Tammy Tumbling has been nominated for 2024’s Remarkable Women Award for her work as the president of the Orange County Community Foundation, which channels nearly $100 million to nonprofits each year.
Her path to a life of giving started in Compton.
“Growing up in the city of Compton, one of the things that shaped me into who I am today was the sense of community,” Tumbling told KTLA 5 News anchor Megan Telles. “We were very, very poor, but we were rich in love. We were rich in faith. You name it we had every type of government assistance.”
Tammy’s mother died at 54 of a massive stroke. At the time, Tammy was just 19 with a two-year-old son.
“I became head of the household. I took care of my brothers and sisters. So, when I thought having a baby at a young age was a mistake, I was actually being prepared to take my mother’s children the rest of the way,” she recalls.
Years later, during the height of the unrest over the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor in 2020, Tammy felt called to start her own fund: the African American Alliance Fund.
“I stood in front of my TV as an executive running internal operations, and I said, ‘What can I do as an African American to help other African Americans in a time of need? ‘”
Tammy took $25,000 of her own money to establish the fund and focus on issues that would advance the Black community, which has now become her full-time role.
Every year in March, Nexstar celebrates Women’s History Month by honoring “Remarkable Women” across the country and recognizing one of them as the “Nexstar Woman of the Year.” “Remarkable Women,” a nationwide initiative to honor the influence that women have had on public policy, social progress, and the quality of life, celebrates local women that inspire, lead, and forge the way for other women.
Our more than 200 Nexstar broadcasting stations in 117 markets accept nominations for “Nexstar Woman of the Year.” Based on nominations with universally selected criteria including community contributions, self-achievement, and family impact, each market selects four local women for consideration as that market’s “Remarkable Woman.” Profiles of the top four nominees in each market air on local newscasts every Tuesday during the month of March, and the nominees are featured on the websites of each local television station.
Each market’s “Remarkable Woman” receives a $1,000 contribution on their behalf to a non-profit of their choice and that winner is then considered for “Nexstar Woman of the Year.” The Nexstar Charitable Foundation makes a $10,000 contribution on behalf of the “Nexstar Woman of the Year” to the non-profit organization of her choice.
