UPDATE: We have surpassed our original goal of $20K! You all are amazing and I know how much this would have touched Stacy's heart. Let's keep going and care for Matt and Caine as much as we can. NEW GOAL $28,000!

On Friday November 14, our beloved friend, partner, mother, and community member Stacy Hicks passed away unexpectedly in a car accident. Her loss is heartbreaking and unimaginable for everyone who knew and loved her.

Stacy was a creative, compassionate, and deeply thoughtful person whose gifts touched so many corners of our community. She was a talented photographer, capturing the world with a quiet tenderness and an eye for beauty. She was a gentle but powerful community advocate, always looking out for others, always showing up where she was needed. And for the past ten years, she contributed her skill, warmth, and professionalism to the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, a place she loved and where she was deeply appreciated.

Stacy also spent the last couple years working with Sound Legal Aid as their Director of Legal Services, where her calm presence and deep empathy changed lives every single day. She supported people facing some of the most difficult moments of their lives, offering not only legal guidance but compassion, patience, and dignity. Her impact on the many clients and colleagues who relied on her is immeasurable.

Stacy’s kindness was steady, her humor gentle, and her presence grounding. She made people feel safe. She made them feel seen. And she brought heart and sincerity into every space she entered.

We are creating this fundraiser to support her partner, Matt, and her son, Caine, as they navigate the immense grief and sudden challenges that come with such an unexpected loss. Many have been asking how they can help, and this is one meaningful way to surround them with love and stability during this incredibly painful time.

Our goal is to raise $20,000 to:

Help cover Stacy’s funeral and memorial expenses, and

Provide Matt and Caine with one year of support for rent, so they can remain in their home without fear of having to move while they grieve and regain their footing.

This support will give them time — time to mourn, to breathe, to take care of one another, and to begin healing without immediate financial strain.

All funds raised will go directly to Matt to support these specific needs. We will keep this page updated with any information the family wishes to share.

If you are able to give, thank you. If you are unable to donate, simply sharing this fundraiser or holding Stacy’s family in your thoughts means more than you know. Every gesture of support helps lighten their burden.

Thank you for honoring Stacy’s life — her creativity, her compassion, her commitment to community, and the love she gave so freely.