Christopher J. Woody Sr. is a very happy man with an enormous giving heart.

He is the founder of The Woody Foundation, a nonprofit organization started in 2008 to improve the quality of life for inner city youths through partnerships with other organizations.

The foundation provides resources to children and families living in low-income environments and assisting them as they strive to reach their fullest potential.

Mr. Woody, 33, started the foundation after a co-worker at his former job at the South Side Richmond Boys & Girls Club on Bainbridge Street told him,“Why don’t you incorporate your dancing and start a nonprofit to help other children in the community?”

Mr. Woody’s journey of giving started when he was growing up in South Side at 30th and Decatur streets. “My mom, Deborah Oliver, is a humble virtuous woman, a woman after God’s own heart. During my 33 years on this Earth, I have never seen my mother tell anyone no,” he says.

“I got the spirit of giving from seeing her giving all the time — seeing her give to people who were less fortunate than my family, people who were in need.”

In addition to his job at Chippenham Hospital making sure nurses and patients have adequate supplies, Mr. Woody is a professional dancer and has opened for many entertainers that have come to Richmond, including Al Green, Lyfe Jennings and UniverSoul Circus.

He enjoys break dancing, hip-hop, square dancing and line dancing — especially with his favorite DJs Mr. G and Camille.

“My dancing and my foundation are targeted to the city’s youths. When you look at the city, there are few opportunities or outlets for the children,” he says. “I started off in 2008 by doing a candy drive for the Boys & Girls Club.”

From there, Mr. Woody teamed up with the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority donating Thanksgiving turkeys to senior residents. That was followed by working with the Marines’ Toys for Tots collection during the Christmas season and contributing to “The Spirit of Giving” started by his church, Crusade for Christ Christian Church Ministries.

From there, the foundation took off, he notes. He contacts potential sponsors to support his projects, but most of the time, the money comes out of his pocket, he says.

His foundation’s latest project is centered on cancer treatment and cancer survivors.

“Most people focus on breast cancer. They really push all of the rest of the cancers aside,” says Mr. Woody who donated a kidney to his 13-year-old cousin in 2013.

The idea to help cancer survivors hit him last year when he met a 3-year-old with cancer. He supplied her entire Christmas.

“So I said I was going to do an event that brings all of the cancers together and let the survivors and their friends and supporters celebrate life,” Mr. Woody says.

“Survivors of the Colors Cancer Awareness Affair: A Celebration of Life” is scheduled for June 2 at the Military Retirees Club on Chamberlayne Avenue.

In October, he plans to present his third annual fundraiser “All Black with a Splash of Color.”

The foundation’s quiet generosity is rewarding, he says, when people come up to him and let him know how the foundation has helped their lives.

“In 2017, I went skating because I love to rollerskate,” Mr. Woody recalls. “A woman walked up to me and said, ‘Hey, I have to thank you.’

“I said, ‘Thank me?’

“And then the woman said, ‘You helped me when I really needed help at Christmas time. You let me come to your home and let my daughter pick out anything that she wanted for Christmas when we really didn’t have it.’ ”

Mayor Levar M. Stoney presented him with a proclamation in 2017 acknowledging The Woody Foundation’s “Spirit of Giving” project.

The Woody Foundation reflects the attitude and perspective of its founder.

“I am always happy. I love to be humble and grateful,” Mr. Woody says. “There is someone out here going through something that’s more serious than what you are going though. I work in a hospital and I see it every day.

“Why complain when I am not lying in a hospital. No one has to give me a bath. No one is feeding me and I am breathing with the help of God. I have to be grateful. I can’t complain.

“When people ask me how I am doing, I say I am doing wonderful.”

Meet this week’s Personality and giving spirit, Christopher J. Woody Sr.:

Occupation: Supply chain tech for Chippenham Hospital.

Community involvement: Founder, The Woody Foundation.

Date and place of birth: Jan. 6 in Richmond.

Current: Richmond’s South Side.

Education: George Wythe High School Class of 2003.

Family: Mom, Deborah Oliver; two adopted sisters, Catherine Cobbs and Le’Andra Oliver; and son, Christopher James Woody Jr.

Reason for founding The Woody Foundation: I wanted to be a great role model to the youths of the city as well as my son.

Foremost mission: The Woody Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life for inner city youths in the Richmond area by identifying approaches that work, strengthen their impact and expand their reach so that more young people may benefit.

Why I am excited about this organization: It gives me great joy and satisfaction knowing that I can provide services to someone less fortunate.

Services The Woody Foundation provides: Back-to-school events, food drives and partnering with his church for “The Spirit of Giving” at Christmas helping 500 families.

Upcoming event: Survivors of the Colors Cancer Awareness Affair, called “A Celebration of Life,” on June 2.

How to become a volunteer: Call me at (804) 549-9098 or email thewoodyfoundation@gmail.com

What motivated me to get involved in community service: Knowing that I was a match to donate my kidney to a child and being a donor in 2013.

How I start the day: By thanking God I am awake and can get out the bed on my own. Also reminding myself what Denis Waitley says: “Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned or worn. It is a spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude. I also think of the quote by Charles Swindoll: “Life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it.”

Perfect day for me is: Making the people that come in contact with me happy and also putting a smile on people’s faces.

If I had more time, I would: Travel to other countries and do voluntary and missionary assignments.

A quote that I am inspired by: Make sure that your audio matches your video.

Best late-night snack: Ice cream.

Best thing my parents ever taught me: To love people not because of but in spite of. Person who influenced me the most: My mother.

The book that influenced me the most: Robert’s Rules of Order.

What I’m reading now: “As You Think As You Become!” by Birister Sharma.

The one thing that I’ve learned in life is: To be grateful over the small things in life.

My next goal: To open up a multicultural music and arts center in Richmond for our youth.