SML GIVES inc is proud to serve Franklin, Bedford, & Pittsylvania Counties
About SML Gives Inc.
Neighbor supporting neighbor to end local hunger
SML Gives inc. unites neighbors, businesses, and the community in the fight against hunger, ensuring no one is left behind and no one goes to bed hungry
Building Relationships
Through donations, community events, and volunteer opportunities, SML Gives inc. believes relationships are central to a strong community.
Feeding the Community
At SML Gives inc., we believe that everyone has the right to essential nutrition. We understand that life's challenges can sometimes be a barrier. We are here to support our community in meeting their basic needs.
SML Gives inc. Founder
Meet Joseph 'Joey' Donovant
Raised in Eden, North Carolina, Joey graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington in 2006. His journey of service began at TROSA, a nonprofit residential program in Durham, NC, where he worked in the in-kind donation office. There, he discovered the impact of connecting community members and donors to a mission they believed in — sourcing essential needs, raising awareness, and strengthening support for nonprofit work.
Joey’s career path led him to Feeding Southwest Virginia, part of the Feeding America network, where he managed relationships with retail donors and partner agencies such as food pantries and soup kitchens. While deeply committed to this work, Joey also recognized that many local organizations lacked the resources to sustain staff, secure grants, or steward donors effectively.
Determined to meet this gap, Joey began organizing grassroots fundraising and food collection efforts in his community. In December 2024, he co-hosted the Christmas Benefit at Magnum Point Marina, raising more than $26,000 in one night. This success became the spark for a bigger vision: creating a local nonprofit dedicated to empowering and resourcing organizations serving neighbors in need around Smith Mountain Lake.
In 2025, Joey founded SML Gives Inc., incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia and awarded tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS. With SML Gives, he is committed to building stronger, more sustainable hunger-relief efforts by ensuring that local pantries and soup kitchens have the resources they need to thrive.
