. Dana Sue will decide how much money she wants to put into it as well as select a board that will manage the money, identify the needs, and select recipients.
Dana Sue likes the idea, but she wants Maddie and Helen to be a part of this. Her two best friends happily agree. This is how the Magnolia Community Foundation is born.
Serenity Serves
The Magnolia Community Foundation seeks to launch an initiative called Serenity Serves, which will synthesize and support the food security programs run by various congregations.
Serenity Serves will fill in the gaps in the existing food programs. Its aim will be to offer good food that is nutritious, low-cost, tasty, and can be easily distributed and consumed.
Serenity Serves has two objectives — to reach out to people who may not already be a part of the existing religious communities and to serve others with the belief that the quality of food improves the quality of life. It will tackle the problem of food insecurity and help people regardless of their religion.
The Magnolias give a presentation to Serenity’s interfaith council, and they manage to get every member’s vote to launch the Serenity Serves initiative.
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