Hungry For Change and Hopeful for Healthy Beginnings

A Lasting Legacy

In 1993, Charles E. Ragus founded AdvoCare as a health and wellness company with the commitment to be an advocate who cared. Today, AdvoCare has taken that commitment to the next level by establishing the AdvoCare Foundation. The foundation focuses on providing the support to help all children be happy, healthy, and safe.

Our Grant Process

The Foundation has one annual deadline typically falling in the first quarter of the calendar year. Grant requests for program support are strongly encouraged; capital requests may be considered. Successful proposals are those with an emphasis on year-round programming and effort to promote positive change in the health and wellness habits of children. The majority of grants from the AdvoCare Foundation are one year in duration, at an average of $25,000 per grant. On occasion, multi-year support is awarded.

The Foundation believes in supporting communities where AdvoCare distributors are located and engaged. We value long-term partnerships with grantees, and give funding preference to previous grantees. We will not fund endowments, individual schools/sports teams, camps, or national organizations without a strong track record of local community buy-in.

Important Dates:

Our grant cycle is July 2024 - June 2025
Friday, April 26, 2024: Application Due by 5:00 pm (please email to wstrauss@advocarefoundation.org)
June – July *: Award announcements
July : Grant distributions

*Dates are subject to change


Application

Download 2024 Application
Please email wstrauss@advocarefoundation.org
with any questions or to receive a copy of the application

Timeline

With the help and generosity of the AdvoCare Foundation founders, our supporters, and our communities, we’ve been able to make a huge impact.

  1. 2015

    Foundation formed and first Board meeting
    Mission statement formed

  2. 2016

    Logo designed
    First presentation at Success School
    First grantees
    First Foundation event - Field Day

  3. July 2016

    With the help and generosity of our founders and our supporters, the AdvoCare Foundation has begun to make an impact in the lives of children in need. And this is only the beginning.

  4. July 2016

    AdvoCare launches the AdvoCare Foundation with a sustaining gift of $1.5M from the Ragus Family and AdvoCare

  5. 2017

    First product promotion
    Foundation website launches
    Foundation focus moves to family and children's health in an effort to end childhood obesity
    AdvoCare distributors begin volunteering with grantees

  6. July 2017

    Year two grants awarded with emphasized focus on childhood obesity epidemic

  7. October 2017

    The AdvoCare Foundation hosts inaugural AdvoCare Field Day

  8. 2018

    #GenerationFit event at Success School raises $175K
    Childhood Obesity Awareness Month Digital Campaign #GiveMe5
    Grant cycle updated – include Site Visits with Distributors

  9. 2019

    #GenerationFit at Success School raises $104K

  10. July 2020

    Foundation reaches goal of granting a total of $1M since forming and is now granting in 9 states

Meet Our Board Members

Stacey Ragus
Cernicky
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Debbie Ragus
Cook
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Jenni Ragus
McGaha
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Stacey Ragus
Cernicky

Stacey Ragus Cernicky, daughter of AdvoCare Founder Charles E. Ragus, is dedicated to the mission of the AdvoCare Foundation and has been actively engaged with AdvoCare since its founding, currently sitting on the Board of Directors.

After graduating from Louisiana Tech University in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts, she continued her education in nursing. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Northwestern State University’s School of Nursing in 1992 and became a Registered Nurse.

Stacey sat on numerous Air Force Base Officers’ Spouses’ Club Board of Governors from 1999-2010, chairing numerous committees including Charitable Coordinator and Publicity and Public Relations.  Positions held were Secretary, 1st Vice President, Advisor and Honorary Vice President.

Stacey is married to Andrew J. Cernicky, Colonel (retired), USAF. Stacey and Andy have four children, Andrew, Caitlin, Nicholas, and Ashley. They reside in Allen, Texas.

Debbie Ragus
Cook

Daughter of AdvoCare founder Charles E. Ragus, Debbie Cook is a resident of Shreveport, Louisiana, and sits on the Board of AdvoCare. A graduate of Louisiana Tech University, Debbie is committed to the legacy of her father, his spirit of giving back and making a community better than when she found it. She has a passion for the company her father built and the thousands of AdvoCare Distributors she meets with throughout the year.

 Debbie has volunteered at her children’s schools and their local Church – giving to several children’s charities.  Her number one job is as a mother to her three children – Alex, Courtney and Kelsey – who all recently graduated from college. When not helping run the AdvoCare Foundation, Debbie and her husband Buddy – a retired Fire Fighter – spend time traveling and raising cattle on the family ranch.

Jenni Ragus
McGaha

Jenni Ragus McGaha is the youngest daughter of AdvoCare Founder Charles E. Ragus. Passionate about continuing the great work of her father and his vision, she worked for AdvoCare at Corporate Headquarters in various roles for more than 16 years and currently resides on the Board of Directors.

Trained as a teacher, Jenni received her Bachelor of Science in Math Education and a Master of Arts in Special Education – Gifted and Talented at Louisiana Tech University. She taught 7th grade math from 1994-2000 before joining the family business.

Jenni is active in her community, serving as a volunteer at the Junior League of Collin County and the Women’s Auxiliary to Children’s Medical Center at Legacy.

Jenni married Dalton Lee McGaha in 1999. Dalton is a science teacher and serves as a Deacon in their church. They have three children – Chandler, Riley and Sadie Jane.

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