About The Callie Golden Foundation

Callie Golden loved school. Because of her medical condition, she needed accommodations — such as additional staff members, medical equipment, and building adaptations — to participate in her traditional classroom. These accommodations allowed Callie to learn, to make friends with other students, and to spend the school day independent of her parents.

Not every classroom has the facilities, staff, and medical equipment to welcome every student who has disabilities. Inspired by Callie’s journey, and by all the people who helped Callie attend school, Callie’s parents started the Callie Golden Foundation in January of 2023.

The Foundation funds grants to help more students with disabilities participate in their traditional classrooms. Though designed to lower attendance barriers for individual students, the grants can also enhance the classroom experience for all students because everybody benefits when more students can participate.

The Callie Golden Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization governed by an eight-member board of directors. The board approved its first grant in 2024 and is currently raising money to fund grants for the 2025-26 school year. All grants are funded by donations to the Foundation. To make your tax-deductible donation, please visit our donate page.

ABOUT CALLIE

Callie was born with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a genetic condition that prevented her body from meeting physical milestones. As time passed, Callie grew weaker and required more help with physical activities. Still, she loved life. She loved attending school at Child Enrichment at First United Methodist Church, Johnson Street Global Studies, and High Point Friends School. She loved her family and friends, shopping, painting, music, her cat, and so much more. In April of 2021, Callie died at age 12. Read more about her life at calliegolden.org.