Donor Spotlight!

October 2020

Donor Spotlight, CISGG, John Russell

John Russell

Mr. John Russell is a quiet, unassuming successful Gibsonville, NC entrepreneur with 40 years of experience in the HVAC business. He founded JR Air Systems, Inc. in April 2008 as sole owner after co-owning S&J Control-Temp from April 1990 until April 2008. In March of 2020, at the outbreak of the COVID pandemic, Mr. Russell very quietly made a meaningful donation to CIS specifically to provide support to households headed by single parents. He credits his donation to the inspiration of Athan Lindsay, a fellow church member and a member of the CIS Board of Directors and director of community philanthropy at the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro.

About his gift, Mr. Russell states: “Helping others, being Helped, or wanting to Help all require the same: Desire, Belief, and Trust to make progress. Love for others is what makes it Happen. Thanks for allowing us to be a small part in helping CIS. Helping with life education is a great calling. I believe that CIS fulfills that great calling for the great young folks that are involved with CIS.”

Mr. Lindsay also offers the following insight into the donation: “John and I have been good friends through our church and Sunday School class and over the years we have just learned more about how our shared faith plays out in our careers. John and his wife Colleen have always been generous and caring people, especially when it comes to helping to support young people who want to accomplish goals. One day John called me after hearing a story about the challenges that families, especially single-parent headed households were struggling during the pandemic to get access to food. John being who he is asked me, 'Athan, I am going to give to this organization that isn’t local, but I also want to know if there are any similar nonprofits that we (John and Colleen) could support.' Knowing John’s heart and listening to his passion for families who overcome adversity, I shared with John the work of CIS-Greensboro®. John did the rest and CIS is grateful to have John Russell as a supporter.”

For more information, please go to www.cisgg.org. To donate, please click on the link: Donate!