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Editor’s Note: This story was originally posted with an error in the last name of the donation recipient. Her name, Glennese Smith, is corrected in the story below. We apologize for the error and are happy to set the record straight.

NATCHEZ — General Missionary Baptist State Convention’s Women’s Auxiliary recently presented a local nonprofit with a donation of $1,800 in honor of native Natchezian Glennese Smith for her community contributions.

The nonprofit named GMSS — Smith’s initials — stands for “Great Motivation Starts with Self.” It was founded on Jan. 11, 2016, by Smith, a survivor of domestic violence, to assist other abused families and domestic violence survivors.

A presentation for Smith was made at the Women’s Auxiliary annual Fashion Share in Jackson at the Greater Pearlie Grove Baptist Church on July 22, 2024.

The Women’s Auxiliary then presented the check to Smith on Aug. 28, at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Natchez.

The Women’s Auxiliary hosts an annual Fashion Share and donates to a nonprofit that they feel is well deserving and demonstrates leadership, commitment and selflessness within their community.

The GMSS mission is to help abused women and children, prevent high school drop-outs and help with daily mental challenges. The GMSS vision is also to assist people with the resources needed to help them with their daily tasks. GMSS also assists with feeding the homeless, bill assistance, fire victims, burial, and any emergency family needs and is diligently working on opening a shelter

“GMSS always goes above and beyond to help any individual,” the Women’s Auxiliary stated. “Speaking to several individuals and seeing how she gives so freely is why we chose her.”

Smith has three children, Lexus, Camry, and Layla; and two grandchildren, Ja’Chari and Carma. Smith earned her degree in Education 2009 from Alcorn State University, a Master’s in Secondary Education with an endorsement in Counseling in 2011 from Alcorn State University, and became a published author in 2011 with “Surviving A Thousand Deaths, The Glennese Smith–Scott Story.”

Smith is certified as a Mental Health Therapist in Mississippi and Louisiana and is the owner of “Taxes By Me,” GMSS Shelter, and GMSS Counseling & Consulting LLC.