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The inspiring book that led to ‘Just One More’ Foundation

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In 1979, brothers Richard and Steve Rogers made a vow in raging rainstorm following their father’s death by suicide.

Leonard Rogers suffered from mental illness and alcoholism and a lifetime of living up to his father’s success building the United States Stove Company.

Realizing their father had run the company to the verge of bankruptcy, the brothers vowed to bring the company back and restore their family name.

Together, they beat incredible odds, giving their family company just one more chance to make it.

The hard work, grit, and in some ways luck that led to that comeback story have gone onto to inspire Just One More Foundation, dedicated to giving second chances.

Here the brothers tell the story of their father’s suicide and the night they made the vow that would change their lives and the fate of their family’s company.

Resilience, Tragedy, & Tenacity tells the story of S.L. Rogers, Sr. and his descendants.

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It’s a story that reads like a Hollywood movie.

In 1898, Richard and Steve Rogers’ grandfather was a determined 16-year-old determined to leave his family’s abusive home in small town Tennessee. He  went on to become one of the most powerful men in southeastern Tennessee both in business and politics.

“Resilience, Tragedy, & Tenacity: 150 Years of the U.S. Stove Story & The Family of S.L. Rogers, Sr.”  tells the story of this family’s many generations of struggle and triumph.

Read this book to better understand how S.L. Rogers’ grandson, Richard, was inspired to start this unique, inspirational movement, Just One More Foundation.

In 2020 Richard decided it was time to chronicle his family’s story.  He commissioned former CNN anchor Daryn Kagan to undertake the project. Over the course of two years, Daryn interviewed more than 20 descendants of S.L. Rogers, Sr. and a number of current and former company employees.

The process of working on the book and closely examining his story and his family’s story, Richard began to see that his most important life’s work had just begun.

He’s determined to use his good fortune to help people who want to put hard work into overcoming their obstacles.

Richard also believes in the power of storytelling. Just One More Foundation is dedicated to telling the stories of people who have overcome their obstacles in order to provide hope to those who are still struggling.

 

News release announces grant applications are open!

CHATTANOOGA, TN, Jan. 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  If you’ve been knocked down and need a little help to achieve your goals, this may be an opportunity for you or the community you represent.  A new organization, “Just One More Foundation,” aims to give people the help they need to begin again. The foundation opened its first grant cycle January 1, 2023 for individuals and nonprofits.

The foundation will award grants to people across the United States who have a constructive plan to overcome their obstacles and need support as they put in the hard work. The foundation’s funding priorities are: mental health, addiction, health care and education. All of these causes are dear to founder Richard Rogers’ heart. He’s a true believer in second chances.

Rogers has had his share of them. He owns the US Stove Company. He and his brother Steve helped rescue the company that’s been in his family for generations, from the brink of bankruptcy to give it a second chance.  Rogers’ personal game changer was a lightning strike that almost took his life.

“I sat in the bed and prayed,” says Rogers. “It was I don’t want to live for me; if you’ll give me one more chance, I want to help others… here it is 25 years later and I’m just getting the chance to honor my promise and my prayer.”

Rogers’ foundation’s mission is to inspire hope and provide opportunity to individuals who have experienced hardships and the organizations that serve them. This can include anything from someone who is getting back on their feet after having drug issues and they want to give back through what they do, to a nonprofit that serves the substance use or mental health community through advocacy or services.

For information on how to apply for a grant, go to our website: JustOneMoreFoundation.org and click on “Grants.” Tell us your story, your “why.” The grant application deadline is March 31, 2023.

Our motto is we can’t save the world, but we can help out. And this is our way of giving back.

The Just One More Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. To learn more about us, go to our website: JustOneMoreFoundation.org and to cover this and hear more of our founder’s amazing story of second chances, please contact me, Daryn Kagan, Daryn@justonemorefoundation.org .

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Richard Rogers gets just one more chance at life and makes a vow to give back

November 11, 1995.

Richard Rogers was on a hunting trip with his good friend, Mike Barry, and Mike’s two young sons, Brandon, 10, and Jason, 14.

That night a freak storm hit the Tennessee mountain top while they were asleep.

It’s a night none of them will ever forget.

The lightning ran traveled through Richard’s body, literally setting him on fire.

For some time, his heart stopped and Richard can remember levitating above his body.

Hear Richard and the Barry brothers tell the story in their own words.

Richard shares how he had to fight for this second chance at life and the vow that led me to create Just One More Foundation.

Resilience, Tragedy, & Tenacity tells the story of S.L. Rogers, Sr. and his descendants.

Read more of the incredible Rogers’ Family story!

Resilience, Tragedy, & Tenacity: 150 Years of the U.S. Stove Story & the Family of S.L. Rogers, Sr.  tells the incredible story of Richard Rogers’ grandfather, the tragedy he survived, the greatness he achieved and his lasting legacy of the United States Stove Company.

Richard Rogers says, “This is a story of success, tragedy, and adversity. Success that was mishandled leading to tragedy, tragedy overcome in the process of creating success.”

 

 
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Giving Just One More Chance for a happy Christmas

Alex Campagna and Andrea Schmitt made sure to load up on supplies for the huge storm that walloped Buffalo, New York around Christmas.

It’s a good thing. It meant they had plenty to share when a busload of 10 tourists from South Korea became stranded in front of their home.

ABC News reports that the tourists were on their way to see Niagara Falls. Little did they realize they were going to see something even more magnificent–the kindness of strangers.

This story shows how we all have the power to give just more chance when things don’t go as planned.

We have grant opportunities to help individuals who have a constructive plan to overcome their obstacles.

We also have grants for non-profit organizations that serve folks moving from hope to happening.

 

How We Help

Do you want to help give just one more chance to someone who has a constructive plan to overcome their obstacles?

We would very much appreciate your support!

DONATE

There was only one way to pay the passenger back

Three years ago, Latonya Young was driving Uber to make ends meet when she met a passenger that would change her life.

Kevin Esch learned of her struggles as a single mother during the 20-minute ride and ended up footing her tuition allowing her to complete school.

In the Spring of 2021, she graduated with her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Georgia State University.

They shared their incredible story on the Tamron Hall Show.

This is the kind of story we love at Just One More.

We love hearing about people who have a constructive plan to overcome an obstacle and just need some help to make that happen.

Does this sound like you or someone you know?

Please check out our grants for individuals.

How We Help

Army vet struggled going from military to civilian life

U.S. Army veteran D’Angelo Shaw knows what it is to serve his country.

He tells WTOC-TV that over 13 years in the army he did it all including, ““jumping out of airplanes, getting over my fear of heights. It was very interesting and very exciting.”

The hard times started when he got out of the military. He had a hard time figuring out where he fit in society.

At one point he was homeless.

He says he didn’t know who or how to ask for help.

He did manage to go to the gym a few times a week. It was there that a manager at the Planet Fitness in Stateboro, GA took notice.

He offered D’Angelo a job.

Talk about starting at the bottom–the job was cleaning the gym.

D’Angelo took it.

It was just one more chance to get on his feet.

Now he has worked his way up to general manager of that same gym.

D’Angelo shares his story with reporter Sam Bauman.

Do you need Just One More Chance?

We have grant opportunities to help individuals who have a constructive plan to overcome their obstacles.

We also have grants for non-profit organizations that serve folks moving from hope to happening.

 

How We Help

How you can help

Do you want to help give just one more chance to someone who has a constructive plan to overcome their obstacles?

We would very much appreciate your support!

 

DONATE