Earlier this year, when Covid-19 began affecting jobs around the Triangle, Lindsay Holcombe lost her job at the restaurant at which she had been working. Like many, Lindsay had new time on her hands and wanted to use it to do something for others. When considering what to do, she was inspired by her friend Stephen Todd’s organization in Virginia Beach. Todd started an organization called Bluebird Beach Bungalows where he makes and sells birdhouses to raise money for other nonprofits. Lindsay saw the difference he was making in his community in Virginia Beach and had the great idea to start a similar organization to help the community of Raleigh.
Lindsay started her organization If You Had Wings in April of this year and has already raised $5,500 for different nonprofit organizations in the Triangle. She has been able to do this all through making and selling her own birdhouses. Lindsay and her team make each birdhouse by hand. Lindsay’s dad will cut the wood and then Lindsay will put the birdhouses together with a nail gun. Lindsay then paints her birdhouses with flowers which are called “The Lindsay Original.” Customers can also get custom designed birdhouses, which her neighbor Connie paints the designs for. Lindsay then sells her birdhouses through videos over Facebook or through her website.
Click Here to Go To The If You Had Wings Website or To Buy A Birdhouse
Each month, If You Had Wings donates their profits from that month to an organization. Lindsay donates to a lot of the organizations that she used to participate in when she was younger, including Special Olympics, Miracle League, and Helping Horse. She also is passionate about donating to organizations who are making a difference for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We are so grateful that If You Had Wings is donating all their profits from September to 321 Coffee! That means that if you buy a birdhouse from If You Had Wings during September you are donating and helping 321 Coffee! So exciting!
Lindsay says that since starting If You Had Wings she has been able to improve her work experience and abilities. Running a nonprofit organization is not an easy task, and she has had to step up to the plate by learning budgeting, marketing, and bookkeeping skills to keep track of everything. When asked what her favorite part of If You Had Wings is, she said “working with friends and working together.” Lindsay also loves getting to work with her assistant, Alyssa, who is there with her for it all.
The future for If You Had Wings looks bright, as Lindsay is hoping to expand her organization through having more of her friends come along to help build birdhouses. If You Had Wings is also hoping to start selling birdhouses in local storefronts to continue to raise money for the community.
The slogan of If You Had Wings is “Good people do good things” and there could not be a better way to describe Lindsay Holcombe and her team. I enjoyed getting to know Lindsay and learning about her organization and just put in an order for “The Lindsay Original”!
