Continuing a Legacy of Compassion

“You can count on my support at the end of each year until I can’t write those checks anymore.”

For Carol Smith, giving is more than an annual tradition. It’s a legacy of love and community that spans generations.

Her commitment began alongside her late mother, Marjorie M. Rosenberg, a devoted supporter of Easterseals who lived to be 104 years old. Every year, the two of them would sit down to send a donation together, a ritual rooted in their deep care for their community. “My mom believed in giving back,” Carol shares. “And I always helped her write those checks. When she passed, I knew I had to keep it going.”

Inspired by her mother’s generous spirit, Carol not only continued the tradition but also went a step further. After receiving a modest inheritance, she researched Easterseals more thoroughly. She ultimately decided to hand-deliver a meaningful gift directly to her local Easterseals therapy center, an act of kindness that perfectly reflects her hands-on, heartfelt approach to giving. “I always do my homework,” she says. “I was impressed by how Easterseals uses its resources wisely and with care. That matters to me.”

Carol was born in Carmel-by-the-Sea and spent her early years in Lynwood, California. As she built a life and family of her own, she made her home in Bellflower, and eventually moved to Cerritos to be closer to her beloved “mama.” She has called Cerritos home ever since, finding joy in a close-knit community of friends and neighbors.

Throughout her life, Carol has carried a strong sense of purpose. She began by selling Avon, later became a union grocery checker, and eventually took a position working directly for the union. She retired early to help run her mother’s gift shop in Artesia, which they operated together until it closed in 2002.

Carol is an only child and a proud mother to one son. While she doesn’t have grandchildren, her generosity has impacted countless children and families across Southern California. “I may not have grandkids,” she says, “but I still want to make a difference for someone else’s.”

That spirit of compassion extends beyond Easterseals. Carol is also a passionate animal lover and supports a variety of animal welfare and health and human services causes.

Her story is a powerful reminder that philanthropy isn’t just about writing a check; it’s about honoring the values we inherit, the choices we make, and the lives we touch along the way.

Thank you, Carol, for carrying the torch and continuing to light the way for others.