Dawn Stephens founded Spread Spencer’s Sparkle with a broken heart and a fierce love for her community. She grew up in Granby, Connecticut, but moved with her mom to Englewood in 1993, just as she was entering sixth grade. She never left. Dawn built her life here, married Donnie, raised her two kids, Juliannah and Spencer.
She’s always been involved. She cared for her mom and grandma, worked as a real estate assistant, juggled the constant demands of family life, and volunteered wherever needed. Relay for Life, school functions, you name it; she showed up.
But everything changed in 2020 when she lost Spencer, her spark, in a car accident. She says, “I didn’t think I could survive.”
Somehow, Dawn found her way back, slowly, painfully. Now, she works part-time as an administrative assistant. She pours her heart into Spread Spencer’s Sparkle, the nonprofit she founded in Spencer’s honor, and sits on the board for Kids Needs of Greater Englewood. She’s active in The Compassionate Friends North Port and retreats to her art, painting and digital creations, when the weight of grief gets too heavy. Creating helps her breathe and helps her stay present.
Spread Spencer’s Sparkle didn’t start out as a grand plan. It began as a raw, grassroots movement, acts of kindness, simple connections, meant to mirror the warmth and openness Spencer brought into the world. He was just eighteen, with so much life ahead of him, and yet his spirit shook something loose in the community. By 2021, that movement became an official 501(c)(3) organization.
The nonprofit zeroes in on what matters: community needs, youth programs, music, arts, theater, LGBTQ+ awareness; all avenues for love, kindness, and connection. Spread Spencer’s Sparkle creates local programs, hands out scholarships, and organizes outreach that draws in people from all backgrounds. At its heart sits a fierce belief: kindness matters, community matters, and we’re stronger together.
Spread Spencer’s Sparkle is the first nonprofit in Englewood openly connected to and advocating for the LGBTQ+ community. For Dawn, that work isn’t a bullet point on a mission statement. It’s about visibility, acceptance, and making sure no one feels alone in their struggle. All of this love and support comes alive during the annual event, “Hunks in Heels: All Stars,” held on August 8, 2026, at Venice Community Center.
Everything at Spread Spencer’s Sparkle presses forward with that simple, stubborn conviction: spread love. Honor Spencer. Find hope again. And never stop believing that small acts of kindness leave lasting marks on the world.
For more information spreadspencerssparkle.com.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Financial stability, a healthy family, a cozy home with some good music, a few cats, and the ability to see the world!
What is your greatest fear?
I lost my mom at 21, and lost Spencer at 39. I don’t want to lose the rest of my family.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Overthinking – I don’t know how to turn it off!
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Close-minded people.
Which living person do you most admire?
P!nk – singer-songwriter.
What is your greatest extravagance?
I’m actually super frugal, but I do love to travel and get massages. Self-care!!
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Since losing Spencer, I use more….” colorful language” to express myself. I do tell people all the time to never hide a piece of yourself for someone else! Be your true authentic self!
Every edition, Englewood REVIEW spotlights someone who stands out in the community. We ask each person to tackle The Proust Questionnaire; a classic set of questions created by Marcel Proust, the French writer.
For more information spreadspencerssparkle.com.
