In the Lewis Carroll poem “Jabberwocky,” the TumTum tree is a place of refuge. It’s also a fitting name for a nonprofit which affords children opportunities in this otherwise challenging world.
The history of Birmingham’s TumTum Tree Foundation goes back 35 years. At the time, it was known as Magic Moments for its beneficiary nonprofit – and was renamed in 2005 to highlight the mission to work with additional nonprofits, all childhood-focused.
According to founders and board members Susan and Peter Curtin, TumTum’s focus on the well-being of children has been the cornerstone of its growth, even from the earliest days.
“TumTum is always evolving – the groups we support change from year to year, and really, the last five or six years, as the funds raised have grown to a sizable number, we’ve had to be very thoughtful about how we create our group of charities,” Peter says. “At this point, the two major boxes a charity has to check are that they are local to Alabama and that they serve kids.”
The structure of TumTum consists of an iconic annual wine auction and a weekend full of events. From Thursday night’s dinner to Saturday’s football tailgate (Roll Tide), attendees have the chance to mingle, meet vintners, and sip on outstanding wines from a variety of vineyards.
Spreading the work of TumTum is mostly “word of mouth,” according to the Curtins, with many vintners telling their friends to get their vineyards involved. At present, many of the vineyards and vintners are based on the West Coast of the United States – mainly California and Oregon – but the goal is to get more international support as TumTum continues to grow.
“We want to broaden our reach and connect with more vineyards in France, Italy, and Argentina – your well-known wine-making areas,” Peter notes.
Longtime supporter Emmett McLean and his wife, Catherine, consider children's charities “near and dear.” The couple has three children and four grandchildren and feels that the best gift you can give to children is opportunity.
“One reason we give to the TumTum Foundation is they do a great job of selecting the right beneficiaries,” Emmett says. “It’s easy to see who you’re supporting and what those organizations do for children.”
In addition to the donors, board, and staff, the vintners find TumTum’s causes to be heartfelt, as the McLeans have heard time and time again.
“Catherine and I have been on some trips to meet the vintners,” Emmett says. “And they’re passionate as well. They can’t wait to come back to Birmingham.”
In Peter’s words, it’s a “fascinating juxtaposition” that such a lively party of wine and food can result in such quiet strength in a child’s life. He described one recent occasion where he witnessed a child facing health challenges climb onto the back of a horse.
“The night of the event, there’s this electricity in the air, and it’s exciting,” he shares. “But the counterbalance of that is when you see a child directly benefit from what we do --- and how their face lights up, and they feel like they’re on top of the world. That’s an exciting feeling as well.”