MENU
PROGRAMS
Minnie
Scholars
Scholarships and support for first-generation HBCU students and accredited training institutions
Free vision screenings and eyeglass assistance
Footwear support for youth and individuals with unique medical needs
Community education and testing resources for sickle cell awareness
IN Sight
PERFECT
FIT
SCOUT
WELCOME TO
The Sandy Minnie Initiative (SMI) is a community-centered nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating barriers to education, health, and personal dignity for individuals and families. Rooted in legacy, compassion, and empowerment, SMI was founded to honor the values of resilience, service, and generational uplift embodied by Sandy and Minnie Dozier—principles that continue to guide our work today.
Through targeted programs in post-secondary education support, vision care, mobility assistance, and public health education, SMI advances equitable access to opportunity and improved quality of life. At its core, The Sandy Minnie Initiative believes that access to opportunity should not be determined by circumstance. We work to meet people where they are, providing practical resources alongside encouragement, dignity, and hope. Our programs support individuals in pursuing education, maintaining their health, and moving through the world with confidence.
ABOUT
MISSION
Honoring legacy. Uplifting community.
Commissioner Debra Dozier-Coulter is an esteemed speaker, executive leader, and PhD History scholar who pairs operational excellence with deep community insight. She is the Founder and President of the Sandy Minnie Initiative (SMI). SMI serves communities through four targeted programs: Minnie Scholars, InSIGHT, Perfect Fit, and S.C.O.U.T., which are designed to deliver practical and accessible solutions that strengthen individuals and families.
With more than 40 years of transformative leadership across business ownership, program development, and corporate management—including roles with IBM, The Computer Company, and as a franchise owner, Commissioner Debra Dozier-Coulter encompasses a wealth of knowledge and delivers outcomes driven by impact and guided by empathy.
Her professional leadership is complemented by distinguished public service. She served as a federal commissioner authorized by the U.S. Congress and appointed by the U.S. Department of the Interior, supporting work within the National Heritage Area of the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor. It spans across the coastal regions of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. She also led the first comprehensive archival survey of church records at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. Currently, she serves as a community liaison for a Mellon Foundation supported grant.
Commissioner Dozier-Coulter values education and is committed to being a lifelong learner. She is currently a Doctoral Candidate and a graduate of The Ohio State University and Voorhees University. In addition to her corporate work, she has held roles as a social worker, teacher, and licensed ordained minister. Debra’s work is grounded in the legacy of service modeled by her parents, Sandy Dozier and Minnie McCutchen Dozier. She believes that the lives and stories of everyday people like Sandy and Minnie hold the extraordinary power to guide and strengthen communities. Under Debra’s leadership, the Sandy Minnie Initiative is building pathways of opportunity, dignity, and hope for generations to come.
The Sandy Minnie Initiative exists to eliminate barriers to education, health, and personal dignity for underserved individuals by providing: Post-secondary scholarships and educational support, vision care resources, properly fitting footwear paired with self-esteem counseling, and public health education focused on sickle cell prevention.
Our mission is carried out through four core programs designed to address real, often overlooked needs that directly impact long-term success and quality of life.
DEBRA DOZIER-COULTER
President & CEO