Jana and Mike Moody were among the first to make a gift to the Innovation Fund via HudsonAlpha’s new fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville.

There are many ways to financially support HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, such as through cash gifts, retirement distributions, or gifts of securities made to the HudsonAlpha Foundation, but now donors can also choose to support the Institute through a new fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville. 

Jana and Mike Moody were the first to make a gift to HudsonAlpha’s Innovation Fund, a fund designed to support strategic projects essential to HudsonAlpha’s growth, via the Community Foundation. Jana and Mike have made it a priority to support local nonprofits that they believe are making our community a better place, and HudsonAlpha holds a special place in their hearts. When they learned about the Innovation Fund, they knew they wanted to get involved.

The Moodys share about how they were inspired to support the Innovation Fund and why they chose the Community Foundation as a channel for their gift.

HudsonAlpha Foundation: Philanthropy is something that means a lot to you both. What causes do you value supporting? How does HudsonAlpha align with that?

Jana Moody: We believe in giving to organizations we have a personal connection to and that have a tangible impact on the community. What made HudsonAlpha personal is when a lifelong friend was tested for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, and discovered she was positive for mutations that cause breast cancer. When she discovered she had those mutations, doctors found that she already had the beginning stages of breast cancer. Testing saved her life. 

HudsonAlpha’s cancer genetic testing initiative, Information is Power, and the Educational Outreach programs reach many people who would not have those opportunities otherwise. We have loved and been impressed by those programs.

HAF: Why did you first become involved with HudsonAlpha?

Mike Moody: Before I retired, I was the Chief Operating Officer at Dynetics. I was involved with HudsonAlpha through Dynetics for a long time — I had heard about HudsonAlpha before it was built. In North Alabama, we’re highly focused on the aerospace and defense industries. Having a center for genomics and biotechnology is something unique. I wanted to see it thrive in our community. 

HAF:  What inspired you to support the Innovation Fund?

MM: We liked that funds given to the Innovation Fund are unrestricted. That flexibility is important. Working in industry, I learned that major projects come along that can make a huge difference for an organization, but finding the funds to get the project off the ground can be hard. The Innovation Fund makes it easy to make a difference and felt to us like the most impactful way to give to HudsonAlpha. We hope this gift allows HudsonAlpha leadership to make choices instead of compromises.

HAF: You were one of the first donors to support the Innovation Fund through the Community Foundation. Why did you choose to make your gift this way?

JM: We have made gifts through the Community Foundation in the past and love how it makes giving so easy. The online tools are secure and easy to use, but if you don’t want to give online you can give them a call and they’ll make it happen for you. 

MM: It’s a seamless experience. We also appreciate that they ensure the organizations you give to benefit fully from your gift.

HAF: Why do you think HudsonAlpha is important to our community? What value does the Institute bring to our community, and why should we support it?

MM: The Huntsville community is such a giving community and there are many worthy nonprofits to support, but we believe HudsonAlpha is the crown jewel of Huntsville because its activities are so unique. We love to tell people about HudsonAlpha’s cutting-edge biotech and genomics research. It’s inspiring to us and to the friends and family we share the research with.

JM: HudsonAlpha’s research gives us hope for the future, but it’s also incredible that our community can take advantage of HudsonAlpha’s Smith Family Clinic for Genomic Medicine. The clinic is life-changing if you have a child or loved one who suffers from undiagnosed disease and needs genomic testing. Unlike in many places around the county, you don’t have to go far to access that kind of expert care.

The Innovation Fund is a new fund that provides unrestricted resources to propel HudsonAlpha into the future. The strategic fund supports HudsonAlpha’s most transformational programs, impactful breakthroughs, and pivotal opportunities. Learn more about how the fund fuels HudsonAlpha’s discoveries and impacts lives.

To make a gift to the Innovation Fund through the Community Foundation, visit their website or call 256-489-3525.